J
My name is jeff and I just want to say what God has done for a rotten sinner like me. I grew up in a drug house, I remember people coming and going at all hours of the night. I remember telling myself that I would never do drugs. I seen what it did to people and I wanted more out of life. Unfortunately by the age of 14 I started smoking weed, at the time I didn't think anything of it. I just thought that it was a way to pass time and I wouldn't let it get out of hand. It did though. It got to the point that I would spend almost all of my time either looking for weed, or smoking it. eventually I started doing other drugs. Everything from gas, to coke. And everything in between. Well I quit school, My life revolved around getting high. And due to that I didn't look for work. Instead I would break in to houses and cars to get money for my next buzz. The first charge that I got was assault and battery. At the time I was a minor so I didn't go to jail. It wasn't long after that I was 17 and officially a adult which made a big difference. My first time in jail was for assault on a police officer. I didn't do much time for that one believe it or not. But not to long after that I was arrested for a number of home invasions, stealing a car, felonious assault, M.D.O.P, and receiving and concealing stolen property. The thing is that I was arrested for a 2nd degree home invasion, But while I was in jail I was charged with a LOT of other charges, the cops had been building cases on me for a while come to find out.
I remember laying in my cell thinking 'I am going to go to prison for a long time. I was very scared, So I started praying "GOD please help me out of this mess." Then I started to read the Bible, a lot, along with going to the jail services. I started to notice a change in my attitude, I was more caring, and less cynical. God was working on my heart. I remember sitting in church after the service was over the jail chaplain asked if there was anybody who would come up to be saved. I couldn't get up there fast enough. The chaplain asked me if I believe that Jesus died for my sins, and rose again on the third day to sit at the right hand of God the Father. I said yes and then he asked me to pray with him, which I did. I don't remember exactly what the chaplain prayed all I remember how great I felt afterward. Better than I have ever felt in my life.
God then worked in my life like I never thought possible. Charges were dropped, I went to trial on one of the home invasions and the verdict came back not guilty! After the trial the prosecuter offered me 18 months in the county jail. 1year for U.D.A.A, and 6 months for credit card fraud, ran consecutively. Of course I jumped on it. During that time I spent a lot of time doing group bible study, praying, and meditating on God's Word. eventually I was released from jail. I was so thankful to God for getting me out of there a lot earlier then I deserved considering all that i was charged with.
I wish that I could say that I stayed clean after I was released, But I didn't. At first I did great, I was working, and going to church regularly. Life was good. But I back-slid hard. It wasn't long before I was back to the same stuff that got me locked up in the first place.
Then on December 13th 1999 I was arrested for assault with intent to murder a police officer, felonious assault, resisting and obstructing, disarming a police officer, obstruction of justice and felony firearm. Then when I got to jail I got another charge, Assault on a jail employee. Well when reality hit I thought I was going to do at least 20 years. So there I was sitting in the Van Buren county jail in a maximum security cell, scared to death. So to keep my mind off my situation I would spend most of the day either studying the Bible or trying to memorize scripture.
I spent a year in max fighting my case, the only plea bargain the prosecuter offered was for me to plea to assault with intent to murder a police officer and he will drop the rest of the charges. Which meant doing a minimum of 20 years. That is the best deal I was going to get,, or so I thought. One week before my trial I was offered a plea of 3 and a half to 10 years in prison. I was shocked. I took the deal and was sent to Jackson prison. God saved me once again even though I didn't deserve it.
You might think of me as a ingrate, or as an idiot, but when I was released from prison july first 2003. I messed up once again. I started smoking meth. I thought that I could work, go to church, and do drugs without going back to prison. I was wrong, I went back to prison for 2 years when God once again freed my dumb butt. It took being locked up for 7 years for me to realize that I can't live luke warm. That I can't serve God and serve the flesh at the same time.
Today I am blessed. I have my own place, a loving family, and a fiance' who loves me dearly. I truly believe that if it wasn't for God I would be dead by now, or spending the rest of my life in prison. I tried killing myself twice and against all odds I am still here. Praise be to God.
I believe that God wants me to share my story to help save souls and lives. So there you go. You can't serve both God and Mammon.
I remember laying in my cell thinking 'I am going to go to prison for a long time. I was very scared, So I started praying "GOD please help me out of this mess." Then I started to read the Bible, a lot, along with going to the jail services. I started to notice a change in my attitude, I was more caring, and less cynical. God was working on my heart. I remember sitting in church after the service was over the jail chaplain asked if there was anybody who would come up to be saved. I couldn't get up there fast enough. The chaplain asked me if I believe that Jesus died for my sins, and rose again on the third day to sit at the right hand of God the Father. I said yes and then he asked me to pray with him, which I did. I don't remember exactly what the chaplain prayed all I remember how great I felt afterward. Better than I have ever felt in my life.
God then worked in my life like I never thought possible. Charges were dropped, I went to trial on one of the home invasions and the verdict came back not guilty! After the trial the prosecuter offered me 18 months in the county jail. 1year for U.D.A.A, and 6 months for credit card fraud, ran consecutively. Of course I jumped on it. During that time I spent a lot of time doing group bible study, praying, and meditating on God's Word. eventually I was released from jail. I was so thankful to God for getting me out of there a lot earlier then I deserved considering all that i was charged with.
I wish that I could say that I stayed clean after I was released, But I didn't. At first I did great, I was working, and going to church regularly. Life was good. But I back-slid hard. It wasn't long before I was back to the same stuff that got me locked up in the first place.
Then on December 13th 1999 I was arrested for assault with intent to murder a police officer, felonious assault, resisting and obstructing, disarming a police officer, obstruction of justice and felony firearm. Then when I got to jail I got another charge, Assault on a jail employee. Well when reality hit I thought I was going to do at least 20 years. So there I was sitting in the Van Buren county jail in a maximum security cell, scared to death. So to keep my mind off my situation I would spend most of the day either studying the Bible or trying to memorize scripture.
I spent a year in max fighting my case, the only plea bargain the prosecuter offered was for me to plea to assault with intent to murder a police officer and he will drop the rest of the charges. Which meant doing a minimum of 20 years. That is the best deal I was going to get,, or so I thought. One week before my trial I was offered a plea of 3 and a half to 10 years in prison. I was shocked. I took the deal and was sent to Jackson prison. God saved me once again even though I didn't deserve it.
You might think of me as a ingrate, or as an idiot, but when I was released from prison july first 2003. I messed up once again. I started smoking meth. I thought that I could work, go to church, and do drugs without going back to prison. I was wrong, I went back to prison for 2 years when God once again freed my dumb butt. It took being locked up for 7 years for me to realize that I can't live luke warm. That I can't serve God and serve the flesh at the same time.
Today I am blessed. I have my own place, a loving family, and a fiance' who loves me dearly. I truly believe that if it wasn't for God I would be dead by now, or spending the rest of my life in prison. I tried killing myself twice and against all odds I am still here. Praise be to God.
I believe that God wants me to share my story to help save souls and lives. So there you go. You can't serve both God and Mammon.
