Grace in Low Points of Life

At the age of 59, David has surely seen his share of life’s challenges. Serving as an E5 Sargent in the United States Army from 1986 to 1991, his unit was responsible for removing Manuel Noriega from power in Panama. And when war broke out in the Middle East in ‘91, he was put on high alert as part of the Quick Reaction Force, a team ready to head to war at any moment. Yet, through trials God shows His grace.

But before enlisting, David also experienced challenges closer to home. He got involved with biker gangs; he went through a bad divorce, was hooked on drugs, and lost the will to succeed. He hit a low point and found himself living in a motel, crying and distraught, he knew he wasn’t doing a good job of running his own life so he decided to let Uncle Sam run it for him.  It was through God’s grace he overcame these trials. At the age of 26, he joined the Army, and it was there that he found the discipline he needed. “The Army gave me the tools I needed to be able to cope with different things that happen in life, the discipline and training that helps me to this day.”

One of his favorite saying is, “It’s mind over matter, if you don’t mind it, it doesn’t matter.”

Still, it was clear to him that God was showing grace and mercy in his life over the years. He suffered a massive heart attack, and coded 4 times, “I knew if God brought me back, then I was going to support my wife doing her good work of helping others. I was always a charitable person, a spiritual person, but not religious. And whenever I asked God for help, He always gave me a path out. When I met my current wife, she helped me out of some bad situations. She was a believer and she preached Jesus through the way she lived and not just her words. She was beautiful and made me want to be a better man.”

Together, they formed a nonprofit to help underprivileged children, the homeless, and veterans.

David has been reading the Bible and going to Bible study and was recently baptized. “I was shown the path to God and I was smart enough to take it!”