Nancy Alcorn - Ditch the Baggage, Change Your Life: 7 Keys to Lasting Freedom

At the lowest point in my life, when I didnt even want to live because my marriage and family were a mess, all I could do was to cry out to God and ask Him for help to find some peace and hope. I soon learned that God was there to help me through the Holy Spirit and Jesus inside me. I began to understand that they would be the anchor that would never leave me, even though the rest of world would still be a mess. These same principles have been taught at Mercy for over thirty years to broken young women. My good friend Nancy Alcorn is the founder and president of Mercy. In Nancys new book, Ditch the Baggage, Change Your Life, she gives practical and easy-to-understand lessons for anyone seeking the peace and hope that I once soughtprinciples that are keys to lasting freedom. Take a step onto the path toward peace and hope that are yours to have and get this book today!

KAY ROBERTSON

COSTAR, DUCK DYNASYY

Real. Practical. Life-changing! In this book Nancy Alcorn unpacks the truth about the baggage we all have and how God wants us to be free from carrying all that old stuff around. But how do you get free? This book is the best, clearest, and most complete explanation of where lasting freedom comes from and exactly how that can be sorted out in your own life. I have known Nancy for many years and have seen these principles taught in the Mercy homes worldwide. Now her new book, Ditch the Baggage, Change Your Life, is available so that all of us can utilize these principles in our own lives as well as help others find lasting freedom. This book is a must-have for all pastors and really anyone who works with people in any capacity!

JOHN BURNS

AUTHOR, SPEAKER, AND PASTOR AT RELATE CHURCH

As the founder and publisher of a nationally circulated magazine, I often have deeply committed Christians writing to me who are miserable in their current situation. Many of these people even know that God has a better plan for them but do not have a clue on how to get out of their misery, despair, and heartache. If this describes you, I have great news for you! Nancy Alcorns book Ditch the Baggage, Change Your Life takes you through a process of healing straight from His Word. She makes things so simple and very clearall with the experience of seeing this work in the lives of thousands of young women who have come through her program at Mercy. Your heart will be healed and you will gain victory in your life as you read Nancys new book and work through these principles. I am sure of it!

LAINE LAWSON CRAFT

FOUNDER AND PUBLISHER, WHOAWOMEN MAGAZINE

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DITCH THE BAGGAGE, CHANGE YOUR LIFE by Nancy Alcorn

Published by Charisma House

Charisma Media/Charisma House Book Group

600 Rinehart Road

Lake Mary, Florida 32746

www.charismahouse.com

This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwisewithout prior written permission of the publisher, except as provided by United States of America copyright law.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Modern English Version. Copyright 2014 by Military Bible Association. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked AMP are from the Amplified Bible.

Copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked ESV are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NAS are from the New American Standard Bible, copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Scripture quotations marked NCV are taken from the New Century Version. Copyright 2005 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked THE MESSAGE are from The Message: The Bible in Contemporary English, copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Copyright 2015 by Nancy Alcorn

All rights reserved

Cover design by Studio Gearbox

Design Director: Justin Evans

Visit the authors website at www.mercymultiplied.com.

Some names, places, and identifying details with regard to stories in this book have been changed to help protect the privacy of individuals who may have been involved or had similar experiences.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

Alcorn, Nancy.

Ditch the baggage, change your life / by Nancy Alcorn. -- First edition.

pages cm

ISBN 978-1-62998-012-6 (trade paper) -- ISBN 978-1-62998-013-3 (e-book)

1. Change (Psychology)--Religious aspects--Christianity. I. Title.

BV4599.5.C44A43 2015

248.4--dc23

2014048626

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to all who are hurting, desperate, and looking for an answer. There is hope for you. There is an answer! This book is also dedicated to people who are reaching out to others who are struggling. Thank you for being willing to stand in the gap and help those who are hurting. My prayer is that you will find direction, guidance, and answers through the pages of this book.

CONTENTS

J OEL KILPATRICKWITHOUT YOUR expertise and belief in our mission, this book would not have been possible. Thank you for pushing me to dig deep and share these principles of freedom with the masses.

Melanie Carterfor your tireless editing, attention to detail, and solid belief in this project.

Christy Singletonfor providing an invaluable sounding board for key points in this book.

Mercy stafffor willingly sharing your own personal stories of healing for use in this book.

All the counselors at Mercy and the young women who have come through the programfor being the model and example of how these principles work, and for encouraging and inspiring me through your stories of freedom and restoration.

I HAVE BEEN PERFORMING GOSPEL MUSIC for many years and have had the chance to be in front of all kinds of audiences. I have always felt that I am best using my gifts for God when my voice is being used to minister to hurting people. Over the years, I have had the great fortune to meet others who are committed to helping the lost and broken, and one of my very favorite people who shares this passion with me is Nancy Alcorn.