Babette from The Netherlands grew up in a Christian family but experienced the death of her father at a young age. A series of events that followed influenced her view of God, leading her into drugs and New Age spirituality. However, God never let her go; He sought her out and saved her. She now shares her remarkable testimony on Revive.nl.
Babette’s Story
Babette: “I was born into a Christian family with four children, of whom I am the youngest. We went to church and read the Bible after dinner. My father was deeply committed to raising us in faith and instilling Christian values in us. I don’t remember much from that time, but I do recall feeling very safe with Jesus from a young age and truly enjoying church.
That was my life until I turned five. Unfortunately, that year, my father passed away.
Losing your father at such a young age is a tremendous trauma, and it turned our whole family upside down. A huge lie immediately took root in my heart—that either God didn’t exist or that I couldn’t trust Him. Many other things happened in my life that made me question my faith even more. I kept wondering: why would God exist if He allowed all of this to happen?”
Foster Care
“When my father died, we didn’t continue going to church for long. My mother no longer felt at home in that community, which is understandable. She was a widow with four small children, and it was all too much for her. I don’t really remember us reading the Bible or praying at home anymore.
I never truly felt safe. About a year after my father’s death, things at home deteriorated, and I was placed in foster care for a year. Looking back now, I see that God’s hand was always on my life, even though I didn’t want to acknowledge Him. I know that He was always a Father to me, watching over me, even as I denied Him and chose my own path.
During that year, I lived with one of my brothers in a Christian foster family from our old church. As a child, I was always radiant and joyful on the outside, but no one could see how much pain and brokenness I carried inside. Many more things happened in our family that I won’t go into now, but over time, we became more and more isolated from one another. We were no longer truly a family.
My way of coping was to withdraw from everything.”
Shame and Bitterness
“At a certain point, I realized that because I didn’t receive the love I needed at home, I started looking for it elsewhere. I believe the enemy began robbing me of my joy at a very young age, filling me with shame and bitterness. I rebelled against everything and everyone—especially myself.
I became involved with boys at an early age, which led to rejection, further deepening my shame and insecurity. When you can’t receive the love of the heavenly Father, the enemy seizes the opportunity to fill your mind with even more lies.
Over time, I transformed from a radiant girl into an insecure, withdrawn shadow of myself. Eventually, I developed addiction patterns, including drug use and compulsive shopping. I had an unhealthy urge to spend money, particularly on drugs.”
Searching for Meaning in Egypt
At twenty, Babette moved out on her own, and things spiraled further out of control. A friend advised her to seek therapy, which she did, but she didn’t find the answers she was searching for. Desperate for meaning, she turned to New Age spirituality, which eventually led her to Egypt in pursuit of ancient Egyptian wisdom.
But things took an unexpected turn. In Egypt, she met an American woman who was a Christian. This woman told her about the love of Jesus.
Babette: “She deeply touched my heart and made me feel God’s love. She reminded me of Him, and that moment has never left me.”
True Joy
Many things happened after that encounter, but eventually, Babette experienced a radical conversion.
She testifies: “My life truly began when I surrendered it to Jesus. That was when I really started living. He brings so much joy.
When the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in you, it’s as if earplugs are removed from your ears. It’s like not realizing you were cold until someone wraps a warm blanket around you. It’s as if you can finally see and hear again, as if your senses, which were once dulled, suddenly come alive.”
