Joshua Delain: Testimony of a Victorious Life

My name is Joshua David Delain and I was born in a city outside of Seoul, South Korea on January 13th, 1989. Being adopted from birth, I have spent the last 23 years of my life in Fairbanks, Alaska. I had the advantage of growing up in a good Christian home where the Bible was THE standard, and my father’s only rulebook. At age 15, I began taking classes at a college while finishing Christian high school. I quickly became friends, and started hanging out, with a much older group of people. “Those who do not love the Lord, will not help you serve the Lord.” I still remember the day when I smoked my first cigarette; becoming instantly hooked and quickly smoking up to two packs a day. I also remember my first drink; as I was instantly hooked. The list goes on and on, with me creating a subconscious dependency on each new substance. “Small compromises (truly do) lead to great disasters.”

I immediately moved out at the age of eighteen, wanting to be “free” to make my own decisions; after all, I was a “legal” adult now! By nineteen, I was completely and utterly addicted to crack cocaine. I had lost everything and everyone dear to me. After meeting my former fiancé, I managed to stay somewhat clean and hold down a job for a little while, but quickly lost control and dragged her down with me, resulting in another ruined relationship. We had been together for two years when, not aware of it until five months along, she became pregnant. It is only by God’s grace that on October 13^th, 2010 that my beautiful baby boy came into this world with no defects from our ignorant decisions. I wish I could say that his birth was enough for me to change, but it wasn’t. I hated my life, hated myself for who I had become, and was convinced that he my son would be better off if I was dead.

I came to the Reformers Unanimous Men’s School of Discipleship on January 12^th, 2011, where I first witnessed God’s presence. God restored my health and my mind, but after three months, I became over confident and self-reliant, leaving the home in April. I thought I could do it on my own. It was less than a month later that I was back on the streets, running with the worse crowd possible – nearly losing my life on many occasions. I conned people out of money, stole from businesses, and stole from people I knew, including my own family. Within a year’s time, my actions resulted in 21 felonies. Only two and a half months of being home and the doors were kicked in by the DEA, ATF, SWAT, and Alaska State Troopers. I was incarcerated for a while, and then back to “trying harder to do better.”

I tried to change my life by going to church, but my addiction was too great and I constantly relapsed. Almost losing my life in two more incidents and finding myself in stolen vehicle with a complete stranger, I praise God that I ended up on my parent’s door steps, that late night on March 26^th, 2012. Shortly thereafter, while at a men’s church conference, I broke down and told God that I could not live that way anymore and that I needed Him to fix my life.

Two weeks later, my father received a phone call from the District Attorney that was handling my federal case of 21 felonies. Two seconds into the conversation, they both realized that they knew each other and that he had been a former member of my father’s church. Some may call this coincidence…I call it God! Proverbs 21:1 “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water, He turneth it whithersoever He will.” God showed Himself in this way, as the DA casually asked my father what he would have done if it were up to him. My father told him of the Reformers Unanimous ministries and my past failure to complete it. Needless to say, I was walking through the doors of the Men’s Home a week later. However, on the second day I realized that; although I was raised in church, knowing the Bible, even leading others to Christ; I had never personally accepted Him as my Savior. On April 17^th, 2012, I bowed my head and asked Jesus Christ to save me! It was a week later that I got baptized, and a couple weeks after that, I completely surrendered my life to Him and His will. I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY IN MY LIFE! God has completely restored my family to me and given me a new life…a new beginning! The DA said that he knew and believed that people could change their lives and after completing the entire six month program, he dismissed all 21 felonies! Praise God for His mercy and His grace!

Not only did God take me out of my addiction, giving me TRUE FREEDOM and a new beginning, but He has shown me how He is going to use the last 8 years of my life for His glory! He gave me the privilege of leading 6 souls to Him since being saved. All of which were addicts: one was my very own cousin and another, an ex-murderer! Praise God for the work He has done in my life! Thank you North Love Baptist Church for your support and your Reformers Unanimous ministries! May God bless all of those involved and those being used of God and in His will. I know that God has, and will continue to use this ministry to change people’s lives.