My Testimony...Revised.

My story and addiction began at an early age. When I was seven years old, I attended a service organization gathering with my father, where some of his friends thought it would be funny to give Jim's kid a beer. That was my first beer, which ended in a blackout. When I was 11, some neighborhood friends and I thought it would be fun to make an experiment using the contents of their mother's liquor cabinet. My friends dared me to drink the concoction we had made and having no idea what would happen to me, I took the dare, which resulted in an alcohol-induced coma. Growing up, I was truly blessed. My family did not have a lot of money but we were close and I was very loved. I possessed above-average book and street smarts, I made friends easily, and I had the athletic ability that was sure to get me a college scholarship. Although the qualities of my life that I mentioned before were a blessing, they also were a curse. I lived as if nothing could hurt me and life was all about having fun. Even though I believed in God, I thought that I was in control of my life...not Him.

I made my way through my twenties experiencing plenty of trouble but I believed I was not hurting anyone, so most of my issues were and I was just having fun. By the time I was 30 years old, I was married and had four amazing children, a great career, and a beautiful home. It was more than I could ever have dreamed of yet I was still willing to throw it all away for another drink even though it was not always that much fun anymore.

By the time I was 40, I was no longer drinking to have fun but instead, I drank to escape. I woke up every day believing that I was nothing but a worthless, home-less, Godless drunk whom no one loved. My most intimate relationship was with a bottle of booze.

Then one day something burned inside of me, prompting me to walk several miles to the public library. There, I would check an email account that I hadn't checked in quite some time. My Father had emailed me to say that he had seen the Teen Challenge choir perform at our church, telling me how these men had sung and shared their stories. Stories much like mine. He wanted me to consider the Teen Challenge program and to give my life back to Jesus, telling me that this was the only thing that could save me from death. I was reluctant. I was 40...not a teenager! But I called, and on March 19, 2012, I walked through the front door of Teen Challenge, dragging my swollen liver behind me. Once there I never gave myself the option to leave...because I wanted to live. At first, for my family but after a while, I realized that I truly wanted to live for Jesus. This was when my reality changed to Truth. And on Good Friday in 2012, I gave my life back to Jesus in a baptism ceremony along with 11 of my Teen Challenge brothers. Through this spiritual rebirth, I could accept God's mercy and forgiveness for all my past wrongdoings, and His grace for my salvation. Since my time at Teen Challenge, the Holy Spirit has performed many miracles in my life. Not only has my body, mind, and soul been healed, but the broken relationships with my Father & Mother, family, and friends have been restored. I now wake up every day believing that I am a worthy, Godly man who is sober, I have a great place to live where many people love me, I have a fiancée and a family that loves me, and now my most intimate relationship is with a man named Jesus! My life is filled with hope!

My story only skims over the absolute glory of the restoration of life that has been achieved by nailing my old self to the cross and being reborn in Jesus Christ. I am a new man of God who has a story to tell. A testimony that hopefully inspires anyone who may doubt that Jesus is real and that He heals. I have a new story...one that is defined by God, for God. One that can only help lead my family and anyone else who witnesses my example to the cross. Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for your thoughtful consideration to help the program that helped save me.

A New Chapter.... I felt compelled to share that my story was not all "roses" up to and following when I originally wrote out my testimony. Life is weird, confusing, deceiving, and flat-out difficult at times. Without Jesus, it inevitably becomes unmanageable and unbearable. It seems unfathomable that someone who had fallen as deeply as I had and was miraculously redeemed as I was, could possibly allow myself to ever deviate from His path, yet I did. The more comfortable I got in the world, the further I removed myself from His presence. I started putting the idols of the world in front of him and this allowed the devil to slowly start deceiving me again. I once again tried to grab the steering wheel and control my life instead of submitting my life to Him daily and allowing Him to steer. Everything that was restored, I was once again at the threshold of losing. Thankfully, about a year ago my (then) finance' and several dear friends interceded. Of course, everyone wanted me to go back to MNTC - but there was NO way I was going to do that, anything but that. All I could think of was how humiliating, shameful, and agonizing that would be...But God. I finally broke down and cried out to God! I asked for His will and direction. He told me that I needed to face my fear, put my faith in Him, and get to MNTC. I listened. I was terrified at first but something special happened. Everyone who knew me at MNTC didn't give me grief, a raised eye, or a condescending look, they opened up their arms and showed me, Love. True Love is a powerful thing, as it should be... God is Love! The walls that the devil allowed me to build around myself suddenly started to crumble. I started to see myself and more importantly hear God again. The lies and shame that I was carrying were nailed to a cross on the altar at MNTC. Truth be told, I am now grateful for this chapter in my story. Without it, I would not be where I am today. I am closer to Jesus now than I have ever been and His grace has touched me profoundly. He is continuing to show me His purpose for me and ways to honor, worship, and love him. He provided me with a beautiful person whom I get to call my wife and love, as he loves the church. He put new people in my life to learn from, help, and serve. He has also blessed me with an amazing opportunity to love my brothers and sisters, an opportunity to help build His kingdom, and an opportunity to bring glory to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

I wish you all my love and pray for His blessings unto you and yours, in the name of Jesus.