Planting good seeds

‘I was born into a boxing family with a lot of respect, and me and my siblings had earned a lot of national titles. I was pursuing boxing professionally when I had an injury at age 15 and had to stop. It was then that my life started to spiral out of control.

‘I started to get involved with the wrong crowd and got mixed up in crime and addiction. Life felt like a car crash. My crimes just got bigger and bigger until I was arrested in 2023.

‘Heading into prison was so hard. I was in such a dark place that I thought everyone would be better off without me. I struggled with regret, thinking about who I should have been and where my life should have ended up, worried about what my parents thought of me. But then I started to read the Bible that was in my cell – mainly out of boredom – as I read it, started to piece the stories together.

‘One day I got chatting with the prison chaplain and she invited me to the Sunday chapel service. I remember my first day in the chapel; the Christians there had a light and a peace about them, and I had the same peace leaving. I wanted to find out more about it, so started going along to the different courses on offer and meditating on God’s Word.

‘I remember reading about the woman at the well and God spoke to me so clearly saying that he knew everything about me. This changed everything for me. I started praying every night, “Lord, I really want to believe this, but I don’t yet. Help me understand and open my eyes and ears to you.” And God answered my prayer!

‘After going along to the Easter service in 2024, I left the chapel with a new revelation that Jesus died for me. I just knew it in my heart.

‘Someone gave me a book with a salvation prayer in it and when I prayed it, I took full responsibility for everything I’d done in my life and surrendered to Jesus. As soon as I did, I felt God’s love and forgiveness fill my body and it brought me to my knees. I knew I was set free from all my guilt and shame. That moment completely changed my life.

‘I can see now how God’s had has hands on my family even before we knew him.’

‘I chatted with the chaplains about how I could turn away from my past and make a new start when I was released, and they told me about the Message’s enterprise programme at Neal Street Espresso.

‘When I left prison, I was free from addiction and trusted God with everything he planned for me. And Neal Street Espresso has been a place that’s really helped me – I love it here! As well as giving me a job and training, they’ve been helping me grow in my faith.

‘The Bible study groups are a highlight for me, full of community. It used to just be three people going but now there’s over 20 of us. My son even started coming along, found the Lord and recently got baptised!

‘In fact, 14 of my family members have now become Christians! Having seen such a difference in me, they wanted to find out more forthemselves. God’s shining his light into my family and restoring our relationships, and I can’t wait to see the whole family come to know Jesus. I can see now how God’s had his hands on my family even before we knew him.

‘In the past, when I was involved in crime and struggling with addiction, I was sowing seeds of negativity, and, as a result, my kids also got involved in stuff they shouldn’t have. But now I know Jesus, I’m sowing seeds of the kingdom, seeing good fruit already.

‘And those seeds are becoming good fruit in me too. I’m getting married soon, and I love sharing my testimony with others to tell them about how amazing God is. I’ve shared my story with the police, and I’ve also been into a prison to encourage people there too. One man I met started coming to the Bible study at Neal Street Espresso when he was released, off the back of what I shared!

‘I can see where God’s been planting seeds in my life and how he’s been leading me back to him. So, I want to do that for others and plant seeds for the gospel because you never know what God can do with those seeds.’