I spent the first 39 years of my life chasing after money, power, and influence. In the process I have been locked up in ten different states, I have ridden over 2500 miles in handcuffs, leg irons, and waist chains. I have been in riots in prisons, I escaped once from a prison, I have been in over 25 car and motorcycle wrecks, eight of those I should have died in. I have overdosed several times and had two heart attacks from doing cocaine.

I became involved with the Kansas City Underworld and ultimately became an enforcer for them. I liked what I saw in the lifestyle of the guys I was doing work for, and determined to become one of them.

By 1982 I had achieved the goals I was after. I was implicated as being one of the leading cocaine dealers in Kansas City, Missouri and was selling so much cocaine that I had enough money to do anything I wanted to do. If I wanted to spend $10,000 today, I did, because tomorrow I had another $10,000. I stayed in $500 a night hotels, rode in limousines and even bought $20,000 worth of cocaine for a party one night. So I finally had the money I had always wanted.

I found out that I had enough power to make a phone call and have someone killed. So I finally had the power I had always wanted. I had enough influence that when I was arrested on an attempted murder charge, I was out of jail in less than twelve hours, without ever seeing a judge. I was arrested at 2:00 pm on September 5, 1982, which was a Sunday, and when you get arrested on a weekend, you usually aren’t going anywhere till Monday morning when a judge can arraign you and set your bond. When I was allowed to make my phone call I called a city councilman that I was selling cocaine to and told them to make a call, they in turn called a judge that I was selling cocaine to and that judge instantly got the ball rolling and I walked out of jail at 1:30 a.m. Monday morning, less than twelve hours after I had been arrested. If you are selling cocaine to a judge, he doesn’t want you in jail.
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I finally had the money, power, and influence that I had always wanted, but there was still something desperately wrong. I had no peace in my life, I got nervous if I saw a girl scout, because she had a uniform on and that represented authority to me and authority scared me. If I was in a restaurant eating and a cop came in, I went in the bathroom and went out the window. He probably wasn’t even after me, he was just hungry.

By this time I had a $500 a day cocaine habit, smoked 3 packs or more of camel non filters a day. Sometimes I would drink 2 quarts of whiskey a day, smoke all the dope I could and do any pill I could. I sometimes tell people, I would have taken a birth control pill, if I could get high on it. I used to kiss my wife good bye, and say I will see you tonight, then wouldn’t come home for three or four weeks. I carried two pistols everywhere I went, and sometimes carried a briefcase with an UZI in it. I never saw my kids and didn’t care about anything except what made me feel good and getting my next deal done.

The criminal case I was now involved in had been reduced from attempted murder to first degree assault with intent to kill and carried 15 years to life in the state of Missouri. I was also facing 5 to 15 on another charge, so I was facing minimum of 20 years and a maximum of life. I couldn’t carry on a conversation with you, because in the middle of a sentence, I would forget what I was saying, because my mind was so burnt up with drugs and alcohol.

On April 15, 1983 while sitting in an old farm house away from Kansas City, I said, “God, if you are real, and you can change me, I will live my life for you.” I have not done an illegal drug since 1983, I have not taken a drink of alcohol since 1983, and I have not been with any woman except my wife since 1983. I have peace that I never knew was possible. I feel like the richest man on earth, because God gave me back my wife.

How much would you pay to get your wife back? God gave me back my four children. How much would you pay to get your kids back? God gave me back my mind. How much would you pay to get your mind back? God kept me from going to prison. How much would you pay to keep from going to prison? God delivered me from drugs and alcohol. How much would you pay to get off drugs? It’s Free . . . just ask (Christ into your life)

That moment on April 15, 1983 changed my life for ever. Thanks to God, I will never be the same.

I have been in prison ministry for 27 years now and travel the country speaking 80-90 times a year in prisons and jails. Last year I finally wrote my life story after being asked for the past 25 years to do so. It is really a story of the amazing God we serve, and His love and mercy for all of us. It is called “The Ultimate Pardon”
www.prisonpowerministries.org
www.theultimatepardon.com

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