I grew up in a Christian home but didnt truly accept Jesus into my heart until I was 19, almost 20. I should say first that I have had two of the best parents a kid could ever ask for and I will always be grateful for that. My childhood was great, I couldnt have asked for anything more. I grew up running wild with all the neighborhood kids. Constantly getting into mischief, everything from shooting bottle rockets at the neighbors house to building a giant snowman in the middle of the road. I grew up building tree forts and going camping. Playing baseball, soccer and video games. Riding my bike or skateboard. It was a carefree childhood. Throughout my teenage years was a different story. Many things I wont go into detail on. I was surrounded by drugs, alcohol, violence, crime ect... I lost alot of friends to those influences. Ive seen things and experienced things I would never wish on anyone. But this isnt a "oh woe is me story". 
Infact I know ALOT of people that have had it WAAAAY worse than me. So I feel grateful when I look at my life in perspective. However God still saved and healed a broken man, and to Him goes the glory.
When I was 12 my uncle was murdered in a triple homicide. I was very close to him, he lived across the street from me and was like a second father. About a year later my parents got divorced and me and my brother moved out with my mom. At the same time I got heavily involved in drugs and alcohol. I started just partying on the weekends but eventually at its peak at 19 it was almost every day. I moved around alot. Back and forth between my mom, dad, grandma, aunt and friends. When I was 15 I started breaking into houses and businesses and robbing/burglurizing them. That continued until I finally got arrested when I was 16. I was charged with, I beleive it was 8 felonies and 2 misdemeanors. I spent a short time in jail and then was sent to a reform school for 4 months. When I was 17 I lived with my grandma and took care of her until she died. That was hard for me because I so close to her and just seeing her deteriorate was, difficult. When I was 18 I dropped out of high school, got my GED and went to work full time. I did different things and eventually got involved in the construction industry. When I was 19 I moved to Seattle with a buddy of mine in hopes of bigger and better parties and a new life. Everything I was looking for I found but I still felt unhappy and empty. I new I wasnt living my life right, make no mistake of that. And for the past year I had been feeling the Lord tug on my heart and call me towards Him but had up until that point been trying to ignore Him. After exhausting all of my own efforts towards happiness and a self fulfilled life I decided i'd try going to church one weekend. And that was all the chance the Lord needed. The pastor spoke a message that was aimed directly at where I was at and that day, November 5th 2000, I asked Jesus to be my savior and change my life. I havent been the same since.
Infact I know ALOT of people that have had it WAAAAY worse than me. So I feel grateful when I look at my life in perspective. However God still saved and healed a broken man, and to Him goes the glory. When I was 12 my uncle was murdered in a triple homicide. I was very close to him, he lived across the street from me and was like a second father. About a year later my parents got divorced and me and my brother moved out with my mom. At the same time I got heavily involved in drugs and alcohol. I started just partying on the weekends but eventually at its peak at 19 it was almost every day. I moved around alot. Back and forth between my mom, dad, grandma, aunt and friends. When I was 15 I started breaking into houses and businesses and robbing/burglurizing them. That continued until I finally got arrested when I was 16. I was charged with, I beleive it was 8 felonies and 2 misdemeanors. I spent a short time in jail and then was sent to a reform school for 4 months. When I was 17 I lived with my grandma and took care of her until she died. That was hard for me because I so close to her and just seeing her deteriorate was, difficult. When I was 18 I dropped out of high school, got my GED and went to work full time. I did different things and eventually got involved in the construction industry. When I was 19 I moved to Seattle with a buddy of mine in hopes of bigger and better parties and a new life. Everything I was looking for I found but I still felt unhappy and empty. I new I wasnt living my life right, make no mistake of that. And for the past year I had been feeling the Lord tug on my heart and call me towards Him but had up until that point been trying to ignore Him. After exhausting all of my own efforts towards happiness and a self fulfilled life I decided i'd try going to church one weekend. And that was all the chance the Lord needed. The pastor spoke a message that was aimed directly at where I was at and that day, November 5th 2000, I asked Jesus to be my savior and change my life. I havent been the same since.
