For many years, I worked and looked like success but did not have true joy in my life, Why? Because I was a functioning alcoholic which led me down a path to drug abuse and self-destruction which ended in 2010 when I had lost everything; except my continuing desire to cover up my emptiness with alcohol.

Fast forward to 2023, (and only because of my health) I stopped drinking alcohol and begin to take care of myself. The good news is, six months later I had lost 40 pounds and was feeling great physically, but the bad news is I still had an un-acknowledged emptiness in my life.

This was confusing to me because in 2013 I had met Kate, my wonderful wife, we have a nice home, clothes to wear, food to eat, and a little savings, which is what I thought was all I needed to be happy. But I was wrong.

So, to fill that void, as a lifelong musician that had not played drums for 15 years, I decided to play again thinking that would fill the emptiness and give me joy – so I began looking for a church Praise band that needed a drummer. But Kate and I did not attend church at that time.

You see, I was baptized at a young age and felt the holy spirit come into my heart at that time. But it didn’t take long when I decided to live life on my own terms and leave God out of it. My belief was, if I’m a good person I’ll have joy in my life, and I don’t need Jesus for that. But I was wrong.

Looking for a Praise band opportunity Kate and I begin attending different churches and we decided to attend a bible study at one of the churches which changed everything.

In September 2024 in week three of the Bible study I gave my heart back to God and was overcome with a massive amount of love, peace, and joy in my heart which brought tears of happiness to my eyes. I remembered what I learned as a little boy that through the saving grace of Jesus Christ all my past sins had been washed away and that God loves me more than I can know and wants a relationship with me now and forever.

The results: while I’m not playing in a praise band, and that’s OK – God used music to get me back to him and I’m so grateful for that. I believe Gods calling for me is the study of his word so I can learn to help others – and I look forward doing this every day.

I’m not perfect and I never will be on earth, but I know I will be made perfect in heaven because of the mercy and grace of my Lord Jesus Christ. I’m building my relationship with God, with my wife, and my church family; and God has filled the emptiness with joy in my heart like I never thought possible.