Our Testimony this week is from regular contributor Mark. If you'd like to talk to him more about it, please email The Vine using the link on the right hand side of the blog and he'll email you back.
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I was pretty messed up with drugs. I was using cannabis, ecstasy and cocaine regularly. To the point where I couldn’t start, or even get through a day without some kind of drugs, even if it was just cannabis.
As a train driver such living was not good. I had tried to give up using drugs many times but just couldn't get free.
One day I was at work when I was asked to take a train to Edgeware. Upon arrival I smoked a spliff and then drove back to Morden. When I got there I found out they were doing drugs tests and it was likely that I was going to be tested.
I would have failed the test obviously. I called my mother and asked her to phone my work and pretend that someone in the family had died and I was needed at home. This worked. I was allowed to leave work without being drug tested.
Anyway, this messed with my head big time. I caused my mum to lie and I worried about being found out at work.
About this time St. Peters – my mum’s church - was having one of their open days. Trev and my mum were both saved and encouraged me to come along which I did. I was surprised to find that it wasn't just old people but there were loads of young people excited about God. This started me thinking all about the God they were excited about.
I think it was that same weekend that my mother had a birthday party where I met Sandy, a friend of mum’s. She tried to share the gospel with me. I tried to put her off by telling her all the bad things I had done in my life in an attempt to put her off. It didn't work. Sandy sat and listened to me for what felt like hours.
When I had come to an end of what I could tell her she gave me this incredible hug which I now recognise as Jesus hugging me through her. She said that I wasn't a bad person but someone good hiding behind a mask. This blew me away and added to my thoughts about God.
Soon after this I was invited to attend an Alpha course. That evening the subject was “why Jesus died on the cross”. Jesus showed me that night that all the bad things I had shared with Sandy could be forgiven if I turned to Him. The following Sunday I did just that, I gave my life to Jesus and he saved me.
He really saved me. From that point on I no longer needed or used drugs. It was like He flicked a light switch and drugs were out of my life.
I've had a lot to work out with Him as a growing child of God but that work has led me to a new, complete and exciting life with Him.
I'm now some thirteen years later, I’m married and living in South Africa where I serve as a pastor!
I can look back at my life now and see that my drug use, and the other crazy stuff I had done, was an attempt to be accepted and wanted even if by the wrong element. It worked, I was accepted and loved but it could only last for a short time, such a life could only end with my destruction. God has shown me that I'm accepted in Him, I'm loved by Him and that He wants me so much that He chose to die for me.
Man, I love telling my story. GOD ROCKS!
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If you'd like to talk to him more about it, please email The Vine using the link on the right hand side of the blog and he'll email you back. He'd love to share more with you about how Jesus loves you and He can turn your life around, too.
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