Thomas’ Story.

I don’t ever think about my past life before Jesus came into my heart because I don’t ever want to go back to it.

My family was very unstable and we moved around a lot. I remember living in various hotels multiple times. From the time I was a young kid, I had a track record of bad decisions. I was such a bad student and so disrespectful to the teachers that they set me on a minimum schedule of only three classes.

I became a regular at Youth Venture in sixth grade. I had never been around people who were as friendly and loving as the adult volunteers. They are what kept me coming back – that, and the video games.

However, my heart was hardened due to the fact that my dad was a Buddhist and convinced me that God did not exist. When I was in seventh grade my dad, who had been a smoker for a long time, was diagnosed with lung cancer. One month after this diagnosis, he died. My mother had suffered debilitating injuries and was incapable of taking care of my brother and me. One of my friends from school let us move into his house, and we lived there for the next three years. Fourteen people lived in that house, and I usually slept on the floor. I considered myself lucky if I got to sleep on a couch.

To escape the crowdedness of the house, I went to Youth Venture almost every day. It gave me an opportunity to spend time with my friends and the adults who cared so much about me. However, regardless of their love and kindness towards me, and even though I went to the Youth Venture trips and camps, my heart was hard. Though I had slowed down for a while, I continued heading down the wrong path. I was spending all my time with the wrong kids and constantly getting into trouble.

The summer before my sophomore year of high school, I went to another Foothills summer camp. I was really just going because I wanted to have fun and hang out with my friends. Mark Hoffman had asked me so many times if he could lead me in a prayer to make Jesus Christ my Savior. My response was always, “No.” After I heard the message on that last night of camp, I felt convicted for being so hard-hearted. I thought to myself, “What have I got to lose? If I do not experience God, I will not have lost anything.” So I did it; I gave God a shot.

I searched for Mark in the crowd, determined to tell him my decision. When I finally found him, I said, “Mark, I am ready to accept Jesus into my heart.” Immediately after I prayed, I felt different inside. A band was playing worship songs while people were praying for each other and even though all the other kids around me were raising their hands in worship, I was scared about what they would think of me. Mark must have sensed what I was thinking because he told me to raise my hands and worship God, and to stop caring about what others thought. As I did this, all my nervousness faded away.

The love of God filled my heart, and I no longer cared what anyone thought about me. God met me that night in a way I will never forget. It completely changed my life.

If it weren’t for Youth Venture, I would not be the person I am today. If I had never gone to Youth Venture, I never would have met the adults who taught me about Jesus. If I had not met them, I would not have gone to camp. If I had not gone to camp, I would not have gotten saved.

The day I walked into Youth Venture, back in sixth grade, was the day that saved my life.

Note: This testimony was written when Thomas was 18. He is now married with a successful career and is actively involved in church. He continues to volunteer at the very same center he walked into as a sixth grade boy all those years ago.