Eli* calls himself the ‘black sheep’ of the family.
His birth father left when he was just two, but not before traumatising Eli with acts of violence against his mother, which had already resulted in his older brother being born with permanent brain damage.
Eli’s stepfather was a military man and a strict leader in the home.
Psychiatrists, counsellors and doctors – he was treated by all of them – but none could heal him of the trauma and hurt in his heart.
Gangs became his surrogate family, and Eli created a version of himself to get by. He turned to drugs and alcohol to numb the hurt.
When his mum was diagnosed with breast cancer, Eli went into rehab for six months then returned home to help look after her.
Then his stepdad was diagnosed with motor-neuron disease and given two years to live. Shortly after, Eli was jailed for drug-related crimes.
He met a prison chaplain on his first day in jail. He was offered a bible and accepted it without thinking. He took it to his prison cell and got down on his knees, crying out to God, “If you’re real, I’ll do whatever it takes to get clean if you heal my father of his disease.”
He worked hard to ‘earn his salvation’, eating well and keeping his nose clean but his dad died a few months later.
Prison chaplains hosted a memorial service for his father in jail as Eli wasn’t allowed to go to the funeral. It meant he was able to share a eulogy, which meant so much to him.
But he was furious with God and cried out, “I thought I did everything right. What am I doing wrong?” He heard God say, “Open your bible.” So, Eli opened his bible and landed on Jeremiah 29:11-14:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
“I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” (NIV)
It was as though the words were illuminated on the page. Although it had been written at a different time, it was a message meant just for him.
Eli joined a bible study and learnt the SOAP (Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer) bible study method.
Over time, his journal entries became prayers, and as the months rolled by, it became a book of answered prayers. He was able to show fellow prisoners where he had prayed for them in his journal and share their joy as God answered each prayer.
Now, Eli is active in his church: leading bible study and communion and sharing his testimony.
He said: “Nothing fixed my heart until Jesus. I went from a dangerous drug addict to surrendering my life to God.”
* Name has been changed and a stock image used