FREEDOM FROM BONDAGE

Alcohol, Tarot Cards, and Jesus

By Sandy Engel
The 700 Club

She had a fascination with horror and a need to know the future.

"The things that we were interested in were the dark side comic books, horror movies and spook houses. Instead of asking God (about my future), I had my chart done."

Janice Barchat began life in a loving home. No one would guess that dark forces in her childhood ignited a burning search for spirituality. Her search is shared by millions of people. In a desperate attempt to control the future, they consult astrologers. They seek psychics. Janice turned to tarot card readers.

"They started telling me things that actually happened -- so wow! I got into it. Then I just went down, down, down "

Down a dark path propelled by alcohol. Janice hit the bars at age 19. "Drinking and dancing I'd found a home. It was like 'Oh, this is neat. I'm grown up now. I can smoke. I can drink.'"

And drink she did. By the time Janice turned 21, she was working in a bar. She was also addicted to alcohol. Janice explains, "When I drank I didn't feel any pain. And after a while, it just became a lifestyle. I had bad relationships through all of the drinking. I was abused. One guy tried to kill me."

By this time Janice's fascination with the occult had escalated. Now she was reading tarot cards.

"One card is a death card and that meant death or change. I would get that with some people, and they would move suddenly, or they would die, so I guess when it started to work, I thought there was power in it."

But Janice found no power to change the downward spiral of her life. "I hated myself. I wanted to kill myself drinking because I did so many (bad) things; I just wanted to die!"

Yet Janice didn't die. She consulted another tarot card reader who amazingly advised her to watch The 700 Club.

"This was around 1983. At first I thought it was phony. They're just putting these people on and you know this can't be real; people can't actually stop drinking like that."

Janice continued to watch. She even became a 700 Club partner. Yet it wasn't until 1989 that her life truly changed.

"I saw the truth. I saw it in the people's faces that were on The 700 Club. I saw it with Pat. I saw testimonies on the show that people could stop. They do stop. And I said, 'Please God take it away. I can't take it anymore. I can't live this lifestyle anymore. I want to change.' Really, it was amazing; it was a miracle. God took it away."

No more alcohol, no more tarot cards. Janice started a whole new life. She began reading the Bible and she learned to trust Jesus with her future.

"Just to be here -- living right now without alcohol. Having a life, a real life. A husband, a wonderful husband -- things that I thought I could never have. I don't have to be tied down to having a drink every ten minutes. I don't have to have a cigarette. God took that away. If He can do it for me, He can do it for anyone. God is just so good! I just wish everyone could know how good God is. Just give Him a chance! Ask Him! All they have to do is ask Him!

Jesus met Janice right where she was, in the middle of her alcoholism and tarot cards -- and He changed her life! He can change your life too. If you have a need, you can send us a prayer request right now by clicking here. Or if you want to talk with someone, call The 700 Club's Prayer Counseling Center at 1 (800) 759-0700.

Stories like Janice's encourage others and show them that Jesus is the answer they are looking for. Join with CBN now and help share the gospel to thousands of people through The 700 Club. You will also be helping keep The 700 Club Prayer Counseling Center phone lines operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, as well as provide medical and humanitarian help to those in need. Please join today.

• Find your way to peace with God
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