I gave up pornography, cigarettes, my music, and all other kinds of bondage during those services. Articles / Testimony Letters Date: May 28, 2002 - 02:54 AM I was totally overwhelmed at what was happening around me and to me... My name is Mike. I do not remember most of my childhood so I'll skip all that. I began experimenting with drugs at 13. I began with pot and by high school I was taking prescription drugs, dropping acid, and smoking pot continuously. Somehow I graduated high school and then I moved to Centralia, Wa. This is where most of the big stuff started. I got to know some people there and began snorting meth-amphetamines. Then I was introduced to cocaine. I started smoking and snorting cocaine and crystal meth. The people I got drugs from realized what a salesman I was and gave me a second job. So durring the day I worked at Burger King and AT NIGHT I RAN DRUGS. This all worked out okay until one day at Burger King, I HUNCHED OVER AND COULD NOT BREATHE. I COULD JUST MAKE TINY GASPS. I TURNED RED AND THEY CALLED 911. Well, after they found out it was drug-caused, I only had one job. I started running stuff during the daytime now. It took a short time before the police caught on. Imagine that. A friend and I had just split up some drugs into baggies and we were on our way out. He said "lets go to my house so I can change" so we did. I entered the house, then two other people came in. It got sort of quiet; my friend was taking forever. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE DOORS WERE KICKED IN AND SWARMS OF POLICE WERE POINTING GUNS AT ALL OF US SAYING GET DOWN. I hid under bags of trash but they found me. They drug us all outside and took us to jail. Somehow, whether it was how they did the bust or because they didn't read us our rights, nothing stuck. Today, I say it was a direct act of God. I was on my way home from Lewis Co jail and I got picked up by the people I worked for. They took me to their house, mind you I just got done being busted and their house was packed with drugs and other stuff. I told them what happened, and told them I needed to get something to drink. I walked to the Coke machine at the front of the apt. and it was happening all over. I left immediately. I was slow but not stupid. At this point I was 134 lbs. 6' tall and had nowhere to go. I called my parents and they reluctantly came and got me. I think it was hard for them to see all the hard work they did raising me. Showing me how to do things and be successful and then to their surprise to see me where I was. Fortunately they loved me enough to help me. I stayed with them for a while, got cleaned up, and got a couple of jobs. They moved to London; I moved in with a girl I just met at work. Somehow, after all I just went through I figured drinking and smoking a little pot would be okay. So I began, back on the same downhill journey. I got to a point where I was buying quantities of pot from Oregon for a doctor in town so I could cut off his to support my own habits. This girl left me and I moved in with some other people, it got worse. Then I met Jason. We began to be friends. We would get high and lay by a swimming pool and tan all day long. I thought it was great. I was 21 now and we were at a show (concert) that our friends were playing in. I was downstairs smoking pot with Rob the guitar player. The show got over everyone went to a party. Jason and I were too wasted already, so we went home. MY FRIEND DIED THAT NIGHT ON HIS WAY HOME. HE HIT GRAVEL, SWERVED, FELL OUT, AND WAS HIT BY HIS OWN TRUCK. I QUIT DOING DRUGS THAT DAY 6-6-92. I started doing 12 step programs - for about 18 months that was enough. God wanted more. It was a funny thing how God will use your weaknesses for his glory. See I was also into pornography and all kinds of lust stuff. So I met a girl and I wanted to know her so much, I said sure I'll go to church. I got to the church, I was to meet her at an hour early so I went in to listen, the preacher was explaining how if you have a void in your life, and you want to fill it, just say this prayer. I did, and from there on out my life was different. I went to the second service because I wanted to, not because that girl was there. Even though that was nice too. God still had to do a lot of cleaning. Then I heard there was some fat loud guy at a church in east Bremerton. Well, me being into punk music, I really liked loud so I went. I'm not really sure what he said through most of the services. I was totally overwhelmed at what was happening around me and to me. I'm sure it was good though, because I gave up pornography, cigarettes, my music, and all other kinds of bondage during those services. God gave me the strength and ability. God also showed me a love I had never experienced before. I got baptized in Sequim on Easter Sunday. Wow, God was really starting something in my life there. I came back to my church and slowly. over about six months, I began to fall away from what God was doing. I got wishy-washy - it was awful. However, the Lord opened my eyes and relit a fire for him in my heart. The past few months the Lord has extended my prayer life, he has just blessed my socks off. During the services when Jerry was here the Lord has shared many things about the ministry he has called me to and he is opening the doors and showing me how to do things right. The Lord also has healed my grandfather from a certain death situation which was a direct result of prayer. The Lord opened the doors to a new job at Homebase due to prayer. The one thing he has shown me most is prayer is very important. I thank you Jerry for being a faithful and willing servant. I am grateful for what the Lord has shared with me through you God bless you Mike This article comes from World's Largest Prayer Board Annointed.net News http://www.annointed.net/ The URL for this story is: http://www.annointed.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=31