From Lost to Found at 42

Before I surrendered to Jesus, I was completely alone and isolated — stripped of everything I’d worked for when COVID took away all I owned, leaving me with nothing but the weight of loss and emptiness.

I had what I thought was everything I ever wanted — the high-paying, public-profile job, the friends, the lifestyle in a resort town by the beach. As a single man with no kids, I thought I had built the perfect life. I even put my entire life savings into my dream home — a beautiful beach house I closed on March 10, 2020. A week later, the world shut down. Within weeks, everything I had worked for was gone. My career disappeared overnight, my savings were wiped out, and I lost the dream home I had poured my whole heart into. Through no fault of my own, everything I had built — everything that defined me — was stripped away. I ended up moving back in with my mother, feeling like a shell of who I used to be. Depression hit hard. The isolation became my routine. I didn’t trust anyone, couldn’t open up to anyone, and didn’t want to be seen. I was diagnosed with severe PTSD and felt completely detached from life. Friends of mine took their own lives during that time… and honestly, I wasn’t far from that place myself. For years, I lived in that darkness, not knowing if I’d ever come out.

I received eternal life on Mother’s Day, May 11, 2025, at Harvest Assembly of God in Chesapeake, Virginia. I hadn’t been to church since eighth grade, and I sat alone in the back, not knowing a soul. When the pastor asked everyone to close their eyes and said, “Raise your hand if you feel alone,” the Holy Spirit filled me in that exact moment. My hand shot up before I could think — my body felt light as air, and tears poured down my face. Right there, I met Jesus. I received the Holy Spirit and knew in my heart that I wasn’t alone — that I had never been alone, and I would never be alone again.

Since giving my life to Jesus, the walls of isolation, anxiety, and anger that once surrounded me have completely fallen away. Now my life is full of peace, love, community, and grace — and most of all, I finally know what it means to truly walk with the Lord.

One of the biggest changes in my life since surrendering to Jesus is how I see people — especially the broken and the lost. Before I was saved, I used to avoid people who looked “rough” or homeless. I’d walk past them, pretending not to see them, convincing myself it wasn’t my problem. I thought I was just protecting my peace, but in reality, I was closing my heart. Now, I see them differently. I see them as children of God — just like me — loved equally by the Lord, each carrying their own pain and story. I don’t avoid them anymore; I seek them out. I stop, talk, pray, and do whatever I can to show them compassion and remind them they’re not forgotten. Because the truth is, we all find ourselves in seasons when we need grace, love, and someone willing to care. Jesus taught me that serving others isn’t an obligation — it’s an honor. I once lived isolated from everyone, and now I live to connect, comfort, and serve others in His name.

I know without a doubt that I have eternal life through Jesus Christ. The same Savior who lifted me out of isolation and darkness now walks beside me every single day. I no longer fear death — because I know where I’m going. When my time here is done, I’ll finally be face to face with my Lord and Savior, and I can’t wait for that day. Until then, I’ll keep living for Him, loving others, and sharing the grace that saved me.