David, a Crossroad Bible Institute student currently incarcerated in Michigan, recently sent us a written account of his testimony titled “The Night My Life Changed Forever.” He focuses on the evening he got high and accidentally shot a good friend—that’s the night that David, an honored combat vet, saw his entire life crumple beneath him. While dealing with the repercussions of this night has been difficult for David, it’s not the only change or even the most important change in his life. Read on to find out how everything changed for David—not once but twice.
It was a cold and extremely snowy day. I had already totaled my pickup truck earlier in the day trying to navigate on the nasty roads. Being held captive by a life of addiction, I drank a fifth of whiskey on top of doing drugs. My wife at the time was shooting up heroin and smoking marijuana. My good friend was also at my house and had taken quite a bit of methadone and Xanax. We were all pretty high.
I had a rifle in my bedroom and though the details of that night are blurry, I remember holding it and seeing my wife leave our bedroom and reenter with my friend. My friend tried to take the rifle out of my hands with the barrel facing toward him. I heard a loud boom and saw the look of horror in my friend’s eyes. I tried to apply first aid to save him. It was no use. He was dead when the paramedics arrived.
I was sentenced to four to fifteen years for involuntary manslaughter, divorced my wife due to other circumstances and now live for the Lord. He has given me a second chance. A chance my friend didn’t get, that I have to live with for the rest of my life. I vow not to waste this wakeup call and let his name die in vain!
Going from being a combat veteran having served my country honorably to a convicted felon of involuntary manslaughter has been very hard for me. If not for the Lord, I would have already given up on life. When I was at my lowest and wanted to die, He sat with me while I detoxed from morphine, let me know I wasn’t alone and even helped me find a bit of comfort and peace in my incarceration.
I found out about CBI through the chaplain’s office. CBI means the world to me. I now have something to look forward to in my Bible studies and through witnessing the art and the poetry talent of others who are also incarcerated. I wake each morning and pray. I ask our Lord and Savior for His guidance and protection of both my family and myself. I’ve been corresponding with a local church who has invited me to attend when I am released.
I reflect on my upbringing, time in the military service and my dreadful road of partying, alcoholism, drug use and adultery. I now have a new outlook on life. I look forward to living a Christian, sober, loving life when I return to my family. God has given me another chance to right my wrongs and find true happiness. This I intend to do and in everything I give thanks to God. I pray that all who read this will be blessed by God and never forget that we are His children and He has given us the gift of eternal life.
Thank you for helping to bring God’s Word to David. Your support has helped transform his life. For information on how you can help Crossroad encourage more people behind bars, click here.