Seventeen years ago, I was an avowed atheist and drug addict who lived to get high. I took 27 hits of acid over the course of about 3 weeks and completely lost my mind. I went from being an atheist to literally believing that I was the second coming of Jesus Christ. I thought that I was supposed to kill myself in order to save the world (it made sense on LSD), so I swam out as far as I could into the Atlantic Ocean to end my life. In the middle of the ocean, I completely sobered up and had a revelation of God. Although I didn’t believe in hell that morning, in that moment I knew it was a real place and that I was headed there. It was by far the most horrible thing I have ever experienced before or since. I swam from sunrise to sunset until I had absolutely no strength left, and then I turned over onto my back and cried out to God for help. I told Him that if He saved me, I would never drink or drug again as long as I lived (I even told Him that I would give up cigarettes)! In the end, I swam for 18 hours in the ocean without flotation and ended up 7 miles from where I started at a 5-star resort called the Sanctuary. Today, I have been completely sober from all drugs and alcohol for 17 years with no relapse. I have an amazing wife and the four most beautiful children in the world, and I live every day to serve and help those in need around me. Jesus rescued me from a life of addiction and hopelessness, and he can do the same for you…or for anyone.
