This is not a Hollywood exposé. Names have been changed, but not so much to protect the innocent, as there are few innocent people involved. No, this is the story of how I went astray and how you can avoid the mistakes I made. I want to tell you how I found a whole new life and what I discovered while finding it. I’ve faced many problems in the fifty-plus years of my life, most of them brought on by myself. I hope you will find my story helpful. I believe God’s purpose for my life is to tell others what happened to me so they might find their way back to Him.

     My life has been a messy series of events that combined to create a mosaic—the way tiles combine to create an image. As sordid as some of those experiences were, I don’t have any regrets and I don’t look back in despair. Why? Because they led me to Jesus Christ and salvation. Many people never find God, whether their experiences are good or bad. I want to help people realize that they have an opportunity right now to be a part of God’s kingdom here on earth.

     I was always searching for something but was never satisfied when I got it. I searched for the next big music trend, my big show business break, and the next chance to get high. I was always after something. I kept putting things off, hoping for a better future.

But seek ye ‘first’ the kingdom of God… (Matthew 6:33)

     Once I learned about my relationship with God—through His Son, Jesus Christ—and the true meaning of what He does for us, I realized that we could have the peace of God right here, right now. Even when we made mistakes, God was there to forgive.

     My story is not so much about what I experienced in my two and a half years in prison and seven years on parole, but my life before and after. The most dramatic time in my life came just before I was sentenced. That’s when I found salvation.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

     It took me thirty-five years, but I finally found peace through Jesus Christ. The decades of the wild life I led, along with the few times when I was close to finding the right path, weave an amazing story. I’m not proud of the many problems I created for myself—the incredibly stupid things I did—but I’m not running from them or trying to cover them up either. In fact, by telling my story here, I hope you, dear reader, can learn the lessons I learned without going through the trials and dangers I faced.

     Ultimately, this story isn’t about me. It’s about Jesus Christ and how He willingly and faithfully pulled me out of a lifestyle that had little hope. I can never repay that love and faithfulness, but I’m not supposed to. That’s the beauty of grace.

     Those of you who already know Him understand grace. If you have a relationship with Jesus, you’ll find my story interesting to compare with your own. Then you can share it with a family member or friend who might be in need. This could be the spark of encouragement they need to begin their own relationship with Jesus Christ.

     Part of the reason I want to tell my story is to help people understand that no matter how bad things might get, you can change and start with a clean slate. You can find Him, just like I did. How did I do it? It’s all here. Please read on.