David: Growing up, I was raised by an amazing mother and father. They did anything I asked, jumped over hurdles that I thought were impossible, just to make me happy. All through Grade School and Middle School I was at church every Sunday. I was a gifted singer and led worship for my church, which made me feel like I was doing something more for someone else than myself. Then, everything started going south. When I started High School, I met a new group of “friends” that would lead me down one of the most terrifying paths I will ever set foot on.
When I was 14, I started smoking cigarettes. At 15, I got really bad into marijuana. At 16, I found cocaine, and at 18, I found what I thought would kill me: heroin. I stole from my parents and friends and other family members to just get my fix! Then, I saw my friend OD and die in front of me. In that moment, I prayed to God asking for his guidance and begging for help, screaming, “What Do I Do NOW!!!!?” One night, as I was sitting alone in my dark room getting ready to fade off in the distance, I heard a Matthew West song that grabbed me. It said, “And in the shadow of that shame, beat down by all the blame, I hear You call my name saying it’s not over. And my heart starts to beat so loud now, drowning out the doubt, I’m down, but I’m not out…Grace Wins Every Time.”
I woke up 9 years ago. I got away from the toxic people in my life, and I have never looked back. With God, all things are possible.
