Testimony of David Hayes
I became a Christian in April 2005; I was 28yrs an Irish Catholic having spent my childhood being raised by Catholic nuns in an orphanage and while I prayed to Jesus I was still very much religious in my ways. I never had a personal relationship with Jesus. All of my life I felt the Lords hand upon me but my ways was not His ways. My ways led me to a near fatal car accident where alcohol and drugs played its part and I lost everything.
In December 1998 I was involved in a car crash which I suffered a fractured skull, brain damage and consequence of such an injury that I will live with the injuries today 12 years on. I lost my job afterwards and my sanity. A nervous breakdown led me closer to Christ and Jesus became my friend. A friend that I would tell people about even going as far when on holidays in the U.S.A. in 2001 sitting down with homeless people to tell them to look to Jesus for the way out of their poverty. For I have seen evidence of His work in my life. Even then I still didn't have the relationship the Lord desires with us. You could say I was still a work in progress.
When my compensation came through in 2001 & it was all the money one man could want I still wasn’t fulfilled. By 2002 I prayed to Jesus to give me something that would come from me. Something that people can point to and say it was me who done that. Something I could be known for because while I could buy anything I wanted at that time it would have been only materialistic. My experience from the crash taught me a few lessons on life and to know what really matters. Within two months after praying to Jesus. I enrolled for the first time in college at the age of 24yr to do a photography course. In the interview for the place I said I don’t know anything about photography only that you push a button and the photo is taken. That year in 2002 I fell in love with photography and it gave me a purpose to my life. The teacher remarked that I was one of the best students. I consider my photography a gift from Jesus.
A few years later in 2005 a voice in my head repeated over and over again go to Israel to photograph the conflict in the West Bank. The voice in my head was wearing me down repeating over again go to Israel and the Palestinian Territories. To silence this voice I purchased a ticket to go to a land that was alien to mine and a land I knew was filled with conflict.
I went to Israel and the Palestinian Territories and had an amazing experience. On my last day in Jerusalem and I was flying home the next day. Outside the old city of Jerusalem I was walking & even though I had an amazing time something was still lacking within me.. (In hindsight I was spiritually poor)
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 3:12)
Low and behold I see two people walking towards me in the distance and one is carrying a life sized cross. I sat down and waited for them to come my way so I can photograph them and the conversation quickly became about Jesus and the need to be born again (John 3:7).
I was told about Jesus in a way I never heard before from the Catholic Church. What I was hearing was that Jesus loves me, died for me and to inherit Salvation I must accept Him as my Lord and Saviour. After sometime it all made sense to me. To receive Jesus as your personal Saviour and repent. I surrendered myself to Jesus and asked Him into my life. I left the Christians I had just met with a joyous goodbye. I describe what I was feeling was one of euphoria, I felt like I was child but still mature enough to navigate my way around Jerusalem. (I just became a child of God)
"Some people did accept him. They believed in his name. He gave them the right to become children of God". (1:12)
It felt like I wasn’t walking but I was floating my way around. People were smiling nicely at me as I had a peace and love that radiated out of me.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." (Galatians 5:22)
To gather myself I sat into a coffee shop. While I bought a coffee I was really only interested in gathering myself (what I know now that I didn’t then was the Holy Spirit was upon me and I felt every bit of His presence.) I was in my own thoughts not paying attention to what was happening around me. I was thanking God for everything, thanking Him, thanking Him and thanking Him. Thank you God for letting me meet these Christians, thank you for what you have done in my life, thank you God but then my thoughts went to that of.
Well God I don’t deserve this, you see the bad I do, I don’t deserve all that you do for me.
And as soon as I said this, a chorus of a song that was playing in the coffee shop broke through my concentrated thoughts to God and the chorus went
"I see your true colours shining through, I see your true colours and that's why I love you, so don't be afraid"
Well! That moment in Jerusalem having after meeting Christians and having this experience and then this!! I was convinced 100% that God is real & He was in this coffee shop with me. I could really feel His presence, God accepted me for my weaknesses. He see’s something in me that people cannot see, my true colours. I love God for that. Just like the chorus of that song. The Lord always says do not be afraid
Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe." (Mark 5:36)
I didn’t go to Israel to find Jesus but it was to photograph the Israeli Palestinian conflict but since December 1998 after my crash the Lord has had me on a journey that would accumulate with me being in Jerusalem that day to receive His Son.
And Isaiah boldly says,
"I was found by those who did not seek me;
I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me (Romans 10:20)
That day changed my life completely, I was fulfilled, God completed me by His Holy Spirit coming to dwell within me. I feel secure in myself. The Lord has used the bad situations that has happened in my life to create good and it is the Lord who receives the glory, Amen
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28)
I cannot stress enough that everyone must have this personal relationship with Christ by being baptised in the Holy Spirit. I came back to Ireland and could not stop telling people about my encounter and that Jesus is alive. I spent a year and a half in limbo. I wasn't even aware of Christian churches existing I only knew Catholic or Protestant. I knew they weren't for me. For Salvation is not found in a religion but in a person - Jesus Christ. All this time I had a vision of the Lord that day in Jerusalem outstretching His hand and pulling me onto a wooden boat or ship. The boat hasn't left yet but I felt secure and safe. I found Fellowship by meeting two Christians on the road who took me to a Fellowship church and this church is more than a church to me three years on. I feel at home with my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. I was told by experienced Christians what really happened me that day. The Holy Spirit led me away from the Catholic church and into a Christian Fellowship where I am taught to worship in Spirit and in Truth, (John 4:24). I am eternally grateful for what the Lord has done in my life. I could not see a life without His guidance, love and mercy.
If you are one talks to God but never took the time to read His word then you need to take that extra step...
I take to the streets of my city and testify that Jesus is the Christ and tell people of their need to be born again. Jesus has healed me in ways I didn't think I needed healing. Being born again and receiving Jesus into my life has saved me from myself and has secured me a place in His Kingdom.
