A Deadly Turning Point
When Art shares his story, he always begins with humility: “I have a new life in Christ. I’m recovering from the effects of childhood trauma, anger, and addiction. I can stand here unashamed—not because I’m worthy, but because of God’s mercy.”
His testimony is a story of pain and redemption, chaos and healing. It’s about a boy who carried burdens no child should, and a man who found restoration in Christ after years of anger, violence, and running from himself.
Childhood Shaped by Violence
Art was born in 1973 to a 15-year-old mother and an 18-year-old father. At first, life seemed stable. His family had new clothes, a swing set, even a little pool in the backyard. But beneath the surface, there was darkness.
One night, Art’s father came home to find his children playing with their Pomeranian, Pepper. Angry that the dog was inside, his father dragged Pepper out and beat him to death with a broom. Art still remembers the sound, the shock, and the way his mother later prayed with him for their dog.
That moment was the first glimpse of violence that would haunt his childhood. Soon after, he watched his father abuse his mother until she was left unconscious and bloody. He was just a little boy dialing his grandmother’s number on a rotary phone, desperate for help.
When Art looks back on his life, he doesn’t see only regret. He sees a God who carried him through chaos and gave him a story that can help others.
Growing Up Too Fast
By the time Art was five, his father was arrested in a drug raid. The truth came out: all those “nice things” the family had were paid for with narcotics. While his father served prison time, Art’s mother struggled to provide. They lived in cars at times, bouncing between relatives, weighed down by poverty and instability.
The pressure on Art was immense. His father told him during prison visits, “You’re the man of the house now. Take care of your mom and sister.” So he stayed awake late into the night, standing guard against the men who came around. He was still a child, but he felt responsible for protecting his mom.
Even those visits to see his dad weren’t safe. Sometimes Art was used to smuggle heroin hidden in balloons. It left him angry, confused, and hardened.
Violence Becomes Normal
As Art grew, so did the chaos. He was bullied at school, stabbed by his sister during a fight over a game, and lived in neighborhoods filled with gangs and drugs. At 13, he was held at knifepoint by older kids trying to steal his bike. At 11, he saw a man stab a woman in the street. Another time, he discovered a dead body with a syringe still in his arm in his apartment’s laundry room.
By high school, fighting became his way to survive—and to gain approval. When he beat up a bully, people respected him. For once, he felt strong. His father, back from prison, seemed proud when Art bragged about girls and fights. But deep down, Art felt empty.
At 17, that violence nearly consumed him. After a fight broke out at a family party, Art found himself facing another teenager with a gun. Surrounded by friends, family, and his mother crying out, “God, don’t take my baby,” Art pulled the trigger. His gun jammed.
In a burst of rage, he fought the boy with his bare hands, pounding him until friends dragged him off. Ten days later, he learned the boy had died from his injuries.
The news crushed him. The boy was his mom’s best friend’s nephew. Yet shockingly, she told Art, “You’re special. I’m glad it was him and not you.”
The police investigated but couldn’t pin the death directly on Art. Still, he was given a choice: stay in the neighborhood and live with retaliation, or join the military. He signed enlistment papers at 17.
The Marine Corps and the Spiral Down
Three days after graduation, Art shipped off to the Marine Corps. He thought he was tough, but the Marines trained him in violence on a whole new level. Stationed at Guantanamo Bay, he witnessed and participated in things that scarred him.
Instead of discipline bringing healing, it fueled his anger. He ended up in fights with Navy men, in trouble with his superiors, and eventually discharged with a “bad conduct” record.
On the outside, he masked his shame with a smile. Inside, he was drowning.
Addiction, Shame, and Brokenness
At 25, Art tried meth for the first time. It became a 25-year battle. He got married, but both he and his wife used drugs. Infidelity and jealousy poisoned their relationship. In his darkest moment, after his wife caught him cheating, he attempted suicide by hanging. She cut him down just in time.
For a while, they tried to make it work, but the shame was too heavy. They divorced, and Art ended up homeless, sleeping behind gas stations in Arizona.
His mom’s words echoed in his head: “Pray. No matter what, pray.” Even while smoking meth, he prayed, “God, please don’t let me lose my smile. Don’t let me lose my teeth.”
A Long Road Toward Healing
In 2015, Art suffered a massive heart attack. In 2018, doctors gave him a year to live. In 2022, his heart failed again. During one hospitalization, he overheard doctors debating whether to shock him back immediately or wait until he flatlined. He lifted his head and said, “Shock me now.” The pain was unbearable, but he survived.
Each time, he realized: God wasn’t done with him yet.
Slowly, God began softening his anger. The rage wasn’t gone, but it wasn’t the same. The fists that once only knew how to fight were now raised in prayer.
Art found Eastside Christian Church and was baptized. He began serving as an usher, welcoming others with the same smile he once begged God to preserve.
In an unexpected twist of grace, God also answered a prayer Art thought impossible—sending someone to love him. While serving, he met a woman who joked with him about his name, invited him to ice cream, and eventually into her life. Today, they haven’t spent a day apart since.
Even more, his father—the same man whose violence haunted Art’s childhood—has also given his life to Christ. The two now attend church together.
Living With Purpose
When Art looks back on his life, he doesn’t see only regret. He sees a God who carried him through chaos and gave him a story that can help others.
He often shares 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
For Art, prayer is no longer just asking for rescue—it’s praising God for the small gifts: the sunshine, another morning, the chance to smile.
“God loves you,” Art says. “See yourself through His eyes. When I felt unworthy, ashamed, and broken, God reminded me I was perfectly made. He wouldn’t change a thing about me. And He feels the same about you.”
Find Your Road To Recovery
The truth is, every one of us carries wounds, habits, or struggles that weigh us down. You don’t have to face them alone. At Eastside, we believe there’s hope and freedom in Jesus, and we want to walk with you on that journey.
Through Re:Generation, a biblically-based 12-step discipleship program, people are finding healing and recovery from all kinds of struggles—substance abuse, codependency, eating disorders, depression, fear, anger, broken relationships, and so much more. Is your struggle running deeper than you think? Take the Struggle Finder Quiz.
If you’re longing for a fresh start, or just wondering if change is really possible, we’d love to invite you to explore Eastside’s Care Groups. You can learn more at eastside.com/care.