Osteen ministry helped me

The commentary, “What happens to Joel Osteen’s prosperity gospel when prosperity is lost?” said that the public was asking Osteen, pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, tough questions about the church’s response during Hurricane Harvey. But the author said the question in the headline reflects a more important question.

I guess I am a member of the public; Pastor Osteen is my friend. I will attempt to answer.

Around 2008, my best friend thought it might help my outlook to start listening to Osteen and he let me borrow one of his books. I had a belief in God but was really struggling with my faith. Osteen’s message of “getting into a good Bible-based church” drew me back to the Catholic Church.

I am not sure if Osteen preaches prosperity, in the sense that I will be rich one day. The prosperity he preaches is overcoming everyday challenges: taming my tongue, seeking to overcome my vices, forgiving myself, forgiving others, exhibiting a strong work ethic and trusting God and ways to improve myself in everyday living.

I mean no disrespect to the pastor who wrote the commentary, but I am a better person after listening to Osteen.

This story was originally published September 18, 2017 at 5:11 PM with the headline "Osteen ministry helped me."