Meet Shane – One of Our Newest Members at St Mary’s Church, Bideford
Shane’s story is a beautiful reminder that no matter how lost you may feel, if you look in the right place, you will find God.
After a season of searching, Shane found his way into church — and discovered God waiting for him with open arms. His journey speaks of hope, grace, and new beginnings.
Here, in his own words, Shane shares how he found God and what his faith means to him:
I spent most of my life denying God. My personal saying was this..”If God really exists, I’m going to have a proper argument with him when I die as he’s never given me a sign!”
My childhood was full of turmoil, abuse, anger and fighting. I was diagnosed Hyperactive by the age of 6, I had low self esteem and was abusive to everyone for most of my life. By the time I hit my mid 20s, I was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, Mixed Personality Disorder, Stress and Anxiety and Depression. I didn’t fit in anywhere in my life. I felt constantly lonely and I even joined a motorcycle club where I became a President but I hated the fact that we wore support 666 patches as it felt very wrong!
I never gave God or Jesus a second thought but I never mocked Christianity just in case and I always felt something, I just didn’t know what it was.
My Father became very sick in 2022, he was in the final stage of COPD and was hospitalised. He stayed in hospital and deteriorated. He was suffering terribly and out of desperation, I prayed..
I said “Dear Heavenly Father, please can you help me. If you are real, can you please either fix my Father and give him some sort of life or can you please take his suffering and let him go!”
I felt that my Prayer was answered and my Father passed away. Although it hurt, it was also a relief.
Because of that day, I began to think about God more and although I never picked up a Bible, I started watching social media videos about God and Jesus and learnt that when I prayed that I could ask for things in my prayers in Jesus’s name.
Talking to my fiancé of 18 years Sam, I would talk to her about these videos and we agreed that there could be something in God and Jesus..I asked Sam if we could do something good and get married in a church and this is how we found St Mary’s in Bideford.
We organised a meeting to begin wedding arrangements, we went to church to see what it was all about. We met Rev. Claire and lots of lovely people who welcomed us and our family. Very quickly we decided that we wanted to be baptised. We then got Married and was offered to be confirmed which we happily accepted.
On the day of my confirmation, I will never forget the Bishop putting his hand on my head and giving me the gift of the Holy Spirit. I cannot put into words the feeling I experienced that went throughout my whole body. It was an incredible moment that left me a true believer!
Since that day, we go to church as much as we can. We also did the Alpha Course which was very helpful. Our lives are far from perfect but life is so much better.
What I have noticed is this..if I get lazy with reading the Bible or miss church, I will very often have a bad week. When I make the effort to pray, read the bible and be around the decent folk of St Mary’s, my life is much better. I just wanted to end this by saying that this is the first Winter that I can remember where I haven’t suffered with depression.
I thank Jesus for everything he did for us that allows us to be closer to him and to God and allowing the forgiveness of sins that gives us the best chance of being better people and going to the best place when our time is finished.
Thank you St Mary’s for all your love, support and understanding 
