Steve Pritchard Testimony.

My story begins in the mid nineties when I was in my late teens. My Mum told me I always had an interest in the Church or God and I remember praying as a child and with answers too, but my parents weren’t religious and so I was not brought up in that way. You could say I am from your typical working middle class family background. My dad was a driver-mechanic and my mum was a housewife. I was always in trouble as a kid and found this progressed into my teens. I was taught music at an early age and seemed to flourish in music; that was my thing, and, of course, I got into the rock scene. It wasn’t long before I was influenced by sex drugs and rock’n’roll as they say. Gradually, the music side diminished and the drugs and violence, and many other criminal activities, took residence in my life. I became what they call a ‘career criminal’. I took the opportunity to sell drugs to bikers, eventually at raves, as well as to friends and acquaintances. I would deal with stolen goods as well as steal them, to the extent that, when I went to Crown Court, there were something like 40 burglaries to be taken into consideration. These progressed to more and more serious offences.
Until!
One night in the Angel Pub in Allerton Bywater I was intending to do a drug deal; and I met a man who is now a close friend. He told me about Jesus and what he could do for me. I remembered that, as a child, I liked the idea of belonging to God and remembered an RE lesson talking about the Army of God, and imagining what it would be like to be part of the Army of God, but I thought it was fantasy, and told this man that if it was real I would go 100% but it isn’t and, as sad as that is, that’s that. He challenged me to go home that night and ask God if he is real to reveal himself to me. Well, I got home that night and I thought, well, nobody would know, so I asked God to reveal himself to me. That’s when everything started changing; it was the beginning of the future and the start of the most amazing adventure.

I had an overwhelming desire to talk more with this man and I spoke some more with him. I wasn’t convinced at this stage but having God as a possibility was a comfort to me.
One night when I got home, I was looking through my drawer and found my tarot cards. Things like that appealed to me; I had done bits of witchcraft; I had friends who were Gofs and practicing witches, plus I knew a lot of gypsies and I had been involved in palm reading and such things. These particular cards were handed down from my Gran, so they meant quite a lot to me. I told my new friend about these cards; he explained to me that Divination is an abomination to God so I determined to remove them from my room. I put them in my mum’s cupboard right at the back where nobody goes. The next day they were back in my room. I thought someone was having a joke at my expense but nobody knew anything about it so I put them at the bottom of the ottoman under all the old photos. I woke up with them at the side of my pillow. That was it! They had to go. I believe God wanted them dealing with, not hiding, and they weren’t going to be buried at the back of a cupboard. God wanted them destroyed and that’s what I did; I burnt them on my friend’s fire.
Well, time went on and many things happened. God never seemed far away; I attended church. I had given my life to the lLrd at this stage but I don’t think I fully understood what I had done. I realise now giving your life to God means he’s going to keep it for you, which is as well; I was useless at keeping anything.
My friend was busy one night when I wanted his time and so I felt offended. The next day at work, some friends were planning a night out. I thought this was my perfect opportunity to get back into the world, so I arranged to go along. I got very drunk but, you see, when I get drunk something takes over. I would remember bits, but mostly mates would tell , or what, I had hit and some of the things were quite horrific.

This night was no different; I had gone on one and settled in the bus station in Leeds to take it out on a bus shelter. A friend told me I had literally punched the back of the bus shelter off; then I ran off. Some time later, after scaling a fence thinking it led home, I found to my horror that it led straight to the canal. If I’d have let go I would have been very drunk in the big canal in Leeds. It was a very close one. The next thing I can remember was that I turned a corner and found myself on a familiar street corner. I knew someone on this street. I knocked them up; they were quite unsettled at this but kindly let me sleep on the settee that night.
The next morning my hand was massive and I remember an ambulance man in Leeds telling me my hand was smashed. This was the point when I ran off. But my hand was huge and was black and blue. Quite clearly it was, at least, broken. I called on my friend who said we should pray. I thought whatever, but I don’t think he bargained for quite what happened next! The house was full, so in front of several witnesses the swelling went done on my hand and the original colour was restored, but that isn’t the most amazing bit.
While he was praying I seemed to be somewhere else; I saw a figure who I could only describe as pure love, whiter and brighter than anything on this earth, with a sense of power that was supreme. I was knelt down in front of this figure, and he was motioning for me to approach; I could see the love and blessing this amazing being had for me. Then I was stood to one side with another who I think was an angel. I was literally willing myself to get up and run to who I now know to be God. But instead I got up and spat in his face and walked off. A voice then said, ‘Do you see what you are doing to me?’
This was my first lesson in repentance. I was so grieved at what I had been doing, yet I was amazed at God’s patience and grace toward me. I knew I was before the maker of everything. He is all-powerful, the most powerful being, almighty God! Yet I had spat in his face.
What God did in me that night I don’t truly understand to this day! But my life was changed.

A few days later I was in a pub where I was quite well known. Somebody offered me quite a lot of drugs for free. I said, ‘No thanks, I’m not into that sort of thing anymore.’
You may not understand that it wasn’t me making an effort. It’s as if God had reached into me and removed all the desire for drugs and the criminal way altogether. It was no longer an effort but rather quite natural to say No.
A while later I met Mary, I was afraid to make a commitment at the time. Even though I had an amazing experience I knew my heart was still quite hard; I didn’t want to hurt her. This scared me because I was also falling in love with her. The lord used me to soften Mary’s heart and he used Mary to soften mine. We where married that year.
We now have two lovely girls. We have been married nearly ten years now. I am a trusted member of our church. I am part of the study team (with a growing preaching ministry), the worship team. And I lead the outreach team. I also work for new hope talking to drug addicts about the lord. I don’t make these statements to blow my own trumpet but to glorify God. He has transformed me from nothing into something of value. And I acknowledge God as the only one worthy of that Glory!

Thank you God!