Written by John Todd

THIS STORY COULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE!

I was raised in a Christian home where my Mom and Dad took me to church. I knew who Jesus was in my head but not in my heart. From the time I was a 11-12 year old boy God would speak to me and say "Give me everything, John - everything that you are." But I would not. I thought one day I will, but not now. I was going to a Christian school at the time but I just wanted to go to the public high school with the rest of my friends. So I caused enough trouble until I got kicked out of two Christian schools. Finally, I got my wish - I was able to go to the local high school. It wasn't long before I started hanging out with the group that liked to party and drink. I was in high school, no longer a kid, and knew the way I was living was wrong and yet God would still speak to me. I still would not surrender my life to Him though. I no longer went to church unless my parents just made me. It was hard to sit in church and listen to the preacher knowing I was living wrong. You see, I always knew Jesus was the way, but I was never willing to give up all the sin in my life. I thought you couldn't have any fun being a Christian. I did not want to die and go to hell so I said one day I will give my life to Jesus but not now and I kept putting it off.
I graduated high school, got a good job and started dating a pretty young lady. We even started going to church some. God would still speak to me yet I was unwilling to give Him my life. I am now a grown man and still running from God saying "one day". Up until this point the sin in my life had not caused me a lot of trouble. My girlfriend and I were planning to get married - or at least I was. We were looking at rings and all that stuff but then we broke up. It was the biggest heart break of my life up to this point.
After the break up I started running with a younger crowd, drinking and partying like never before. The alcohol was slowly taking a grip on my life. I loved to party and ride the old back roads with my friends - getting hammered. I knew I was living wrong but I kept on. My mom and dad raised me better but I did it anyway. God would still speak but I ignored Him as usual. At this point I had quit going to church because I did not like the preacher telling me how to live my life even though I knew he was right. I would think a lot about the girl that broke my heart but I was about to find out what a broke heart really was.

It was Friday night. I was lying on the couch. I still lived at home with my parents. I had stuff on my mind - thought I was having a tough time. I got up off the couch and told my mama I was going to go ride around some. My mother stopped me at the door and said "Please don't be drinking, John". I looked her dead in the eyes and told her a lie - "I won't, Mama". But as I left the house that night I knew I was going to wrap my hands around a cold one and get with my friends. I ended up riding back roads drunk with two friends that night. I had no business driving. I took them home. I could have stayed right there that night but I did not.

As I left the driveway I threw my hand out the window and yelled "I got it - I'm alright" - but I wasn't. I headed home but never made it. The last thing I remember is going by the Huddle House in town. I have played it over in my mind a thousand times but that is all I can remember. I woke up in the hospital to find out that at 5:00AM on October 9, 1993 I knocked someone into eternity because I chose to drink and drive - because I chose to say no to God. Two little girls grew up without a mama because of me. All because I was running from God and would not surrender my life to Him. Now I had killed someone and almost myself too.

After this you would think that I would have gave my life to Jesus but I did not. God spoke to me again and said He loved me and would forgive me but I could not forgive myself. I just wanted to die. I could not live with what I had done. After this I became a 'Class A' drunk, thinking of suicide every day. I was a broken down shell of a man. You know the devil never showed me this part of it. He showed me all the good times - all the parties and all the girls but never this.
Just when you would think I could have sank no farther, I started using "crank", snorting it up my nose and eventually moved on to sticking needles in my arm - shooting up drugs. Even then, God would still speak to me and say "Give me everything, John. Give me your broken pieces and I will put them back together" but I still would not. I had become a drunk and a murderer, more of a drunk and drug addict saying no to God, one day but not now. I wanted to die every day. I lived my life like that for a lot of years.

I am so glad that I had some friends that invited me to a Billy Mayo Crusade at a local church some years later. I went and felt as if this man was preaching to me. I knew it was time, past time. About a week later I walked into the church on a Sunday night. God was dealing with me and toward the end of the service God spoke to me and said "Will you give me everything, John?" and I said yes. I made my way to the alter and on August 3, 1997 I gave my life to Jesus. I met the best thing Heaven has to offer. I walked in that church one person and walked out another and I have never been the same. I have never touched the drugs and alcohol again. I gave my broken pieces to Jesus and He made something out of my life. He can do the same for you. I have not been perfect and I have made mistakes but I am saved. I am depending on the grace of God to get me where I need to be. I am so thankful that Jesus made a way for us to be saved. No sin is too big - no past too dark. Jesus shed His blood on an old rugged cross, died and rose again so we could be saved. All you have to do is ask Jesus to save you and come into your life and He will.
Jesus gave me a brand new life. I wasted the first but I am making this one count. I want some people in Heaven because Jesus used me and my life. Heaven and hell are real. Which way - which road will you take? The choice is yours. My prayer is that you will choose JESUS.