I was 17 when I took some drugs - the pyscaldelic light show was fun but what remained was a terrible darkness and an irrational fear. On the outside I seemed fine, but inside a light had gone out. It was horrible. I remember walking home from the pub and praying to God "I'm really sorry for what I've done - please make my life like it was before"

Over the next 3 years God answered that prayer in some quite remarkable ways:

The first thing that happened was that I sensed an 'inner voice' saying 'Don't worry - it's going to be alright'.

Next, I got an incredible urge to read the Bible. After plucking up courage, I bought a bible, took it home, hid it behind my bedroom curtain and read it at night. It brought real comfort.

After that I began to get the same irresistible urge' to go to church!! I fought it off for months - but it was so strong. A friend from the pub had recently ‘become a Christian’ and invited me to go to church with him. I was happy to go along. It was the Baptist church, and was like entering a strange new world. Nothing made much sense, but I enjoyed it, and the people were very loving. Also something good was happening inside of me.

At one church service I really sensed God speaking to me, and, as invited by the speaker I asked the Lord Jesus to forgive my sin and come to live within my heart.

I can't describe the joy that I felt - it was ’Joy unspeakable and full of Glory’ At times it was almost unbearable. The darkness and fears had gone and light had come into my heart. It was wonderful.

I had prayed that God would 'make me to be like I was before' - He did that and far, far more. That was 33 years ago, and I remain deeply thankful that when I called on Him in the day of Trouble, He delivered me from all my fears and brought me into a whole new way of life. It’s a life of complete trust and glad obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ.