I was raised in a Christian home, with a mother who made sure we went to Sunday school every week.  My father worked weekends, so usually did not attend church with us.  At that time in life I knew who Jesus was, but didn’t think much about Him.  I figured I’d have time to deal with all of that “stuff” later in life. I did pretty well in grade school, but towards the beginning of Jr. High I started hanging around with a bad crowd.  Things went downhill fast.  Drugs and alcohol were plentiful.  High school was worse. I was very mechanical and more interested in hanging out at the local body shop learning about cars than going to school.  I met many people during that time, some of which had ties with outlaw motorcycle gangs.  The bikers lifestyle always had a great appeal to me so I bought my first bike when I nineteen years old.  A couple of years later I got a decent job and bought my first Harley.  Life pretty much revolved around the motorcycle and partying.  That bike ended up burning in a house fire, so I bought a new one.  In 1979 I got married, but still lived a life of drugs, alcohol and riding. My life was just a fog. 

On September 15^th, 1981 I was riding to work the morning after a night at the pub.  A guy in a pickup truck turned left in front of me.  I was doing about 55 mph.  There was not enough time to react and my bike slammed into the right front fender of his truck.  I bounced off of his windshield landed 80 feet out in the desert.  I was lying face down and could see the bottom of my boot with my foot still in it.  It wasn’t good!  My injuries included a smashed left ankle, compound fractures in both legs, cracked hip, pelvis broken in three places, cracked ribs, dislocated left shoulder and many less serious injuries.  I tried to roll over, but I couldn’t because of the broken pelvis.  I was lying there thinking that I might die, but never once did I think about my relationship with God.

Before that moment I always thought I would have time later to get right with God.  But, never once did Jesus or my salvation enter my mind as I was lying there bleeding.  I was taken by ambulance to a local hospital.  I spent six weeks there before I was transferred to Loma Linda University Medical Center.  I was transferred because I had an infection in my left leg at the compound break site.  It was Osteomelitis, an infection of the bone and surrounding area.  I was immediately started on a serious barrage of antibiotics and surgeries to save my left leg.  One morning while I was lying in my hospital bed a team of doctors were doing their rounds and came into my room.  I overheard one of the doctors mention to another something about amputation of my left leg due to the infection.  I asked the head doctor of the group if there was a chance that I might lose my leg.  He explained to me that there was a strong chance that I would.  I was blown away by the news. I couldn’t even speak.  The thought of losing my leg was overwhelming.  It was then that I remembered the times of Sunday school when I was a boy and heard stories abut Jesus healing the sick and raising the dead.  I thought to myself, “Is Jesus trying to get my attention?  He won’t heal me. I’m a rotten sinner.  Why would He even be concerned about me?” I had turned my back on Him years ago and was sure He didn’t want anything to do with me.  Nothing could be further from the truth! Inside I heard that still, small voice speak to me and saying “Danny, I love you and want to be a part of your life, if you will only let Me.”  That afternoon I was allowed to go outside for the first time in a wheelchair.  My wife was wheeling me through the downstairs lobby at the hospital.  When we were almost to the exit I looked to the left and saw a sign pointing to the Chapel.  I felt a strong desire to go in there and just sit.  As she wheeled me in to that Chapel I noticed it was empty. She rolled me to the front and I saw a beautiful mosaic of Jesus with the lamb propped around His neck on His shoulders.  As I sat there and looked at that mosaic I realized that I was that lamb!  I was the one that needed to be carried and if I would only quit trying to run and just turn my life over to Jesus, He would carry me through this tough time.  I realized that it wouldn’t matter if I lost my leg or not.  I would have Jesus to get me through. As I sat there and reflected on my life and the sins that I had committed in the past, God comforted me.  It was at that moment that I realized that I had broken God’s commandments and was in need of a Savior. If I didn’t ask for forgiveness and repent and put my faith in Jesus I would spend eternity in hell. Eternity is a long time!  No more trying to do it myself.  It was then that I felt the Holy Spirit’s comfort and I knew that I was a new creation in Him.  The tears began to flow as I felt God’s presence in my life for the first time.

God saw fit to heal my leg and I am truly grateful to Him for that. However, it took several years and many surgeries to accomplish.  Even if God had not seen fit to heal me, I still had Him in my life and would spend eternity with Him and not in hell.  The life change was dramatic as I found myself wanting to go to church and read the Bible.  My whole attitude on life changed as I was experiencing for the first time love for my fellow man.  Some sinful habits were easily changed, but others were not so easy and took some time for me to let go of.  All the while God’s patience with me was awesome!

Can God change lives?  I’m living proof that He can!  All He wants is a contrite heart.  For some that’s easy.  For other, like me, it’s more difficult.  I went kicking and screaming every step of the way, until the point that God had to literally allow me to be broken before I could see His love for me.  Are you at that point in your life that you find yourself kicking and screaming against God?  Or, maybe it isn’t quite that bad, but you can hear His still, small voice calling you. Now, while you are reading my story, is the time to realize that you too are a sinner and in need of a Savior. He does not care where you are and what you’ve done.  If you will just repent (acknowledge that you are going in the wrong direction), put your faith in the fact that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins, ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and ask Him to take control of your life, then you can experience true peace through our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.  Then, read your Bible and find a Bible believing church that can help you in your new walk with God.