From sinner to winner (My testimony)

I learned about Jesus when I was going to a karate school in the late 80's. The head instructor was a born again Christian and he would put on the announcement board that every last Friday of the month was Bible study. Fridays were usually nights we would practice sparring each other and I enjoyed sparring nights. I asked my dad if we could go to this Bible study and at first he hesitated. He didn't like religion and wanted nothing to do with it but somehow I convinced him to go. I actually enjoyed Bible study. We all sang songs of worship and I never knew what a beautiful singing voice my karate instructor had. I also found out that there were other instructors from the school who were Christian too. I never heard about God, about Jesus, or anything like this and I was amazed. After Bible study we had a potluck and and time of fellowship. 

I remember when I was a teenager the determining factors in my life that put a bad taste in my mouth about Christianity and made me decide to not follow Jesus anymore. The first was getting forced to go to church and read my Bible. The next determining factor was one day I was at school. I must have been in 6th grade and I was telling my friends about Jesus. They questioned me and mocked me. The third and final determining factor was I was going into my teen years and being a Christian was too hard for me. Peer pressure and these new urges choked out the seed that was trying to grow. So I decided that I wasn't going to be Christian anymore and maybe I would come back later when I was older.

I was in junior high when I made the decision to stop being a Christ follower. All of a sudden I had more friends, girls started to like me but I still got picked on though. When I was a freshman, that's when I noticed that I was truly accepted by my peers at school. I was gaining popularity, I had friends, I began to date girls. At last, I had was getting what I longed for. By the time I was a senior, I was popular, I was hanging out with the cool kids, I dressed the way I wanted, I went to raves, parties and night clubs. But I was missing Jesus. 

After I graduated high school in 1997 from Sweetwater High School, I spent 9 years on active duty in the US Army. The Army was nothing like I had imagined. I met many people, I traveled to different places. I spent the early years of my adulthood in the military. I didn't discover had engrained the military ways were in me until I got out of the Army.

I got out of the active Army in 2006 after I returned from my last deployment to Iraq. I met a nice young lady on a late night phone chat line. When I heard her voice, I knew I had to meet her. We talked every day until we met in person.

I got into the car scene after I moved to Phoenix. I owned some nice cars and I became well known in the scene. I felt accepted and important again. I had even organized what is called a "car meet" on Fridays at a local sub sandwich shop in town. For about 6 months, it was one of the most popular meets in town. One night at one of these meets I met this friendly guy named Eric. He came with 2 friends. He had a really nice car too. We talked about our cars and then he asked if I knew Christ. I said I did but I back slid away. I explained how I didn't like church and how I was forced to worship God. Him and his friends prayed for me that night. I remember having my whole being wanting to pull away from them. Now, I am so glad for their prayers and being bold for Christ that night. Eric invited me to his church and we kept in touch. After I got born again, I went to visit him at his church. He was a youth Pastor at a bilingual church in downtown Mesa.

In 2013, that would be the year that everything changed. From New Years day, 2013 started out bad. I came across a spoken word video called G.O.S.P.E.L. by Propaganda who is a Chrsitan spoken woord/rapper. Watching that video changed my life forever. Propaganda explains the Gospel so well, please look it up on Youtube. While I was watching I felt so convicted, I repented from my sins, I balled my eyes out and I fell on my face and asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins. I remember telling Jesus I wanted my life to change. I remember telling Jesus that I didn't want to lose Erin and my kids. I was born again that night! 

February 3rd 2013 I went back to church. I remember that I sat in the back of the church by myself. I was weeping the whole time and I was taking notes. I was hanging off every word the Pastor was saying. I still have the notes I took that day. I was starving for the word of God. Since then, I have been full and also craved more of the word of God. 

If you have gotten this far, thank you. Thank you for taking the time to read about a wretch like me and a loving God who was only motivated by love to save me.