My Testimony

Hey everyone!! My name is Julian Sutton. I am 25 years old and I was born and raised in Valdosta, Ga. If there is one fact about me that describes me and that everyone should know is that I Love Jesus Christ!! So many people would describe themselves by their jobs, relationships, or by the people they are associated with. (Example: I'm a teacher, I used to date ______, I'm ________'s friend or son or brother, etc.) I want to be described simply as a person that loves Jesus. I want my actions and my words to show that love.

    This is probably the hardest story I will ever have to write: My Testimony. I grew up in the church from the time I was old enough to crawl. I was baptized as an infant, went through confirmation when I was twelve, and gave my heart to Jesus when I was 16. I loved everything about the life that I lived when I was living for Jesus and not myself. I could do anything I put my mind to and had a sincere joy about it. However it was short lived. I began to fall into patterns of selfishness. In doing so I fell into Satan's trap of temptations and sin. Soon after I only attended church because my parents told me I had to. I lived a life that was far from what God wanted for me. I was the type that if asked, "Are you a Christian?" I would say yes based on the fact that I go to church. How foolish I had become!

   I went through 7 long years of suffering; fooling myself that I didn't need to live a life for Christ. I knew that He was my savior, but I never made Him the Lord of my life. I dated a girl that I was desperately in love with for 4 amazing years and one lonesome day it all came to an abrupt end. I went through years of partying, drinking, drugs, lust, and lies just trying to fill that void; I found myself miserable. I didn't like who I had become. I was depressed. I was empty inside. I got to a point where I actually considered suicide. Twice. I was to the point of putting a gun to my head and saying goodbye to this world. It was so hard for me to live in pain and regret because I felt I couldn't live without her. I don't know exactly what kept me from doing it, but I feel it had to be God because there was actually something that was put into my mind that made me hold on to my life. It was my family. It was the thought of what my death would do to them. It was the fear of going to hell for killing myself. I was able to come out of that rut of depression but I continued to live with emptiness for at least another year.

     Then one crazy night  at the bar led to an altercation with a friend, cops showing up and writing both of us citations, and me laying on a couch for two days feeling like I was in a car wreck. That immediately set an alarm off with my family. A couple weeks later my sister asked me if I would go on a weekend retreat called Chrysalis Journey. Just seeing the look on her face told me that I shouldn't say no. So I went on the 3 day retreat out at Camp Tygart.

    During the retreat we put all our focus on God and how much He loves us. There was literally no distractions just people constantly praising the Lord and telling you how much God loves you and forgives you. We were told all you have to do is accept Him into your life and He will change you from the inside out. On our second night there I asked God to come into my life and replace the old me and make me new. I could feel a change starting immediately. Jesus took my heart of stone and turned it into a heart of flesh. When I got back home I was absolutely on fire for Jesus. I cried for hours because of the level of joy that had been brought into my heart and I realized just how wretched I had been.

     In 3 days God changed me from a smoking, drinking, lusting, cursing, lying, stealing, and cheating person; into a man of God! I no longer had the urges to smoke or drink or want to hang out with friends that would bring me down and away from Christ, because I didn't want to lose that feeling. I began to get myself involved more in the church and bible study groups. Within weeks I went on my first mission trip. Since then all I have wanted to do is serve others and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.