Chris: My name is Chris, I’m 32 years old and I’m from Houston, TX. I’m married to my wife, Keyla. We have 2 daughters Kaylee and Madison and a dog, Charlie boy. As a child, I grew up in a loving home. I’m the youngest of 5 siblings. I grew up with mom and dad at home. We always had a tight bond. The thing is we didn’t know Jesus. Our lifestyle was that of sinners. Alcoholism and drug addiction was creeping around my family. At the age of 7, I was molested by a family member who was on drugs at the time. Years later, he committed suicide. But I forgave him. Mentally and emotionally it messed me up. At the age of 13, I myself started using drugs. I tried cocaine in the 7th grade, then started smoking marijuana. This was the beginning of a drug addiction that would last for a period of 18 years. At the age of 17, I went into a restoration home by the name of Outcry In The Barrio, founded by Pastor Freddy Garcia. By this time I was now using pills. My father was an alcoholic, my older brother, Jr., was selling drugs, and was also addicted to drugs as well as my brother, Jerry, and sister, Brenda. My brother, John, was the only one in my family (along with my mother) who didn’t care for drugs or alcohol.
So, I walked into this small duplex 1 bedroom house with about 15 guys living there. The leaders and the Pastor of the church told me Jesus would change my life if I would only surrender. As I began my journey of sobriety, everyday for the next 6 months was hard and I wanted to leave. But I started to notice something- I noticed my family was coming to church. My brother, Jr., was the first from my family to give his life to Jesus and decided to make a change within himself. He was tired of the lifestyle he was living. Little by little my entire family got saved. By the fifth or sixth month, we were all getting baptized and living for Christ. As I graduated my program at the age of 18, I wish I could tell you that was it- that I have lived a clean sober life. But that would be a lie.
The next 13 years were a battle, but it was no one’s fault but mine. After meeting my wife and getting married and having children, I thought that would help. But unfortunately and sadly it didn’t. I was selfish, stuck in my own ways or addiction. My wife had enough. She moved out and went back to live with her parents, along with my daughters and Charlie boy. By this time I couldn’t keep a job and I lost my house. I wrecked my car, lost my job, and found myself homeless in the streets and now addicted to crack. I literally lost everything. I was alone, in the streets, at times cold, at times wet because of the heavy rain, I lived like this for 3 long weeks. During the last week, after 6-7 days straight without food or anything to drink I found myself in a prodigal stage. I cried out to the Lord and said, “Lord!!!!! What have I done? Look at me!! I have nothing!!! I’m alone in the streets. I have a beautiful wife and 2 beautiful daughters and I’m not there for them.” This was the rock bottom point in my life. It couldn’t get any lower than this. As I was walking, talking to the Lord it was late, some time around 4 am. I began to tell the Lord I was tired and very hungry. I wanted something to eat. Before I could even end my sentence, I saw 2 birds picking at a fry and it was then that The Lord spoke to me and said, if I feed the birds of the earth, how much more you that I call my son? I wept and thanked the Lord because I knew I was about to get something to eat. A few hours passed. I walked into a restaurant by the name of Shuttle Burger, and asked for a cup of water. The owner looked at me and said, “Mijo, are you hungry?” I looked down and nodded my head “yes, ma’am”. Some tears ran down my face as I whispered in a soft voice, “thank You, Jesus.” Because I knew it was Him. After the meal, this lady sat next to me and said, “I’ve seen you walking around here lately. You’re new around here, aren’t you?”
I said, “yes, ma’am. I am. I’ve lost my way due to addiction, and now I’m in the streets.”
She looked at me and said, “well son, you know what you need to do. Surrender your life to Jesus and He can set you free!”
I said, “amen. He sure can. I’ve seen and tasted of His goodness before.”
She said, “you can again.”
As I left this restaurant, I walked a few more hours and was able to work up the nerve, humble myself, and call my brother, John. He answered, happy to hear my voice. I said, “Bro, I’m tired, I need help, man. I’m homeless and I don’t wanna live like this anymore.”
He said, “okay, bro. Where are you? I’m picking you up.”
He picked me up and took me back to his house. I showered, got some rest, and decided the next day to go to rehab. I was there for a month, got cleaned up, started working, bought a car, got an apartment, and my wife started to see the change in me. She and my daughters moved back in. I was attending church and everything seemed fine until I found myself getting tempted and falling into temptation. There’s a scripture in the Bible where Jesus tells the disciples to pray they won’t get tempted by Satan. That’s exactly what happened. My prayer life was not consistent. The very next day, May 24, 2020, I got on my knees and prayed, asking God to please forgive me, to please give me another chance. I said, “Lord, I know what will happen if I continue. I’ll lose everything and end up in the streets.”
I finally surrendered my life to Christ on that day 5/24/2020 and praise God, I’m going on 18 months of sobriety!! I give Jesus Christ all the honor and glory for the salvation of my soul and the forgiveness of my many sins. I now live a life of prayer, consistently praying, thanking and praising the name of Jesus. In these 18 months, many things have happened. My wife and I bought our first home, I’ve been able to keep the same job, and I’m now writing music for God. I’ve learned that surrendering your life to Christ really works. He really loves us and wants the best for us. So with all that being said, this is my story. I hope it encourages and brings hope to everyone who reads and listens to my music. Amen.
