I am a Survivor

Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2005 10:30 pm

I have posted my testimonie on the CF forum and now I will do the same here. It is my hope that my testimonie will let you all know it is never to late to find the Lord and for Him to save you.

I am a one and a half-year-old Christian but the Lord has worked in my life for a long time before I was saved I just never knew it. I was 18 years old when I started working in the strip club industry. At 18 I thought it was the greatest of lifestyles, but I was sorely mistaken.

I lived a life full of drugs, sadness, and death- yes death. I saw things no one should ever see- friends taking their own lives, dancers OD-ing on drugs, suicide, even murder. I was a manager of one of the most popular clubs in Los Angeles. I was working for the devil himself and I didn’t even know it. I was blinded by the drugs, money and sex that ran rampant in the clubs. 16 years I lived this life, if you can call it living. I thought that I had everything I ever wanted, all the THINGS I could want, but what I always wanted but never thought it was possible to have was a loving Wife a chance to be a good husband and father. This dream could never come true for me, I thought. Who would want a man like me? It could never happen. When I was 30 years old I told my friends that if I was not married by the time I was 35 I would give up and accept my life as it was- lonely and violent.

Over the next 5 years thing happened. My bosses where indicted for murder and one of my best friends was the shooter in this 11-year-old murder. It was like something you see on court TV. Did I mention the story ended up on court TV? I was in a world of hurt, I trusted no one any more. I was truly alone and my world turned upside down. Needless to say I had a brake down and was on medication for depression and stress. But I still kept on working, now I was running 3 clubs in the LA area and as the stress mounted I thought there was no end in sight. Then one morning an angel walked into my club. I hired her on the spot, what I did not know was the man who brought her to my club was abusing her mentally and physically. He was an evil man-no if ands or buts- he was evil! Well, we talked (this angel and I) a lot over the next month. My 35-birthday was coming up and she came to the party that my friends threw for me. She was absolutely stunning. I was in love- head over heals in love. But, "Who would want a scumbag like me? No one.", I said to myself, no one.

So the night of my party I smoked a lot of pot and drank heavily and was really getting my mind in a twist over her. At some point I found the nerve to ask her to go outside and have a smoke. She said I don’t smoke, but I will go with you and- she did. This angel was spending time with me! Needless to say in my drunken state I was brave enough to kiss her; and then it happened -she kissed me back! I was shocked! She really kissed me back. I thought it was a dream, and it was, a dream come true. Well to make a long story endless, I married that angel and with her help she got me and her self out of that hellish business. I did not know at the time but she was a backslidden Christian. About 2 or so years later she started going to church again, she asked me to go but I said, "No thanks". Not me, not with my past. How could God could ever want me? Well, some time later the Passion of Christ came out, she wanted me to go so out of respect for her I went to the movie. I was fine- no problem -just a movie until our Lord said , “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”. What? What was that? He is praying for the people that did all this to him? Oh my God! Yes my God- at that point it is a bit fuzzy it felt like my heart was beating for the first time. Was this really happening?

Yes it was, and it did. Our Lord Jesus Christ kick-started my heart and the truth was shone to me. He loves me. So I accepted Christ as my savior and I began a journey that was both exciting and scary. Looking at my old life and asking for forgiveness was hard enough but I knew I had to change. Strangely enough it came so naturally I did not even have to think about it at first, but then the nightmares started and the enemy was on me hard. It made me think back to what my life was.

Then it dawned on me Jesus has been working in my life for so long, I just didn’t know it. If I were not in the clubs I would have never been there to meet my wife. You see the guy that had her in his grasp was for some reason afraid of me and when I told him she was with me he backed away. I helped her, and in turn she took me from the clubs and then to the Lord. He planed it this way. Christ was working in both our lives all along. Well my wife and I have been together for over 5 years now we love each other very much but mostly we Love the Lord together. I think what I am trying to say is your never too far gone for Jesus, He can work in your life; and for Him the end does justify the means.

I write this so people can know that it is never to late. Jesus loves us all no matter what we have done in the past, it is our eternal life that He is fighting for every day.

I would like to thank my wife for her love and the love we share together for our Lord

Webmaster Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 92

What a wonderful story of Love Very Happy

Admin Joined: 25 Aug 2005 Posts: 85 Location: Australia

Jesus uses things like that to change us into better people

- Shaz

Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2005 1:54 pm

That is a testimony of beauty and glory. I Praise God for the way in which He touched your life and pray it will continue to be blessed!

New Creation in Christ Jesus Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 8

I am glad to see that my testominonie is touching hearts. God placed it on my heart to tell my story and I have to admit it was hard to do, but if it shows the love of Christ then it is worth it.

Thank you all and God bless

L1

Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2005 3:07 am

Noe I see who the OP is ... I am in tears!!! Praise God for His Wonder!!
Your Testimony touched me rider.

Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2005 3:03 pm

God works in mysterious ways and his timing is perfect, as your story shows it is never to late to accept Him into your life .... Thankyou for sharing ....

ladyh
x

Moderator Joined: 28 Aug 2005 Posts: 12 Location: England

I pray that God will bless you with much happiness and relief from you trouble past.

Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 12:35 pm

Our God is an awesome God...!
thanks for sharing your wonderful testimony..
Be blessed...... Smile

Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2005 9:35 am

that's a very interesting story.
in a way behind the scenes in nightclubs etc is such an unknown world, thanks for shedding some light on it all.
keep going strong!
Loz