My Testimony and Journey to Salvation

How a book, a prayer, and a hill of history led me to the truth of Christ.

I didn’t come to Christ in a tidy, polished way. My story is messy, unorthodox, and—if I’m honest—not one I share lightly. But it’s a story of grace, and if it can help someone else see that God answers prayers, redeems brokenness, and transforms even the darkest past into a higher calling, then it’s worth telling.

A Pearl in an Unlikely Place

More than fifty years ago, I picked up a book that would change the direction of my life: The Source by James Michener. It’s not a Christian book, nor was Michener a Christian evangelist. But as I read through his sweeping story of civilizations rising and falling in the land of Israel, something stirred in me.

I was only 19 at the time, serving overseas with the U.S. Army in Frankfurt, Germany. The book convinced me of one undeniable truth: there is a God. That realization cracked open the door to faith. It didn’t yet make me a Christian, but it gave me the “pearl” that would ultimately lead to my salvation.

---

Don’t Miss Out. The stories and analysis on our website are just the beginning. Our Substack newsletter gives you a deeper look into our mission, with exclusive content and behind-the-scenes updates you won’t find anywhere else. Join thousands of readers by subscribing for free.

---

A Reckless Prayer

At that point in my life, I was living recklessly. I had already experimented with drugs—hash, and a couple of times LSD. And in my youthful arrogance, I decided to test God.

One night, I prayed what I thought was a clever challenge:

“God, if drugs are bad, prove it to me.”

It was a foolish prayer. But it was honest. And God wasted no time in answering.

Careful What You Pray For

Not long after, I took half of a small LSD tablet. Just half. Yet it sent me spiraling into a terrifying overdose. My body and mind gave way, and I ended up in the hospital. That incident eventually led to my dismissal from the Army.

It was humiliating. It felt tragic. And it was the first hard lesson of my Christian walk: be careful what you pray for.

Because God answers. And sometimes His answer is swift, unmistakable, and more than you bargained for.

What God Taught Me

Looking back, that night answered two life-changing questions for me:

1. Does God answer prayer? Yes—without a doubt. Even a reckless, arrogant challenge.
2. Can God turn tragedy into good? Yes—absolutely. As Paul writes in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

My mother used to scold me for telling this part of the story because she worried it sounded like I was encouraging others to do bad things just to see God prove Himself. That’s never been my intention. I share it to show the opposite: that God, in His mercy, can take even the worst of our decisions and turn them into lessons of grace.

From Wanderer to Watchman

God didn’t just pull me out of a pit—He repurposed me.

The same restless passion that once drove me to explore the empty thrills of the world, He turned into a fire to defend His truth, His church, and His design for humanity.

I didn’t choose this path out of guilt or out of some need to repay God. I chose it because I saw that life lived in His order, according to His Word, brings pleasures no drug, no entertainment, no wealth, and no ambition can ever match.

For me, that has meant becoming a Watchman—a defender of the truth in a culture that often despises it. That calling has carried me through decades of ministry, activism, and service, and it all traces back to that pearl from The Source, that reckless prayer, and that overdose that became a turning point instead of an ending.

Over Years

Over the years, some of my enemies (and even so-called friends in the pro-family movement) have tried to use my testimony against me. I first disclosed it decades ago in my book Pathways to Success, and ever since, the phrase “former drug user” has been thrown around as if it defines me.

But it doesn’t define me — it defines the mercy and power of God.

Scripture is filled with men and women who had shameful, even wretched pasts. Moses was a murderer. David was an adulterer. Paul persecuted Christians. Yet these are the very people God chose to raise up as leaders, prophets, and apostles. Why? Because their stories reveal that no one is beyond His redemption.

God doesn’t want us to hide our past. He wants us to testify to His mercy. My story isn’t about the drugs I took — it’s about the Savior who turned a foolish, broken 19-year-old into a Watchman for His truth.

The Lesson for You

If you take nothing else from my story, take this: your past doesn’t disqualify you.

Whatever mistakes, guilt, or sins you carry, God can redeem them. He can take your darkest moment and make it the very foundation of your calling. He did it for me. He can do it for you.

Because God not only answers prayer—He transforms lives.

A Prayer for You

If you’ve read my story and felt a stirring in your own heart — maybe guilt from the past, maybe a longing for forgiveness, maybe just the desire to know God is real — I want you to know this: the same God who reached me as a reckless 19-year-old is reaching for you right now.

If you’ve never asked Christ into your life, or if you’ve drifted and want to come back, I invite you to pray these words sincerely:

“Lord Jesus, I believe You are the Son of God who died for my sins and rose again. I confess my past, my sins, and my need for You. Please forgive me, cleanse me, and make me new. I turn my life over to You. From this day forward, I want to follow You as my Savior and Lord. Amen.”

If you prayed that prayer and meant it, you’ve begun the greatest journey of your life — one that leads not to destruction but to redemption, peace, and eternal joy

Enjoyed this article? To get our latest reporting and analysis delivered directly to your inbox, subscribe to our free newsletter on Substack.

The post My Testimony and Journey to Salvation appeared first on Christian Action.