By the age of 14 I started selling drugs and robbing anything and anyone.  I quit playing football, dropped out of school and decided that the streets were for me and I went to the races. I ignored my family and only cared about myself and what was going to benefit me.

By the time I was 16, I was so far gone that there was no stopping myself. I was on a road to self-destruction and I thought nothing was going to stop me. In June 2004 I decided that I was going to start dealing with guns so I took someone's gun that I knew and went home. I was very heavily medicated and decided to shoot my best friend in my Mom's kitchen.  

John, his sister Sarah, and Mom Katie

I was taken into custody by the Sheriff's Department and was tried as an adult in court.  I ended up going to a juvenile boy's camp which led to more gang activity and rebellion.

I was facing a 25-to-life sentence for armed burglary, drug charges and attempted murder and I didn't remember anything.  I was sitting in a jail cell with no hope because the Judge had said that he was tired of dealing with me and that he was not going to give me any more chances.  BUT, thank God we serve a God of second chances, and because of the prayers of my family and my older sister Sarah's dedication to helping me get my life back on track, most of my charges were lowered, and after serving 3½ years in an institution for youthful offenders, I was released to Pensacola Teen Challenge.

Not knowing what God had in store for me, I got up and started on a new path of my life. At first it was very rocky and I wanted to give up but I soon learned that God is a God of completion and that giving up was harder than continuing. I graduated the Teen Challenge program on October 12, 2009 and
I currently serve the Pensacola Teen Challenge ministry as the manager for its call center as well as being a student mentor. 

One thing that I learned at Teen Challenge is when I am at my worst, God is at His best. I die to myself daily and try to make the best and follow His Word.