My name is Jerry, and I’m 33 years old. I’m originally from Hammond, IN, but we moved around a lot while I was growing up.
Addiction runs heavy in my family, and I grew up around people who drank a lot. My parents grew up in the same type of environment. As a child, I was diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome and was on and off different medications for it throughout my childhood. In high school, I started experimenting with drugs and alcohol. When I was 18, I was at a party, and there was a 13-year-old kid there who had run away from home. He asked me for a ride home, and I told him to wait because I wasn’t ready to leave yet. He was standing in the doorway waiting when another kid accidentally shot a shotgun. The bullet hit him in the stomach and killed him. For years after that, I stayed drunk as much as possible. The alcohol and guilt led to stronger drugs, and by the time I was in my late twenties, I had done almost every drug known to man and was addicted to most of them.
When I was 27, my son was born. I had back problems so I started taking more and more pills to help me work and take care of my him. When my son was 6 months old, his mother took him and left me. In the next few years, I nearly died several times from overdoses and suicide attempts, but God kept me alive for a reason.
It got to the point that I had pushed away anyone that ever cared about me. I had nowhere to go, and my cousin got me into Teen Challenge. After two days, I surrendered my life to God, and since then, I have become a new person. I have been baptized in water and the Holy Spirit.
I have been called to full time ministry, and I will be getting my pastoral license with the plan of staying in the Teen Challenge family. That may mean becoming an intern and then working on staff or just being involved with the ministry. I also plan on doing part-time missionary work.
God has brought healing to my back and restored relationships in my family. He is using me as a vessel to reach other people and to guide my son. I’m excited to see where He takes me and how He uses me in the future.
A verse on which I stand is 1 Peter 2:9: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him Who called you out of the darkness into His marvelous light.”
This verse speaks about my life because I was lost in the darkness, out of which God has called me to be one of His own special people. Now, I walk in His marvelous light and proclaim His praises every day.
I want to thank popwe for sponsoring me through the ministry of Teen Challenge, which God has used as a vessel to turn my life around and draw me closer to Him. It’s an awesome privilege to be here, and I pray God blesses you for your kindness to me.
