Welcome to my story

He was in sixth grade, his friends that he ran with were much older then him. As a result peer pressure begin to set in. He remembers it as if it was yesterday the joint circled around to him and his older friend said “just try it, nobody will know.” He slowly took the joint from his friends hand and put the flame to the end of it. He took a deep breath and the next thing you know this would be a pattern for him that stuck with him through high school. His drug use increased throughout his middle school years, during highschool he began to work for his older friends pushing all types of drugs. Time and time again he began to kill people’s hopes and dreams as a result of his drug dealing and hunger to fight those that crossed him.

On October sixth, 1996 he attended an abilene high football game with the intentions of leaving attend a highschool party. For some reason he went home after the game. At approximately 3am his cell phone rang. On the other end was one of his friends Cory. He dropped the phone in disbelief as Corey told him what had just happened. John a buddy who went on to the party hit a telephone on his way home. John got out to look at the damage of his truck and met his fate. A dangling telephone wire electrocuted him to his death. One month later a buddy of his girlfriend broke up with him. His buddy at the age of 17 took a 45mm handgun and shot himself. Anger began to increase more and more inside him. His drug and alcohol use was intensifying rapidly. Three week later after his second’s friends death bad news met him face to face again for the third time. His friend David was passed out in the passer side of his car, his best friend driving. His friend David’s hit a parked truck at the bottom of the hill, ultimately 2 days later claiming his life. Anger stirred in him more than ever before. How could God be real if he kills such young people. God doesnt love people, all he does is kill them. Two weeks later he was notified by his best friend that another friend of theirs had killed himself. Four friends that were dear to his heart, gone in a split second. That summer another one of his close buddies died of caner.Lost confused, an angry more than ever before, he became even more dangerous to himself and others.

One night he came home highly intoxicated after a wild night of partying. He stumbled into his bed of loneliness. As he lie there hopelessness, anger, and a great deal of depression tried to execute him. He had made his mind up, his life was pointless. Even though he had one of the most popular girls as his girlfriend, even though he was a good athlete, and had great parents..his life was useless. He reached for the gun that he carried while selling drugs. His date with death had arrived.

He accidentally dropped the gun on the floor, as he reached for the gun he leaned over and saw a Bible that was given to him when he was baptized as an eight year old boy. He picked up the Bible instead of the gun. He said, “God if you real I want you to show me something.”

He gently opened the Bible for the first time, falling open at 1 John chapter two. He zeroed in on the words “ We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love[b] is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” Instantly tears streamed down his face, he fail down on the floor asking God to forgive him for all he had done wrong.


His life changed right before his eyes. He attended a church camp and eventually surrendered to the ministry. He began volunteering at a homeless ministry makign food boxes, he eventually served as the children and youth pastor. For the last 7 years he has served as pastor of Mission Abilene, welcome to my story.