{"id":4186,"date":"2022-08-29T10:00:01","date_gmt":"2022-08-29T14:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/christnewstoday\/?p=4186"},"modified":"2022-08-29T10:00:01","modified_gmt":"2022-08-29T14:00:01","slug":"ex-mafia-member-shares-how-he-asked-jesus-to-change-him-or-kill-him-as-he-hit-rock-bottom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/christnewstoday\/2022\/08\/ex-mafia-member-shares-how-he-asked-jesus-to-change-him-or-kill-him-as-he-hit-rock-bottom.html","title":{"rendered":"Ex-Mafia Member Shares How He Asked Jesus to ‘Change Him or Kill Him’ As He Hit Rock Bottom"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Mafia associate who spent most of his existence in and out of prisons and living a life filled with crime eventually found himself broken, emotionally tattered, and at a dire crossroads. Robert Borelli recently told The Prodigal Stories Podcast<\/em><\/a>, \u201cI knew about God but didn\u2019t know God. I gave God an ultimatum. I said, \u2018You better have somebody kill me \u2014 or change me.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Borelli, a member of the Gambino Crime Family, had lived a hardened life, but that moment of pure emotion overtook him as he sat alone in his jail cell, separated from his daughter and loved ones. He continued, \u201cI was crying like a little baby,\u201d he said. \u201cIt broke my heart, just shattered my heart in pieces.\u201d<\/p>\n

What followed for Borelli was a fully transformed life, with the former mobster embracing Christ and launching a ministry aimed at telling his incredible conversion story. \u201cI\u2019m so thankful that God honored the cry of my heart in that jail cell,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd he put those pieces of my broken heart together again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Borelli, born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1954, recalled how the Mafia dominated his neighborhood growing up. The men offered locals seemingly positive opportunities in sports betting and other efforts and kept the community safe. Borelli felt the guys in control \u201cseemed to have it all.\u201d Enamored by their supposed prestige, he started working for them.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Rene B\u00f6hmer\/Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Borelli said his father was often working, and these older men in the Mafia gave him the attention he craved, further adding to the attraction. He said, \u201cThey kind of became my family, even at an early age.\u201d By 18, Borelli was hiding from law enforcement amid a murder investigation, refusing to give up anyone involved.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy first arrest was for two murders and possession of a weapon,\u201d he said. \u201cI was only 20 years old at the time.\u201d As the years progressed and Borelli was back on the street, he started selling and using drugs, which further denigrated his life. The ex-mobster ended up at the infamous Rikers Island in New York City. Destitute and without help from the Mafia or family, he was alone and broken.<\/p>\n

Then, he asked God to either take his life or transform him. Around the same time, he struck a deal with the government to cooperate with officials and enter the witness protection program. Borelli said, \u201cWhen the government offered me that, I accepted that offer. I could see God moving from that point in time. God was honoring the desire of my heart to get to know Jesus more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Borelli was disconnected from friends and family as he started a new life in the witness protection program. At the same time, his faith grew exponentially. Embracing Jesus changed everything. \u201cWhen I confessed \u2026 I believe [God] came inside me and gave me a brand new start with him,\u201d he said. The ex-Mafia associate ended up leaving the witness protection program, getting married, and reconnecting with his daughter.<\/p>\n

Borelli also wrote a book about his life titled \u201cThe Witness<\/a>.\u201d He\u2019s now committed to telling people about Jesus and a central truth embedded in his own story:\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s never too late for a new beginning.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A Mafia associate who spent most of his existence in and out of prisons and living a life filled with crime eventually found himself broken, emotionally tattered, and at a dire crossroads. Robert Borelli recently told The Prodigal Stories Podcast, \u201cI knew about God but didn\u2019t know God. I gave God an ultimatum. I said,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":657,"featured_media":4189,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[549],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4186","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-miracle"],"yoast_head":"\nEx-Mafia Member Shares How He Asked Jesus to 'Change Him or Kill Him' As He Hit Rock Bottom<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Robert Borelli, an ex-Mafia member, shared his story on how he turned his life around when he called out to Jesus and gave Him an ultimatum.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/christnewstoday\/2022\/08\/ex-mafia-member-shares-how-he-asked-jesus-to-change-him-or-kill-him-as-he-hit-rock-bottom.html\" \/>\n<meta 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