This is a bit of my story: I was born in Ontario. My father died when I was at the age of two, and my mother couldn’t afford to take care of me since I was the youngest child. She had my brother who was in his teens and my sister who was nine. She sent me to live with her sister and brother-in-law on their farm, and they both happened to be alcoholics. I ended up living with them till I was nine years old. During that time, I didn’t go to school until I was reunited with my mother. By this time, I had developed an attitude, started to smoke cigarettes, and started to get high. I would do anything I could to get my hands on something that would get me high. I would even sniff glue and gasoline. I would also hang out at an Indian reserve to get my alcohol. One day, when we were in the shed sniffing glue and drinking wine, one of my friends said he didn’t want to do this anymore. That same day when he went home, he took a shotgun and blew his head off. That still didn’t change the way I was. I would constantly break into homes, cars, and do whatever it would take to get whatever I needed.

 When I finally did start school, I became a bully. I would make the younger kids steel from their families and bring it tome. I was the oldest kid in my class and the biggest! I continued to do this all the way through till high school. I only had six months of high school left when I was kicked out of school for fighting. On one occasion, I broke my gym teacher’s nose. I also threw a teacher out of a window, and I broke a student’s leg and arm. I was banned from schools in all of Ontario! This kind of behaviour was how I lived. I even got sent to the Kingston Penitentiary for a day in hopes that this would calm me down, but it didn’t. I continued in my ways.

 When I was 16, I moved to Toronto and started to hang out with my cousin who was the leader of a bike gang. I ended up getting into even more illegal things. I started to hang out in the bars with the bikers. I became a drug dealer, and I started dealing to the young children in the area where I lived. I no longer sniff glue or gas, but now was doing acid, cocaine, and a lot of alcohol. There were many times when I was put in jail for the night because I was passed out on the sidewalks of streets. This was my lifestyle I lived. One day, I met a girl and accidentally got her pregnant. So, I married her to give my child a father and moved to British Columbia, trying to start a new life.

 But, I continued in alcohol, drugs, and dealing. My wife and I broke up after a few years, and my life continued on as usual. Then, I got remarried to my new wife, and I still continue my lifestyle for many years. I didn’t know that she knew what I was doing, but she did. I found out later that she would ignore a lot of things to keep peace in the family. Then in the year 2000, things started to change. On Christmas Eve 2000, my stepdaughter, Barbie, was rushed to the hospital. When we arrived, the doctor said that we should start praying. Her chance of survival was maybe 30% because she had so much poison throughout her body. They said if she did survive, she would have severe brain damage. What really happened was that three days ago her doctor had misdiagnosed a bad back for what was really a ruptured appendix! I did the only thing I thought I could do for Barbie; I phoned my son, Todd, who had a healing ministry. I’d heard of him praying for the sick so I asked him to pray for Barbie. He answered, “Dad, you can pray for Barbie.” I replied, “Son, I don’t know how to pray. I don’t even believe in God!” Todd replied, “If you wanted Barbie to live, you can do this!” I said, “Okay. What do I pray? Tell me!” Todd answered, “You will know!” I prayed to God, “If You are really there, then I ask You to save Barbie’s life. If You do, I will seek to find out who You really are.” I prayed this prayer not really believing anything would happen, but in January 2001 Barbie came out of the coma!

 She had been in a comma for almost three weeks! She was sent home much to the doctor’s belief that she was completely healed. Of course, I forgot what I had prayed, and I had forgotten all about the promise that I had made to God. When I returned home to go back to work, the place I had worked at for almost seventeen years said, “We’re sorry. We must let you go. We don’t know why, but we have to.” Just after that, my son called me. Todd asked me if I would come and work with him in his ministry. I replied, “I will try it as long as you don’t preach God to me!” Todd said, “Okay.” I went and started working with Todd and his ministry, and nothing changed.

 I hid beer in my room and smoked marijuana and cigarettes on my deck, not thinking anyone would know. I continued in my ways until one night when I was with Todd at a meeting. While Todd was doing an altar call, I was in the back of the church not thinking about what Todd was doing. Then all of a sudden, I was standing in front of the church! That night I gave my heart to Jesus, and my life has never been the same since. Within twenty-four hours of being saved, Jesus took my cravings for alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs completely away! That lifestyle I lived for thirty-seven years was now gone!

 Today, I travel around the world with my son, Todd Bentley, and his ministry, Fresh Fire. The Lord has used me for many things; healing the sick, casting out demons, and seeing many people come to the Lord. I believe that anybody who is reading my story and puts their trust in Jesus Christ, He will do the same for you! Just pray and ask Him into your heart, and see what He will do for you!