On New Year's Eve '92, I was involved in the party scene. I thought I was living the good life. I had moved to Shreveport to manage the GNC (General Nutrition Center) at Southpark Mall. I had just bought a 1992 Dodge Dakota Sport. I was twenty-three at this time. Before this,I managed the GNC at Pecanland Mall in Monroe, La. I was into working out with weights. I had lost about 65 pounds through exercising and dieting. My friend, John, helped me with working out. In November, my boss asked me if I could transfer to the Shreveport store. I eagerly told him that I could. I was wanting to move up in the company.
I had met a young woman at one of the clubs where I hung out with my friend, Al. We started dating before I moved. She lived in Ruston. I stopped in to see her one day when I was going back to West Monroe to visit. She broke up with me that day. The day before New Year's Eve, she called me to ask us to hold a place for her at the club where we would be at in Monroe. We all got to the bar that night with partying on our minds. I started drinking mixed drinks. Sometime after midnight, I blacked-out. I remember just bits and pieces of what was to happen after that. I remember walking out to my truck. After that, I remember shutting the passenger door to the truck. Then, I was walking on the other side of the bridge down Trenton Street in West Monroe. Then, I was at the door of Al's apartment. I woke up at 10:00 on New Year's Day. I told Al that we needed to find my truck. I didn't know where it was! We drove around looking for it in West Monroe and Monroe. I finally called the Monroe Police Department to ask If they had towed the truck. The woman on the line told me that it had been towed to Master's Auto Service in Monroe. I went to see it there. The hood and front was crushed in the middle. The owner of the towing company told me that I was fortunate to be alive. I had hit a utility pole on the corner of Pine and Walnut, which was several blocks from the club. The police had pulled some of my hair from the windshield where I had hit with my head. I had walked one mile from where I had wrecked. The officer that worked the accident called me at midnight on January 1st to ask me about what had happened. I lied about what I did, but they knew that I had been drinking.
I had to go back to Shreveport without transportation. Over the next several months I was dependent on my parents to come to bring my back home on most weekends. I walked to work sometimes and got a taxi at other times. One day at work I was talking with a regular customer about some of our products. She and her husband worked for the Shreveport Police Department. We ended up talking about church and Jesus. She asked where I went to church. I told her that I was trying to go back to church. She said "You're not doing anything! You better come back to Jesus now! "
There had been others who had witnessed to me before, but her words made me to think. I didn't write the exact date down, but around March the 15th I repented of my sins, asked for forgiveness, and was saved at my apartment in Kingston Village Apartments on Kingston Road! What a change! I got born-again! I told everyone what had happened to me! I couldn't go back to the clubs anymore!
I couldn't listen to the same music anymore! I didn't have the desire to drink anymore! I was a changed man!
I was able to move back home and get my old job back in April. I started passing out tracts. I went to church whenever I could. I wanted all that the Lord had for me! I wanted to do His will! I met Todd at a revival one night. We passed out tracts at several bars around town. Later, we preached at some of the bars. I was nervous about street preaching, but I was hooked after I did it a few times! I love to tell the story of how the Lord saved me!
I am thankful that I have had an extension on my life. I should have died and went to hell that night of my accident, but I am alive! I am saved!
Happy New Year!
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