Free Life Coaching Program at CLI
My name is Janet Giessl, and I am in the free Life Coaching Program at the Christian Leaders Institute (Learn more about online Bible classes, Click Here). I’m a teacher, author, and artist. I’m happily married and have two children. Our children, my husband, and I are currently residing in my husband’s home country Georgia (Caucasus region).
My Faith Journey in Childhood/Adolescence
My faith journey is quite a roller coaster ride. I grew up as a Catholic since my parents were both Catholics. Until I became an adolescent, I practiced the Catholic belief and been active in the Catholic Church. When I was about 13 or 14, I was introduced to the Protestant belief by my best friend, and I was totally astonished by the differences between both denominations.
While I was still a Catholic, I also went to the Protestant Church from time to time and got active there. Though the Protestant Church accepted me being a Catholic, I knew it was wrong according to the Catholic Church.
My Faith Journey as an Adult
Then a time of withdrawing from both churches followed for many years. I only attended church occasionally, and I didn’t read the Bible. Although I believed in God and Jesus Christ, I had no relationship with God. I was not walking with God.
When I met my husband, who was baptized as a Georgian Orthodox, I left both the Catholic and the Protestant Church. I agreed to baptism in the Georgian Orthodox Church so we could marry in an Orthodox Church. Though I received the baptism in a Georgian Orthodox Church, I never identified myself with this denomination. I lived for many years as a lukewarm Christian.
My Two-Year Experience with New Age/Occultism
However, being a lukewarm Christian left me unsatisfied and grew a hunger to find the truth. Since I wasn’t saved back then, Satan took advantage of my hunger to lead me on a dangerous and wrong path. For two years starting in 2017, I dabbled in the New Age movement and occult practices like astrology, tarot, yoga, qi gong, shamanism, numerology, chakras, aura, starseeds, earth angels, etc.
