David's Story
The Journey Begins
"But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive." Genesis 50:20
I was born 2 months premature in Greensboro, NC. My tongue was attached in front of my gums, and I was 95% deaf. It took nine different operations and the grace of God before I could speak or hear.
Despite the obstacles thrown my way from Day 1, I was drawn to music. I could play a number of instruments with ease. How amazing, that God would choose to give that kind of gift to a deaf-mute – as though He was saying, “I have chosen this one for My purposes.”
Isaiah 35:5-6 “And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unstop the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will shout and sing!” NLT
That was just the beginning of what God wanted to do with me.
Troubled Childhood
Even at ten years old, I was regularly using drugs and finding myself in trouble with the authorities. By fifteen I was a mess. I had a serious drug problem and no real direction in my life. Finally realizing that they couldn’t help me, my parents sent me to a series of professionals. After many frustrating sessions, one doctor looked at me and said, “There’s no hope for you. The best thing that could happen to you is for someone to find you lying in a ditch – dead… at least it would be over.”
But God was not through with me yet.
Desperation
Resigned in my despair, I proceeded to try quenching my pain with more drug use, which led to more frequent arrests. I was a lost and aimless teenager with no hope. In the bleak landscape of my life, there was one person who hadn’t given up on me. My grandmother knew I wasn’t beyond the reach of God’s hand. And I could see something different in her eyes; it was the love of Christ. Soon I would experience that love. At the age of 17, I hesitantly entered a local Bible-based recovery program for drug-addicted teens. The only other option was jail.
Salvation
While enrolled in this program, I prayed to receive Jesus as my Savior. During the first few days of my stay, I’d begun to notice a joy and peace in the lives of the people there. It had puzzled me how they could all be so happy. At first I had assumed they must still be on drugs; I couldn’t imagine any other explanation. “It’s the joy of the Lord,” said one. I began to realize that what I was seeing in these guys was that same difference that I’d seen in my grandmother. I learned I could be freed from the tight grip sin had on me. All I had to do was believe on Jesus Christ and truly accept that He was my Savior, recognizing He had died so I could become spiritually alive. With Christ I now had the power to say “No” to sin.
Fallen Away
But walking in relationship with God requires daily commitment that I just didn’t have. Over time, I began to drift away from God and to make concessions. I eventually found myself deeply involved in the secular music industry, playing professionally with rock bands. During those years I slid back into my former habits and addictions. It was horrible. My pain finally forced me to acknowledge that I was broken, destitute, and empty. When I turned my heart again to the Lord, His grace was waiting. I devoted my life and my music to Him.
David traveled for seven years doing evangelism and teaching throughout the US bringing his gifts of music, singing and teaching to thousands.
The Journey Continues
For a season I traveled, sharing music, my personal testimony and the Good News of God’s Word in hundreds of churches across the United States. God used that ministry to win many people to Christ.
I began to feel God prompting me to establish a church in my hometown community. So, I transitioned out of the traveling ministry to begin a home Bible study. That home Bible study has grown into the Body we call The Bridge in Kernersville, N.C. I am honored that God is still using me to accomplish His purposes. Now, I am reaching out to others thru radio, T.V., internet and special events with ‘Cross the Bridge Ministries’. I can clearly see that God’s hand has been upon me since the day I was born, guiding my steps and leading me into the work of His Kingdom. Even in my times of rebellion and sin, He never gave up on me and generously offered me His mercy and grace. Pain, desperation, and hopelessness revealed to me my need for a relationship with my heavenly Father. By accepting His Son, Jesus Christ, as my personal Savior, I was adopted into God’s family, and my sins were forgiven. The Father gave His perfect and sinless Son as a free gift, a sacrifice for you and me. All I needed to do was choose to believe in Jesus and embrace Him as my Savior. The Bible says that Jesus stands at the door of our hearts and knocks. If anyone will hear Him, He will come in to him, wash away his sins, give him a new heart, and make him into a new creation.
God graciously gave me a future and a hope. He redeemed me. What was meant for evil against me, God has used for good. With my mouth I will proclaim His goodness and sing His praises until the whole world hears.
So that is my story. What’s your story? Have you accepted God’s free gift of eternal life by believing in Jesus? By asking Jesus to forgive the wrong things you have done in your life and believing that He died to pay the price for those sins, you will know that you will spend eternity with Him in heaven,
I’m now living to tell what He died to say.
If you have never asked the Lord for forgiveness, why wait? You can do so with these four things:
Pray something like this from your heart...
