My name is Charles Howard Ayres Jr. and this is my testimony of the goodness of God in my life. I was raised right but chose to live wrong. Throughout my teenage years I wasn't anymore mischievous then any of my other friends. We sold drugs,drank alcohol and were very mischievous. At the age of 18 I joined the United States Marine Corps and excelled in and at it. This is when I first began to see God working in my life. I was talking to a fellow Marines Mom on the phone about an altercation that I had been in and she gave me a bible verse that spoke to the situation and it blew my mind. It was as if it was written for me in that instance. I would like to tell you that after that I was sold out for the Lord,but that is not the case. When I got out of the Corps and went back home to Maryland for a couple of years where I began to get back into drugs both using and selling. And my life quickly spiraled out of control, so I relocated to Tacoma Washington. In Washington I got married and had two beautiful daughters but there was one problem, I didn't know how to be married. So because of that I got divorced and fell into a severe depression and didn't know how to get out, so I began to self medicate with drugs, alcohol and women. And this way of living went on for two years. I would go to church here and there but all I would do is cry the whole time. The Lord was trying to cleanse me but I didn't know that then. Then I end up catching the current case that I am now serving time for. When I got arrested it was like my life was in slow motion. I dialed every number I could think of and got no answers. And that's when I said Chuck you have really done it this time. And Jesus met me in the Pierce County Jail and began to change my life. I would read the bible all night and pray all day.And every question that I had he would answer in his word"Glory To God".I remember when they told me how much time I was facing, it felt like their world was crumbling around me, yet I had a strange peace. He has begun a work in me that cannot be expressed in word form. I have spent the last twelve years of a work twenty-five year sentence with the Lord and it has been my best decision in life. At times it ha been hard but His word keeps me at perfect peace. So whoever reads this I want you to know this, Jesus Christ is everything that you will ever need in your life. When no one is there, He will never leave you nor forsake you (HEBREWS 13:5)And when you need love remember this, For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son that whoever should believe in Him would have everlasting life (John 3:16)And there is no greater love than one who would lay down his life for his friend (John 15:13) May God keep you and Bless you! Charles "Big Chuck" Howard Ayres Jr. Berlin, Maryland
