A young man's journey - Jai

I was 7 years old when my Mum became a Christian.  This had mixed results for me - it meant that I got a lot of new friends, but it also meant I had to go to church. I was taken along every week and although I loved Sunday School, the rest of it wasn't my cup of tea at all.

 

As soon as I reached the age of 16, I knew that I was legally allowed to choose my own religion and told my Mum I was going to be a Jedi from then on.  Now, I thought, the world was my oyster.  It's not that I wanted to walk away from God and the commitment I had made to Him as a child; it was more that I just wanted to do what I wanted to do.  So I did that....!

 

The next ten years of my life were what can only be described as an utter disaster. I started smoking, drinking, messing around with drugs, hanging around with some dubious characters and getting into some very strange situations. But, I was doing my own thing, so I managed to convince myself that I was having a good time.

 

I dived head first into a few relationships with girls that were doomed from the start.  The result of one or two of these relationships led to what can only be described as 'hitting rock bottom'.  One particularly bleak day in the middle of all this, I saw a Bible and for some reason I decided to pick it up.  I opened it at random and brought my finger down to a point where it said...'When they call on me I will answer. I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue them and honour them.' These words stayed in my heart, and even though I made no effort to follow God or get to know Him, the verses I had read kept me warm in the cold and blackness of my life.

 

About five years later, I had moved back home to my Mum's house after yet another failed relationship. I was talking to my Mum in the kitchen and I said to her, “Mum, I'm 26 years of age and I have absolutely nothing to show for my life.”   It's at this moment that my life hit the pause button, or that's how I remember it!  

 

It could only have been a few weeks later when my Mum told me she had two tickets for a Phil Collins tribute act, and asked if myself and my mate Jason would like them.  She said the guy, named Liam Moore, was really good and that he had been endorsed by Phil Collins himself.  At first Jason and I had just planned to get drunk in the house, but when my Mum reminded me that there was a bar there, we decided to go along and have a listen to this guy. At the gig, I remember being very impressed by Liam Moore. He not only sounded like Phil Collins, but he looked like him too! But it wasn't his singing that knocked me out of my seat that night. It was something he said. In between two of his songs, he said these words... “I could go out from here tonight and get shot in the face, but I'd be alright because I know where I'm going. Do you know where you're going?”

 

He was talking to everyone in the room that night, but I felt as though he was speaking directly to me.  What he said really hit home and I realised for the first time that if I didn't do something about my life, I was going straight to hell. I was terrified, but at the same time I felt a real excitement and hope because Liam reminded me that there is a way to remedy my final destination.  That way is through Jesus Christ.

 

It was later on, when I was walking home from the gig with my cousin Hayley, who had recently become a Christian, that I told her about what Liam had said. Then I told her about a picture I had seen of Jesus on the cross. There was some writing underneath that said...' I asked him, how much do you love me? He said, 'this much.' and he stretched out his arms and died.'   I couldn't finish speaking. I was in tears. I finally began to understand what Jesus had done.

 

From that night I have never looked back. These days, I don't have to be dragged to church! Jesus has transformed my life from a barren wasteland to a thriving, vibrant existence full of excitement and almost nonstop activity!  If I bumped into myself from ten years ago, I wouldn't recognise myself! Praise God! Thank You Jesus!