Austin's parents raised him while drinking and doing drugs. At a young age he fell into the same lifestyle. Getting in trouble at school quickly turned into doing time at the juvenile detention center. While his parents were in jail, he went into foster care. By the time he was 20 he had given up hope. Until one night God spoke to Austin and everything changed.

Living Free

I'd like to tell you how I found Jesus, and how I'm now living free from hate, depression, and confusion over my life.

Living to Party

I was raised by parents who grew apart by drinking and doing drugs. By the time I was in junior high school, I started partying. I said to myself, "When I get out of high school, I will just be able to quit because that is how life is!" Well that is what I believed, anyway.

A couple of years passed, and in ninth grade I decided to pull the fire alarm because I didn't care about what the world had to offer me. This got me on probation. And I kept doing the same things I was doing before.

Down the road I went to the juvenile detention center a few times. I also went into foster care while my mom and dad were in prison.

First Love

Finally I went back home because I was 18. So, I partied even more, and a few months later I met a girl. She became my new focus. We hit it off for about eight months. She was my first love.

Three months into our relationship, I told her I loved her and she said she loved me also. Truthfully, I was wrong.

She got pregnant, and even though it was good at first, we grew apart because I was immature.

On February 12, 2009, an angel was born! The angel happens to be my daughter, but the sad part is I wasn't able to be there for her birth.

Giving Up

At this point in my life, I didn't know what to do. I had just given up. I got heavily back into drugs for about two years.

I'm 20 today, and in the last few years of doing drugs, I realized I wasn't having fun or loving the life anymore. I went back to get my diploma. I tried playing sports, football and baseball and then I became a runner for a drug trafficker.

Changed Forever

I ran drugs so I could get high. But then, in one night my life changed forever. I got tackled by the major crimes unit. As the police were yelling, I heard a voice saying, "Are you done yet!? Are you done yet!?"

The voice didn't stop until I screamed yes! I was confused because I've never experienced anything like that. As I said yes, the cop asked, "What's the problem?"

I said, "Nothing."

Well, then the policeman said, "You are lucky because we have no need for you anymore!"

I was stunned. The cop stated, "Son, you're 20 years old. Go make something of yourself."

Later that night I asked my mother how to be saved and how to follow Jesus. She said, "Son, I prayed for that boy to get caught, and for you to have a relationship with God."

Feeling Loved

I went to church with my mom, and when I walked in the building, I felt loved. But, even better (remember I got busted the other night) ... I heard the pastor say, "All of us will go through trials and dark experiences before the Lord will save us, because Jesus uses us as witnesses to the world." These words made me fall to my knees.

It's so true. God wants us to call on his Son, Jesus Christ.

Well, today I'm saved. All my sins are forgiven. My old self was crucified at the cross with Jesus, and I am born again spiritually.

I am clean today. I'm going to college. I have my family back, and I am changed forever.

I hope you learned something from my story and this message from God. I don't want you to have to be tormented by Satan, the devil, as I have been.

Thanks to Jesus, I am living free from the hate I carried, the partying, the depression, and everything that caused confusion in my life.