Daz's Story
My earliest memory is sitting on my granddad's knee, trying to read some words on a page. He pushed me off his knee and he said, "You are thick! Just like your father." As a little six year old, I remembered the words that he spoke over me. So when my school reports started coming back, fail, fail, fail, fail, it just made sense. So I thought, "Yeah, it's because I'm thick. It's because I'm useless. It's because I'm dumb." So I was carrying that.
At the age of thirteen, that's when it all started with the drugs. I started taking drugs to make myself feel good, to make myself feel normal. It was just another mask really, to try and fit in. But you see, the problem with that was that the fascination with the drugs turned into full blown addiction. But it wasn't just drugs, it was sex too. I had sex for the first time on my thirteenth birthday. That started a whole journey of pornography. I was very sexually active, I was just so desperate for love. I would look for love anywhere.
Then one night, I was walking down this footpath in Wollongong, Australia and I heard all this noise. I told my mate we should go in. So we went into this church. People were sticking their hands in the air. They were super friendly like they wanted to hug everyone. I thought to myself, "Oh my goodness, this is a cult!" Then a woman stood up with a flag and she was running from one side of the altar to the other, running and yelling, with this flag. I'd never been exposed to anything like this before in my life and I thought, "Wow, this cult is legit! These people are full blown brainwashed."
The preacher got up and started preaching. He was going on and on and on... But he said one sentence that changed my life. He said that Jesus was a good shepherd and he left 99 sheep to go and find the one. And in that moment, just sitting in that church, I thought to myself, "I wonder if He would ever come to find me?" As I was thinking that, I physically felt this warmth going up my arms. Then it started going across my chest. I started balling my eyes out. Everything had been so suppressed for so many years, and held in tight - and all in that moment it started coming out and I met God. He came and found me. He didn't say, "Clean your mess up and come and find me." He came and found me when I was swimming in my own sin. That's love, that's perfect love.
So if He can do that for me, He can do that for every single person out there. This is what the Bible says: "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, believe in your heart that God rose Jesus from the dead, you will be saved." Jesus Christ loves you with an everlasting love. I walked into that church a broken drug addict at 21 years old. I met God and He turned a broken sinner into a healed son. So maybe today hearing my story has triggered something in your heart. Maybe it's inspired you. Maybe you're thinking, man I'd love to have a chat with Daz. I'd love to connect with you. The best way to connect with me would be on Facebook Daz Chettle or Global Gospel Movement. Don't be afraid, reach out. I would love to talk to you about Jesus. Why? Because He loves you. He loves you with an everlasting love. Reach out. God bless.