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REV. DAVE WALTON'S TESTIMONY
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Testimony of Dave Walton
As a young teenager my life was wrapped around sports. I practiced hard and wanted to be a winner. I played on several championship teams in baseball,football, and basketball.
My father worked with Southern Railway for forty-two years and also fought professionally as a prize fighter. Daddy complied 62 fights, winning 48, and 28 of these were won by KO.
Yet out of all the things Mom and Dad ever did for me, I treasure the time they spent with me at ball games. Their presence made it awesome. I can still hear my daddy screaming at the top of his voice, while I was at bat, "keep your eyes on the ball, you can hit him."
It seems only like yesterday. Man how time passes.
I remember grandma Sis coming to visit us that summer I graduated from high school. I showed her my picture and name in the sports page of the local paper. I can hear her say, "I am so proud of you Dave, but I will be even happier when your name is written in the Lambs Book of Life."
I loved grandma, but religion set on the bench in my life. My coaches' sermons were more of an inspiration then any sermon I had heard in church.
Off I went, focused,determined, with the eye of the tiger to make a name for myself in the sports arena. I was gathering trophies and letter jackets from Cleveland Junior High. The late Spartanburg Journal sports editor Ed McGrath on Monday,February 19, 1962 wrote of our State bound championship team,"the classiest performer of them all is eight grade ball-handler Junior Walton." Our team had gone to the State finals in basketball. We had gone undefeated in football. I had been named to the All Star Basketball team. In the back of my mind I had always dreamed of being a champion like my daddy. I pressed even harder in my workouts. Pushing myself day afer day to be the best I could be. I wanted my daddy to be proud of me.
I made the starting line up in baseball with the Spartanburg High Red Birds while still at Cleveland Junior High. I lettered that year and made the triple "A" all star team. I was on cloud nine and felt that my life was in order.
I became the QB for the Spartanburg High Crimson Tide. I was known as Junior Walton, the gritty little SHS crimson tide quarterback.
And then it happen, my world began to fall apart. I did something I said I would never do. I broke my Mom and Dad 's heart. I brought shame to my parents and my entire family. The scouts quite watching me. My double life was catching up with me and I was living a lie.
I graduated from High School and had a two year scholorship to a small college to play football. Instead I walked off the field and told my parents and friends that life just didn't matter, but I was lying. My parents were deeply hurt and broken hearted and to add insult to injury, they discovered my horrible Alcohol problem.
If my folks were disappointed, I was even more down about the turn that my life had taken. I WAS TRAPPED. I lived in bars. I gambled. I would leave bars broke and ashamed. Weekend after weekend was the same in my life. My dreams crumbled and my life was a nightmire.
I could see the problem, but finding the solution would take much longer. A drink of alcohol each day became my life. I would be held captive by alcohol for years.
I really wanted to change my lifestyle, but I didn't know how. I was feeling hopeless, in a rut, bound by this thing called social or moderate drinking.
In 1969 I married Diane Reeves. We had a daughter name Holly and I was filled with joy and hope that this could make real change in my life. I was wrong!
In 1975 I meet a man by the name of Dub Grant. He built a relationship with me and soon invited me to church. What I did not know was that Mr. Grant had been fasting and praying for me for many nights and days. We arrived at the church late and I tried to find a place to hide amoung the congregation. The only place available was the 3rd pew from the front. There is where I heard Pastor Rupert Guest preach the word of GOD and he said that the GOD of the bible could set an alcoholic free. I became convicted and was ashamed of my lifestyle. I went forward and recieved Jesus as my LORD and Savior. I later learned that my younger brother had meet Jesus and he and Mr. Grant had invited the Walton family to church on this day. I met Jesus and also did my sisters and another brother and the last one to be saved on September 7 would be my daddy. Glory to GOD!! HOUSEWHOLE SALVATION !!!
How about you my dear friend? Are you in trouble? Jesus loves you and awaits your cry for him.
If you want a new life, just pray this prayer with me.
Father GOD, forgive me of my sins. I repent from them now. Today I put my trust in Jesus Christ as my LORD and SAVIOR. I invite Jesus into my heart and ask him to be LORD of my life. Amen.
Did you pray that prayer? Tell someone what you did. Get involved in a good church. Read your bible,pray and make it public about your decision to follow Jesus. Please follow in believers baptism. Jesus did so we should follow him.
http://www.braggingonjesus.org
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