I would like to take this opportunity to give glory to Jesus Christ for what He has done in my life. I was born in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. My parents moved out to California when I was two years old. We lived mostly on the central coast of California, from Paso Robles to Santa Maria. I graduated from Santa Maria High, where I played football and made many friends.

I began surfing when I was in the 7th grade. Surfing would continue to play a big role in my life. At one point it became so big that it became my god and I served it faithfully. It was during this time that my life began to spin out of control. I began drinking and doing drugs, while at the same time attending college and playing on the football team.

Life for me had lost its glory. I no longer had the attention that I once had from sports and high school popularity and I began to drift into a major depression. The more drugs I took the deeper the depression got, until at one point I was ready to die. At the time, I was living in a small log cabin with some other surfers in a small California town called Cambria.

One day I was surfing on some really awesome waves, but they no longer gave me the thrill I was searching for. I became so overwhelmed with depression and loneliness that I came out of the water and just sat on the beach. I began to think of ways to commit suicide. I didn’t want it to be painful, so I thought about all the painless ways one could kill himself. Truth be told I was a big chicken. So as I was walking back up the hill to my house I passed by some trash cans. In one of them was a book covered with black velvet. I reached over, and taking it out, I saw that it was a Bible. So with my surfboard under my arm, I sat down on the front porch of our cabin and opened the Bible. This is was the first thing I read;

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8)

I couldn’t believe what I was reading! In my heart I didn’t feel like anyone cared, I felt like I was all alone and that no one loved me. But when I read the words of the apostle Paul, I began to understand that Jesus loved me even though I was so messed up. My heart began to break and open up to the love of God through Jesus Christ. However, I wasn’t saved yet, and I began to pray and ask God for help. I flipped the pages of the Bible this was the next thing I read;

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:5-7)

It was right then and there that I prayed, “Lord that’s what I want, I want to be born again. I want a new life.” And at that very moment He saved me! Joy and peace came into my heart, and they have never left.

Email: Pastor Dan Tuttle