I was a WILD kid

Danny Mackay

I was a wild kid. I never could sit still. My first encounter with police began at the age of five when a number of neighbourhood kids and I broke a significant  number of windows in half-built homes in the new development going up across our street. Getting into trouble began to be a way of life and carried on deep into my teen years.

After a move to a new town, I was quickly pulled into a life of drugs and alcohol that spun out of control, leaving me in a state of despair, loneliness, confusion, distrust, and addiction. After several more encounters with police, I was reaching the end of hope for anything good in my life. I felt alone. In a desperate attempt to get away from all the hopelessness, I stole a car late one night and ran away from home. Little did I know that in that car was a book that was about to introduce me to the Saviour of the world.

I reached into a backpack in the back seat after a brief car chase with police and found a book by a Christian author written as an outreach to troubled teenagers. He used Scripture and stories of changed lives as he clearly outlined the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I was instantly hooked. Near the end of the book, I knew I needed Jesus and that He alone was my only hope.

I knelt down and gave my life to Christ as the tears flowed and His powerful love moved in. I knew I had been changed. I was in awe that this amazing holy God would send His only Son for us and was so overwhelmed that I knew I would never look back. The next morning I asked God for a Bible. Shortly after that I visited a friend. She was cleaning and had a Bible on the counter. I was curious as to why she had one and she told me that an aunt, who told her she would need it soon, had just given it to her  She didn’t want it and said I could have it. God had heard my prayer and provided! I took it home immediately.

I spent many hours reading and letting the Word of God fill me and heal me as I got to know this incredible and wonderful God. He spoke to me, comforted me, guided me, and taught me. I couldn’t put the Bible down. Today after almost twenty years, I still can’t. It is a vital part of my life in Him.

Since then, God has called me to share this good news around the world with e3 Partners through the I Am Second movement.  I have the great privilege of taking this Gospel to some of the most unreached parts of the planet. Through sharing the Gospel and teaching  the Bible, I have seen countless lives transformed all around the world as people just like me are finding hope in the most hopeless circumstances.

Truly He is an amazing God and His words are true: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new!” (I Cor. 5:17).