I pray this testimony will give someone the inspiration to get to know Jesus better and understand that he is real and can change you!
First let me tell you a little about my past. This stranger does have a name by the way, I’m Kyle Smith, I’m 28 years old, I’ve been a Wells County resident my entire life. I lived in Tocsinn my entire childhood. The town is small, but there is a church in Tocsinn. Unfortunately it was left for me if I walked to church or not, and I didn’t. In December of 1992, our house burned down and my family moved to Petroleum for a few months and then moved here to Bluffton.
Soon after I moved to Bluffton is when my trouble began. I’m only 28 years old, and I have spent almost 12 years behind bars. I’ve been arrested for criminal gang activity, battery, theft, and more. I spent 1999 to 2009 at 2 of the worst prisons in the state of Indiana, 6 years and 18 days straight. Upon my release, my family helped me tremendously, but all I did was disappoint them. 7 months after being released, I was right back in jail.
Jail is a different environment. I was always arguing or in a fight with another inmate. Sentenced to 6 years, I was supposed to only do 3 years, but I lost 3 years of good time for fighting and contraband. After this, I wasn’t out of jail for very long, and I got into trouble again, this time I was given an outside charge for battery with bodily injury. I was then put on 23 hour lockdown for 60 days. No matter what I did, I just couldn't stay out of trouble.
While doing the lockdown time, I really examined myself, my motives, and the hurt that I’d inflicted on my family. I realized that I was miserable, and that I was crying on the inside and outside. After lockdown, I was moved to a regular block. You have to realize that all this time, I had probably went to church 4 times.
When I went to the block, I was put into a cell with a childhood friend, Jesus Garza, he is a Spanish guy and I call him Jesse. I had lived a lot of sin with him and his brothers. I saw that Jesse made a lot of changes in his life, major changes and he gave Jesus Christ all the credit. I saw that he was happy in jail, so I started listening to him and studying the Bible and going to church services at the jail. One day a Gideon was visiting, and he told me, “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.” Then later that day my parole officer told me I had a great heart but my intentions were all screwed up. He asked me to pick up a Bible and study. At first I had a lot of questions, and I still do, but I was going as far as checking the history in the Bible, with history books. Nowhere could I find discrepancies.
One day, while in jail, Jesse invited me to a Bible study with him and Tim Sheets and Dick Bouchez, who attend this very church. I started to realize that I could not change myself, even though I tried. Every time I got out of prison, or out of the boys school, I was back within 7 months. So, I decided to give Jesus a chance.
I said a prayer that brought tears to my eyes. I truly asked for forgiveness and for Jesus to come into my life and guide and protect me. I can’t explain it, but I got chills like hair standing up on my back, and I don’t really have a hairy back. So, I knew something was going on!
There are many places in the Bible that speak of repentance and forgiveness. Repentance is a change of mind. I’ve truly had a change of mind and change of thought. I’ve literally felt the Holy Spirit work in me and sanctify me and convict me of sin when I did not know any better.
I still have my faults, but that’s my fault. The first Bible verse I memorized is from 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17. "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come." This is so true because I know Jesus through my belief, my faith, and my prayer has made me a new creation.
I just got out of jail July 20, and I don’t have too much of anything, but I do have Jesus! And, I am happier than I ever have been. I’m positive I have changed, and it’s all because of one man who died for me! He was crucified for me, just as he was for everyone in this building.
I don’t know what Jesus has planned for me. I pray that he might put me in a position to help counsel criminals or troubled youth.
I am still a baby in Christ, so I ask you to keep me in your prayers. I want to grow to be a strong Christian and lead a life that produces fruit for our Heavenly Father. I would like to thank the church for your support, especially Tim and Dick’s personal visits while I was in the jail.
It is my prayer that someone will receive something from my testimony. May God bless and protect all of you.
