From Stand-Up Comedy to Family Responsibilities

The poet, author and comic John Roedel knows what it is to suffer. From the collapse of his family business, to his son's autism diagnosis, Roedell wrestled with the big questions of life. Witnessing the inner workings of a local Catholic church didn't help, instead it led him toward atheism. For years he suffered serious depression. The turning point came when Roedel discovered God was far more personal than he'd been led to believe. "My relationship with God had always been very formal", he remembers. But something was changing. By imagining a two way conversation with God - and posting the results on Facebook - John's perception of the divine was changing for the better. "This was different. This was a relational moment I hadn't experienced before." Ultimately those short posts went viral and led to a new career for this writer/poet. Sam Hailes hears the full story.     The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe from $1/month at premierchristianity.com