stressguy_dd

#mytestimony My parents divorced when I was three. My dad became a Christian and my mom wanted nothing to do with God. She ran off leaving me and my dad only to return 18 months later to kidnap me. A vicious and nearly continuous custody battle ensued over the next 10+ years. Over time my mom became a successful executive and business owner. She was wealthy, popular, well traveled, and went through men like a fat kid through cookies. My dad remarried, had seven other kids, and became a struggling pastor. It was obvious as I grew up that God didn’t pay dividends. If you wanted to have fun and be successful it was best to leave God out of your life. Although my dad was poor he scraped together the money to send me to a private Christian school until 7th grade. His finances wouldn’t allow him to do it after that because his family was growing. I started public school in 7th grade and quickly fell in with the wrong crowd. By 9th grade I was doing and selling drugs, stealing cars, breaking into houses etc etc. I landed in juvey and met some folks from Atlanta. So at 16 I dropped out of school, moved to Atlanta, and started running drugs from Atlanta to Charleston. One night I got pulled over with enough drugs to put me in jail for decades. I remember begging God to get me out of this and promising Him if he did, I would never sell drugs again. He did and I didn’t I switched gears and started a legitimate business. The business did great so I opened another and another until at 30 I was ‘on top of the world” financially. Over this time I met a wonderful woman, married her, and got into surfing. Sounds like I had a perfect life, right? Reality is, I was a functioning alcoholic with a drug problem. I could take care of business and by all worldly metrics it seemed I was doing great. However, I was never truly happy. When my son was 1.5 years old I had a grande scheme to achieve happiness. I would sell my business, retire, & move to Costa Rica to party and surf in paradise. I thought I had won at life. Happiness and fulfillment was achieved…for about 10 minutes. I had fewer responsibilities, world class waves in my backyard, more time to drink, and better drugs. How could I still be unhappy? Fast forward…I’m 44 and by wordily metrics still doing great. My kids are older and are starting to see some issues with my lifestyle. While I loved them and provided financially, I was not a good father. I was putting my desire to party above their well being. I was selfish. I knew it and it bothered me but I would just put it out of my mind and go to the next party over and over again. One day I received a call from a hospital in Jacksonville Florida and was told my mom was ill and I should come quickly. When I arrived I learned my mom had weeks to live and they planned to move her to hospice as soon as a bed opened up. I was sitting next to my mom’s bed trying to put on a brave face but what could I do? I’m good at partying. My hospital skills suck. I have no way to comfort or heal her. I decided to call my dad to let him know what was going on and to tell him I was in the US. About 10 min after we hung up I got a call from his wife, my step-mom. She told me I was welcome to bring my mom to her house instead of placing her in hospice. She urged me to allow them to take care of my mom in her dying days. I was floored. This had to be some kind of trick. My mom did everything in her power to ruin my father. She caused untold hardship on him, and by association, his wife and family. Yet, here they are willing to have her in their house, not to visit, to die slowly over days maybe weeks?? I’ve made this long enough so I’ll try to make the ending short.. I took them up on their offer. For 15 days my dad and step-mom loved on my mom. They not only cared for her body but for her soul too. They shared the gospel with her, answered her questions, read scripture, and sang hymns. My mom came to Christ before she died in that bed. She confessed her sins and asked forgiveness from God. As you might imagine this was a powerful experience. God brought my mom and dad together one last time to teach me about sin and forgiveness, love and redemption. I accepted Christ while sitting next to my mom’s deathbed. My life has completely changed since I came to Christ. I place my sins on Christ’s account and no longer live with the guilt from my days as a drug dealer and addict. My actions and habits have changed. I no longer party. I am a more accessible father and more loving husband. I’ve found peace, forgiveness, and happiness in Christ. If there is anyone reading this who is struggling to find happiness in their lives and would like to talk about what it is to be a Christian, I would be happy to speak with you. Hit me with a DM