My Testimony

I think its important for every believer to share the story of how they came to know Christ. It gives hope and encouragement to all who hear it. I pray that my humble story does the same.

I was very fortunate growing up; I had a great family who loved, supported and provided for me. I played sports all my life and developed quite a competitive personality. I wanted to be the best at everything and even more so, I wanted to be told that I was the best at everything. This attitude didn't get me very far in high school. I didn't have many close friends and I felt that I had to prove myself on the field to feel any sort of validation. Well, obviously that never worked. I always felt empty and alone, even though I had many people telling me how good I was.

This never-ending loneliness didn't make sense. I had a very supporting family, friends (well, I thought they were anyway), and a promising football career. But I went on with this charade through high school (amidst an assortment of legal problems and public embarassments all due to my own internal hang-ups) and somehow made it to college to play football.

I carried the same big head and scorned heart from all that had occured in high school. I desperately wanted to start over. It seemed, however, that the same problems I faced in high school were following me. I had the same arrogant view of myself that resulted in zero close friends and a plethera of acquaintances that didn't want to get close to me because of my apparent cockiness. By this time, I was used to this vicious cycle and figured that was all there was for me. I continued to play football, always thinking that I was better than what I was, and somehow managed to get a girlfriend. I went on with the belief that I would continue on this path, "I don't need friends" I would try to pursuade myself. But no matter how well I played, or how well my girlfriend treated me I could never find happiness.

I decided to leave that school in search of something better. I left the team, my scholarship, my girlfriend and all I had known for two and a half years and went on my search. I ended up back in my home state not knowing what to do and much in the same way I chose my first college, I chose this one. There were NO other options for me but the one I chose, so obviously I went there.

Here, yet again, I was looking to start over. "No one knows me, things can be different." Well, it wasn't long that I started working out with the team and I noticed that I wasn't doing so well. "What's going on, I was All-American and All-Conference at my old school" My big head started to come back, but it didn't help my play any. Around the same time, I heard that girlfriend of mine had been seeing another guy. Needless to say my foundation was coming out from under me. I didn't have anything to stand on, it was all taken away from me.

I had contemplated and even prayed for death many times before and never told anyone about it. But never before had I actually done research and planning on ending my own life until this time. I didn't want to do this anymore, the vicious cycle I was living had to end. I actually wrote out letters to those closest to me and prepared myself for the end. I won't go into details (as I have tried not to this whole story) but by the grace of God I woke up a few hours later with a completely different outlook on my situation.

I immediately knew I needed God. I didn't know exactly what that meant or how I was going to go about doing it, but I set out to find him. The next day, I asked one of the guys on the team, whom I knew was a Christian, if he knew of any churches in the area. He invited me to his "home fellowship" that met on Sunday mornings. I didn't know what that was but it sounded good to me! So I took my roomate with me and heard things I had never heard before: An explaination of who Jesus was and how much He loved us. I was astounded. I still didn't know the extent of what God was doing in me until the next time I went. I shared my story with those who were there that day and it felt so good for me to talk about all that I had been through. (For until that time, I was the only one who knew the WHOLE story) And they actually cared! It looked as if they were hurting just as much as I was. When I finished, the leader asked two of the guys to pray for me. "Pray for me?" This was another thing I had never experienced! As they prayed I began bawling! I sensed a huge weight lift off of me and I was filled with emense warmth, to the point that I was almost sweating. I don't even know what they were saying because I was weeping like a baby! Right then I knew I needed more of this. I still didn't know what it was that I was after, but I knew that it had to do with Jesus. So right there I dedicated my life to Jesus and asked Him to come into my heart.

Needless to say, that experience has changed my life. It hasn't been smooth-sailing since that day but now I have a firm-footing that is rooted and grounded in His love. Guys, this is TRUTH no one or nothing else can change people the way He can. I have poured out my heart to all who read this in hopes that my story will show you even a fraction of the power of Christ. He is real, and He is actively pursuing a relationship with YOU! No matter who you are or what you have done, He longs to be with you!

David
Galatians 2:20