David's Testimony

Not sure how to begin with my testimony as some of the information that is part of my testimony can be somewhat sensitive and hurt some people so, I am certain that I will have to eliminate parts or limit them so that they can be appropriate for all audiences.

My life as a child was not always what you would desire for a child to have. I don't say this to bring excuses to the way I ended up living but to say that some of these things truly do bring forward fruit in the lives of our children.

When I was a young child, about 7, my parents ended up separating and later divorced. There was a time that I lived with my mother and things didn't go well in that situation due to a myriad of circumstances. My father determined that we needed a change and assumed the responsibility of raising my 3 sisters and I. Shortly after that determination was made my father remarried and our life was pretty normal. We moved to a great little town and actually lived on a farm with 10 acres of land, had farm work to do; grew and harvested hay, had 3 horses that I didn't like (my sisters - somehow I had the chore of cleaning stalls), and other chores. Also had much to do there including fishing in the creek right next to our house (salmon run every fall). Overall, it was a great place to grow up. However I determined that I was going to seek out trouble. Not sure why and I don't want to try to do the psychology that some might as I don't believe it is really relevant.

Following my fathers remarriage we became involved in an American Baptist Church. As I grew up in this church group I actually had a desire to know the Lord spring up within me but when I asked questions and wanted to know more I was told that I needed to be baptized. I was obedient but this brought about no change in my life. Ironically, and something I often forget to mention, I dated a girl when I was 14 whose parents got radically saved and I remember them witnessing to me quite extensively. I actually even went to their church one time and was convicted by the word that was brought forth. Not enough to do something about it or not enough that I understood what I needed to do but enough that I remember it.

In spite of my involvement with family and "church", I seemed to be bent on destruction. At a very young age I became involved in drugs, alcohol, womanizing and any other sin that you can think of. Sadly enough, I was able to maintain a fairly normal lifestyle. I did have some problems in 11th grade almost failing the whole year and eventually leaving home due to my sinful rebellion towards my father. However, even in that I ended up staying with a very nice family that allowed me to sow to my flesh as I desired. I did do a bit of recovery during my senior year of high-school and did well enough that I was able to enlist in the US Navy in Feb of 1985 for an enlistment start of June 1985. All went off uneventfully and I went into the Navy as scheduled.

My time in the military was a great blessing to me from the perspective of teaching me to grow up to be a man and learn to work diligently. I was able to earn perfect evaluations (4.0) throughout the 4 year term in the military and actually achieved the rank of E-5 in 3 years which is pretty significant. However, despite all this, I still found time to use drugs "recreationally". The fact that the military performed checks on their service members did keep me in check to a large degree but not completely. Sadly, I became exposed to a new drug, methamphetamine, which became the primary focus over the next 5 - 6 years of my life.

Following my time in the military I took a civilian job working for the military and became involved in a wonderful pastime, rock-climbing. This passion was something that required a great deal of practice and focus and so, much of my life became driven by that. However, many that I knew that climbed also partied very hard also using drugs. Sounds really crazy when you look at it but that is the facts of it. Not saying that all rock-climbers did, probably most did not, but the group that I was with did. The wild lifestyle seemed to be a continuation of who I was and added to my desire for thrill.

The desire that I gained for thrill became later enhanced as after several disastrous relationships, I found that I could get involved in the sale and distribution of drugs. The adrenaline and the power behind this was amazing and it really consumed me. I became a primary distributor of drugs to the area that I lived in and was even arrested for the distribution of the drugs. Charges were later dropped as I moved out of state and worked with a lawyer in NY to get the charges dropped. However, during that time I actually spent 3 days in jail and suffered the loss of all things. Maybe this was all preparation for what was later to come. Regardless, as things continue to go poorly I decided that I needed to leave this lifestyle and I eventually moved back to NY with the help of my father.

When I moved back to NY I moved in with my second oldest sister, Bonnie, and was very blessed as I was re-introduced to a woman that was a friend of hers from high school. Little did I know at that time that this woman would become my wife, Robin. My wife already had a beautiful daughter, Rachael, from a previous relationship. In 1996 we were married and in 1997 we became pregnant for our second child. The stirrings of what it means to be a parent were more and more becoming a reality to me and we discussed how it would be important to bring them up in a church setting, so the "good morals" could be instilled in them. This is what I was taught about church up until now. As God would have it though, we found a church that was building just down the road and so we went to visit them at their old building and I immediately knew that this group was different. Everyone, and I mean everyone, was carrying Bibles into the building. When the service started, the pastor actually got up and preached from the Bible. I was shocked. Immediately, the Lord started working on me. I knew that this man was speaking truth and that he was speaking in love for my soul. I knew I had to come back the next weekend. This time the message was the pure gospel and I was ready. I had been getting worked on all week by the Holy Spirit and when the call was given to give my life to the Lord, I jumped. My life was changed! I was one of those radically saved Christians. My world became NEW. Actually, isn't this the only way that one is reborn?

It wasn't long after this that we moved to a new home and it was there that the Lord really started to move in me. He had already given me a love for His Word and through that He started drawing me deeper and I believe called me to be prepared for His use, as He does with all of us. Through that He showed me that the Holy Spirit would teach me all things yet, being a good baptist boy, I decided that I needed to attend a Bible Institute. Through the next 4 - 5 years I attended Bible Institute regularly. It was only later that the encouraging message from a dear brother in Vermont to seek the Kingdom of God that the Lord brought me back to show me that I had received some erroneous teaching and that the Holy Spirit needed to teach me all things. I spent time in repentance and over the next several years I went through a reteaching of those things that pertain unto life and godliness. He indeed is able and will lead us into all truth. Through all this I have been led through pride, an attitude of being a Pharisee, condemnation and lack of hope unto a true walk with the Lord Jesus Christ. It is in Him that salvation is. It is in Him where we can find truth. It is in Him that we can find hope. It is in Him that we can find joy. Nowhere else. Nowhere! We need to get this through our hearts in a serious way and I am thankful that the Lord has found me faithful to receive it and to grow in it, even currently.

At this point in my life, I am continuing to live for Jesus Christ on a daily basis and learning more and more what it is to walk in the Spirit where we can fulfill the law (Rom 8:4) and bring forth glory to Him, who is worthy to receive all (Rom 11:36).

I do pray that if this is not the gospel that you have heard, to forsake all and follow Him, that you would search the Scriptures and see that they all point to one thing, a life lived wholly for the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no salvation anywhere else. Paul said that to KNOW HIM, in suffering and resurrection was his desire. Is that yours? I know that this will be mine until the day that He calls me home to be with Him.

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.