Learning to Carry the Cross: Dustin’s Testimony

How one bad night led to a life changed by grace

Sep 27, 2025

Welcome friend,

I’m Mark, and this space is for the wanderers, the worn out, and the ones still wrestling with God at 2 a.m. I don’t have all the answers, but I know the One who does—and I’m learning to trust Him more.

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1 Timothy 1:15-16:
“The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.”

Small Town Roots and the Slow Drift

green corn plant at daytime — Photo by henry perks on Unsplash

Dustin grew up in a steady farming community. He was raised Catholic, served as an altar boy, went to Catholic school, and attended Mass every Sunday. From the outside, it looked like a good, clean upbringing. But in his senior year of high school, Dustin started experimenting with drugs and alcohol.

Marijuana became more than a curiosity — it became a dependency, a way to escape reality. God gave Dustin three warnings: first, he got caught in high school. Second, the summer before college, he was caught smoking marijuana in a park and ended up in jail. Third, a few months before his 19th birthday, he experimented with mushrooms. The warnings were there, but he didn’t see them clearly until later.

1 Corinthians 10:13 : “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

The Night That Changed Everything

On his 19th birthday, Dustin took mushrooms and had a terrifying trip. Up until then, he believed in God but never really believed in Satan or an active spiritual enemy. That night, he heard demonic voices and was overwhelmed with fear. The voices told him he was going to die—not that he wanted to die, but that death was coming for him.

Panicked and disoriented, he ran out and got into his car. On the same road, two separate incidents happened: First, he rear-ended a mini van. Later, he struck a jogger who tragically died.

He woke up in a hospital, handcuffed to a stretcher. He had been taken there by ambulance, completely out of it until he finally opened his eyes. That’s when he learned he was being charged with OWI homicide. He spent four days in jail, then months on bail. At one hearing, a judge told him he could face 90 years. For a young man, it felt like all hope was gone.

Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Guilt, Help, and a Turning Toward God

With the help of his parents, Dustin hired an attorney. For ten months, he was on bail, in counseling, and studying graphic design while wrestling with crushing guilt. He couldn’t shake the thought of the family that was grieving because of him.

That year, two things pierced his heart. First, a question pierced himself and he asked: If I were to die today, where would I go? Second, he watched The Passion of the Christ. That film dropped him to his knees. That night he prayed: “Lord, I don’t know how much time I’ll get in prison or what my future looks like. Help me to carry my cross.”

In August 2004, Dustin faced sentencing. In front of the victim’s family, he was given 4 years in prison and 4 years probation.

Bunks, Bible Study, and a Real Meeting With Jesus

Six months into his sentence, a man named Gary invited Dustin to a Bible study and even gave him a Bible. Dustin had always thought salvation meant being religious, but reading the Scriptures opened his eyes. Matthew 7:21–23 hit him hard — doing religious things wasn’t enough. Salvation was by grace through faith, not works.

In May 2005, at 20 years old, Dustin gave his life to Christ. He poured out his heart in prayer, and for the first time he felt the presence of God — fearful, but comforting. He knew he was forgiven. From that moment, he wasn’t just religious — he was born again.

While in prison, he joined Bible studies, choir, prayer groups, and devoured sermons. God was reshaping his entire life from the inside out.

2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

Freedom, Family, and a Life Sent Out

In 2009, Dustin was released. Shortly after, he met his wife. Together they’ve raised three kids and served in youth and high school ministry across different churches. Living in Tennessee, he stepped into full-time ministry, waiting for the Lord’s return and sharing the gospel with as many people as possible.

Dustin believes his testimony is not about his failures but about God’s mercy. For anyone who feels hopeless, guilty, or too far gone, his story is proof that God’s grace can reach the darkest places.

What This Teaches Us

God gives warnings before the fall. Dustin’s three warnings remind us God often tries to stop us before destruction.
Religion isn’t salvation. Matthew 7:21–23 shows us works can’t save — only Jesus can.
Taking up your cross is daily. His desperate prayer in 2004 echoes Jesus’ call to deny yourself and follow Him daily.
Grace transforms the broken. Even in prison, God’s grace remade Dustin’s heart.

Call to Repentance:
If you’ve been trying to earn your way into heaven, it’s time to stop striving and start surrendering. Today can be the day everything changes. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 6:2, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” Don’t wait for a better moment. Turn from your sin, believe in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, and receive the gift of eternal life. He is calling—respond to Him today.

Call to Action:
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