I’ve always had an identity problem, but there was one place that I was always accepted and that was with drug users, and that type of people. So I got in with the wrong crowd early on. One thing led to another, and before I knew it, I had an addiction problem. I drifted further and further away from family, and I drifted further and further away from God. I just didn’t have anything I really cared about, but getting high, and figuring out to get the next high. And I destroyed every relationship I ever had.
It got so bad that I started doing time in the late ’80s. I’ve been to prison four times. I’ve been in the county jail countless times. It seemed like nothing could stop the addiction, but a prison cell. I had an idea that I wanted to check God out, and it had been brewing in my mind. And so I sent out an email, and then I got a phone call from a guy named Greg Curtis. And he said, “I want to invite you to our church, and he welcomed me with open arms.
The weekend I came, I remember before the service started, there was an opening video that described how Eastside is a place for everyone, people who have walked away from or have a past that pushes people away. This felt like it was speaking directly at me. I got the message the first day that I was welcome. I love that everybody accepts me for who I am. Nobody judges me. Sometimes, I don’t think I deserve the love that I’m getting back from everybody now.
Jesus’s time was spent with people like me. So I feel like it’s kind of my responsibility to share my story. That’s what God made me to do. That’s why God pulled me out of the fire, to glorify his name. I don’t want to let anybody down anymore. I’m tired of losing. I’m going to continue on that new way to live. Whatever it takes, I’m willing to do it. I fail a lot. I’ll fall short, but my prayer is, “Make me more like Jesus every day. Make me more like Jesus.
If you were inspired by this story we would love to tell you more about Eastside. We have a relentless love and commitment for all to know God. We are committed to finding unique ways to serve our local communities & help our global neighbors. We are passionate about finding solutions, building bridges, and bringing the love and hope of Jesus to hurting communities. We strive to inspire people to collectively influence transformational life change. We would love to invite you to join us in person or online. At Eastside we believe that this is a place for everyone, wherever you are on your journey. If you would like to find out more about Eastside please visit eastside.com