A RADICAL REBEL
RESTORED
They said I was hopeless
By J. Donald Hall
 LAKE
ELSINORE,
California -- I was a
rebellious 17-year-old in
my senior year at Dorsey High School in Los Angeles. While an assembly
was taking place in the auditorium, I was called out, in front of the
entire student body, by the Vice-Principal and taken to the school
office. Two police officers questioned me about suspected drug use and
sales. Then they searched my '41 Ford Coupe outside, and found some
marijuana and pills. I was arrested, for the fourth time as a teenager,
and taken to nearby Georgia Street Jail, and booked. (Pictured: Don at age
15, in Juvenile Detention Center).
 I
sat in my 6 x 9 foot
cell, both angry and disgusted with myself. Because I had already spent
one year behind bars for burglary and grand theft auto, I knew that
this would likely be the beginning of a much longer sentence. For the
next few hours I sat alone on the hard cot in my cell seriously
reflecting on my life. (Pictured: A Chaplain
standing next to cell where Don was saved).
That evening,
my heartbroken parents once again had to visit their son in a jail. I
heard them say through their tears, "Don, we've done all we know to do
for you. The Lord can change your life, but you've got to make that
choice. He is your only hope." For the first time in many years, I
listened to them with an open mind. It started to make sense. Before
leaving, my father gave me a bookmark with the story of Jesus written
on it called, "One
Solitary Life."
Back in my cell
I read it thoughtfully, along with the scripture verses it included. My
hard, agnostic heart began to melt. I found myself down on my knees on
the cold cement floor weeping and praying, "God, if you are real, come
into my heart...forgive me for all the rotten things I've done...the
people I've hurt...change me…and give me a new purpose for living. If
you do, I'll serve you the rest of my life!"
A RADICAL CHANGE OF HEART
That was the
day - 50 years ago on January 6, 1955 - that brought about a radical
change of heart.
In the
following months I learned more of the involvement others had in that
life-changing night. My Mom and Dad, of course, had been praying many
years for me. So too had my grandparents and many family friends who
were aware of my rebelliousness. Our church's youth even called a
special time of prayer just for me -- and my 6 year-old brother made a
commitment to the Lord to pray every day for my conversion.
 TOUGH
LOVE
Some of the men
at church urged me to go forward and get right with God, but I had
brushed them off. With tough love, my parents gave me an ultimatum --
attend church weekly, no drinking or smoking around the house,
and keep the curfew -- or move out. At only seventeen, where would I
go? Finally, the Saturday before I was arrested, my father and
grandfather from Denver, requested prayer for me at the weekly
businessmen's breakfast at Clifton's Cafeteria, in downtown Los
Angeles. Five days later God answered their prayers! (Pictured: Don as
Student Body President at Vanguard University).
Months after my
conversion, my sister was helping in the Sunday School office and came
across an earlier notation from our youth pastor after a home visit. He
had written, “Hopeless!” only a short time before my arrest. I
will be
forever grateful to my Lord for His forgiveness and love, and to the
many others who helped rescue me, a hopeless rebel, from the clutches
of Satan.
A
CHANGED HEART
Along with a
changed heart, God soon planted a strong desire within me to help
others. As a result, over the years we have been privileged to share
God's love in the slums of inner-cities; preach freedom in Christ to
prisoners; discuss life issues on school campuses; provide ministry to
churches in cities and tribal villages; offer hope to the sick and
hurting; train future leaders in third-world nations; encourage US
military troops; and help rescue many troubled and addicted youth. What
a blessed privilege from my Lord.
"What Satan meant for evil, God turns it into good!"
Don Hall, 67, lives
with his wife, Patti, in Colfax, CA. He is a graduate of
Vanguard University, Costa Mesa, CA (BA) and California Graduate School
of Theology (MA) - and he received the Distinguished Service Award from
VU. He
is the founder and former Executive Director of Teen Challenge in
Southern California and Hawaii for 16 years. He was cited by the
Governors of California and Hawaii for his leadership in the fight
against drug abuse and crime among America's youth. He was also the
Senior Pastor of Calvary Church, San Jose, CA for eight years and for
the past 18 years, has served with Youth With A Mission and others in
over 60 nations as a Missionary evangelist & Bible teacher. (Pictured: Don and
Patti Hall -- 45 years of ministry).
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Don's ministry is available for conferences, seminars, retreats, and
missions services -- also community programs in schools, prisons and
civic clubs. Don can be contacted at:
Don Hall Ministries
23365 Barnes Ln, Colfax, CA 95713
(530) 346-7111
Dphallmin@aol.com
No parent should ever feel that there is no hope for their addicted
loved ones,
because there is help
for drug addiction readily available to anyone if they only seek it.
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