freedom life church international

A Welcome From
Pastor Mike & Julie Knoll

dealing with depression

In December 1996 at the age of 32, I accepted the Lord Jesus into my life. While the Angels were rejoicing in Heaven, Satan and his tormentors were not too happy and got to work right away trying to steal, kill and destroy my life. CONTINUE READING

WHAT WE DO

our ministry team

Matt Knoll Ministries

Hearts of Motion

The War Room

"Equipping Believers to Fulfill their God-given Destiny!"

New Radio Broadcast!

O COME LET US ADORE HIM!

I love Christmas. I really love Christmas. So does my younger son, Matt. His older brother, Michael does too, although he doesn’t let on! For years now, Matt and I have met every week to sit in my car with a coffee and listen to Christmas tunes. Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. And then after some uplifting conversation around the Word, we pray. Christmas has always been special to me ever since childhood. As a boy, I spent much time alone listening to Christmas songs on my transistor radio in our basement. I didn’t know Jesus at that time, but there were certain carols such as “O Holy Night” and “O Come All Ye Faithful” that made me subtly conscious of the presence of the Lord with me although I was not aware of what that strange but rousing feeling was. My family was dysfunctional through and through, but I felt a special relationship with this God that I did not know. Somehow, I sensed He was there for me. My grandparents were Pentecostal ministers who made their home in New York, so I barely knew them in my early years. My grandfather, who I have so little recollection of, died when I was perhaps 8 years old, and I never knew him in a personal “grandpa/grandson” way. I wish I could sit with him now that I’m a minister and glean from his wisdom and experiences. My grandma was a prayer warrior who prayed for us Knoll kids fervently. I believe to this day that it was her intercession that awakened my spirit to sense the presence of God in my lonely isolation. The funny thing is I actually didn’t mind being alone, I felt secure and happy as a young boy who grew up without the love and affirmation of a wounded father who struggled to express love, and a mother who tried hard but had difficulty coping with the outer gloom and the inner pain. And right there in the midst of all of that brokenness, Christmas was my annual salvation. And now, over 50 years later, I love the Lord Jesus who adopted me into His eternal family! That’s why I sing Christmas carols year round! O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!

VIEW ALL BLOGS