My Conversion Testimony

I have not always been a Christian. I was raised in the church but I didn’t really know Jesus for myself. I had no idea how important he would become to me and my life. My father left when I was young and I carried a lot of anger, sadness, and loneliness. I didn’t know how to deal with it. Even though I would go to church with my mom, I never really felt like there was anything there for me. I was never connected. As I got older the things of the world became more and more appealing to me. I left the church and I got involved with drugs, alcohol, and women. I eventually joined a gang and began a life of crime. Gang life was good, so I thought, because it gave me a sense of belonging, a sense of family. But it was not all it was cracked up to be. There was no glitz, and there was no glamour. It was a hard life of running from the cops, and trying not to get killed by other gangs. Also, the strain on my family was hard. Everyone considered me the black sheep. No one trusted me. By nineteen I was done with gang life. I was living at home with my mom but we were constantly butting heads. I needed out. After a final argument, I left home and stayed with a friend for awhile. Coming home one day, I met a young lady on the subway – one month later we were living together.

I realized I needed Jesus and received Him into my life when I was twenty-two years old. Up until this point my girlfriend and I were living together, working, and trying to build a life. But there were still remnants of my old life with me that I had a hard time shaking off – drugs and anger. I had a very bad temper, and bouts of depression. I would turn to marijuana to keep under control. I managed to get my girl addicted to it too. I knew this couldn’t continue but didn’t know how to stop it. My girl had some friends that were Christian and always talking to her about accepting Christ, she would think about it. My mom was committed to the church by this time and was attending one that held weekend retreats called Christ and You Encounter or C.Y. E. My girl and I decided to try one. This was one of the most amazing weekends of my life and it changed everything. In the summer of 1992, on the shoulder of the Senior Pastor who wore a gray pin stripped suit, I prayed the sinner’s prayer and received Christ into my heart. Afterward, I breathed a heavy sigh of relief, I knew something changed in me. The Pastor said, “that’s right, let it all out, let it all out.” My girl received Christ during this time too and we decided that we should no longer live outside of God’s will and got married. Not everything changed overnight but we made some really good strides in our life and were grateful to be a part of the kingdom of God.

The biggest change I have noticed in my life is the compassion I have for others in need. My heart completely melts for people who are suffering from addiction and poverty especially. Christ in my life is what has enabled me to experience this compassion and to offer it up to others. There is no way I could have felt like this on my own, I was too selfish. But because of receiving Christ into my heart, I now have his love and compassion for others. I no longer do drugs. I no longer deal with a bad temper. Sure, I get angry sometimes, but the love of Christ always reminds me that I am a changed person and that I no longer need to go there. I have been walking with God as his son because of the life saving work of Jesus on the cross for more than twenty-years now. I have completely turned around my priorities. I have a wonderful family. And I seek to love, live for, worship, and serve Christ in any way I can. I know Jesus saves, he saved me. May I share how something like this can happen to you?