May 24 "From the Dope House to the Pulpit"

“From the Dope House to the Pulpit”

The testimony of Jimmy Galgano...

I was led to give my testimony hoping that maybe it would touch someone that’s lost or encourage a saint of God that they can do anything. Well my testimony starts out as most others in these mountains. I was took to church as a young man and made a profession of faith at a young age, I can remember going up to the alter only because everyone else was. Looking back now I can see I never produced any fruit that comes along with salvation. I grew up a pretty normal kid, I didn’t have bad childhood I cant blame the choices I made on anyone else other than me. I was a good kid in school, made straight A’s never got in trouble but all that changed in eighth grade. I was desperate to fit, my family never had a lot of money ( but mom done the best she could do ) so my way of fitting in was through drugs. I was the hookup, I was the one who could find a place to party, I thought finally I am important to people. Some 9 years later I would find out I was all alone. For the sake of time Ill be brief through my teen years. I was busted for drugs when I was 14 years old, stayed on probation until I was almost 18 years old. Dropped out of high school and never really cared about anything. Then when I was 18 I move out, thought I was going to conquer the world, but I found out the world will spit you up and chew you out! It wasn’t long until I was on the “ hard drugs” and was head long into an addiction that no one but Christ could cure. Before I turned 19 I was in rehab for second time ( my first stint in rehab was when I was 15, matter of fact I spent my 16th birthday there) so I knew I had a problem. I thought it was the drugs but in all reality it was a sin problem. I left rehab worse than what I went in. I can remember leaving and getting so high on cocaine that night I thought I was going to die. At 5 or 6 o’clock that morning I actually left the house I was in and went to die in a car by myself, BUT GOD had mercy on me that night.. The drugs got worse, partying was more, now I was committing crimes, LIFE was horrible for me. Then one evening I got the worst calls of my life one of my best friends died on his 18th birthday in a car wreck. He was on his way to get his license, him and his cousin both passed away that day. I was tore apart and didn’t know where to turn. That week I was introduced to a drug known as meth and I was addicted the very first time I used. I left home again that week and didn’t show my face for months. I lived a depraved life apart from any reality. I was in the worst shape of my life. Meth ruined any descent part of me that was left. I denounced that there was a God and got deep into the music f Marilyn Manson and worshipped him. Then one Sunday I overdosed and on every drug you could think of and ended up in the hospital just heartbeats away from hell. God spared me again even though I cursed Him that night.. Just a few months later God gloriously saved my soul and deliver me from drugs. I just want to say I PRAISE HIS NAME! When I fully surrendered to God he done something in me nobody else could. He placed a new man inside of me and that’s what I needed. AA or NA wouldn’t help me, the only 12 steps I needed was from the pew to the pulpit. God has blessed me so much since then. He has given me a beautiful wife a darling son, and has called me to preach His word and I now pastor at Clifton Baptist Church. Friend there is nothing to big for my GOD. There is no one that God cant use, if he can take a run down drug addict like me and make a preacher of Him just imagine what he can do for you. Gods grace is sufficient and I am realizing that more and more everyday. This November will make five years that I have been saved. Just five years ago I was a nobody, had no hope no joy no love. But now I feel like God has blessed me more than anyone else I know. Friend He will do it for you too if you will let Him. I am not boasting in anything I used to do or who I used to be. In fact that man I told you about just a little while ago is dead. But I want you to see that God can and is willing to save anyone. I look back over all those years I was lost and I can see Gods grace and mercy covering me like a hen covers her diddles under her wings. Friend I hope this has helped you don’t give up praying for that one that you love so dearly that’s lost on drugs. Keep praying help is on the way. You never know God make take them from the dope house and put then right into the CHURCH HOUSE.

May God Bless You