Capital Region Bikers For Christ

At the age of 15 I was already a veteran drunk, and my life had begun its downward spiral. By my senior year in high school, I did just about every drug I could lay my hands on. Life’s simple pleasures slowly faded away as drugs became the only thing I could think about. Later on, college supplied the freedom to expand my addictions. I stayed out all night, every night, getting high and partying. I slept through classes and, when awake, hit the local Boston bars for liquid lunches and after school drinks. Then, when getting high and staying high required more money than I had, I found myself breaking the law to support my habit.

Somehow I got through college and began working for a small company. I found out that my boss was a “junkie” and we began hanging out together. He introduced me to an even darker side of addiction than I had ever known: getting high meant more than life itself, and losing friends to overdoses or dope-driven murders became commonplace. It didn’t make sense but, at the time, that was my life.     

By the age of 25, my hardened lifestyle had destroyed my first marriage, I was expelled from church earlier for getting a divorce. At this point I totally abandoned any faith in God that I may have had left and wanted nothing to do with religion. Opting for a change of scenery I spent months hitchhiking across several states. Countless nights were spent sleeping under bridges and on the side of the highway, waking up in a stupor and unable to remember where I was or what I had done. Then, in Denver, I decided it was time to settle down and get a job.

Unfortunately, my new surroundings had not hindered my attraction to people with the same dangerous and addictive habits. Now I was in over my head, and crime was a daily part of my life. But in contrast to everyone I associated with, someone new appeared on the scene. A woman joined the company and I asked her out on a date. She was different. Jayla was straight. Our relationship grew stronger, and within a couple of months we had bought a home and were married. My addictions blinded me, and, as much as I loved my wife, I did not recognize just what an “angel” God had sent me.

The months passed, and my addictions continued. The consummate “con man,” I lied my way through every confrontation and problem. Yet, in just 3 years my bad habits had caused the loss of everything we had worked for and Jayla was at her wits’ end. We decided to take the kids to visit my family in Boston, and it was there that Jayla confided my drug problem to my sisters. She told them of her plans to leave me and to take our children with her. They asked her to reconsider; to give me one more chance provided that I promised to get help for my addictions. Jayla agreed.

Not wanting to lose my family, I consented to enter a treatment program and shortly after found myself at a halfway house. After two days I was sent to an alcohol and drug detox program in another facility, this time for ten days. This was only the beginning. From there I was sent to an out-of-state rehabilitation center for 28 days. The first two nights were horrifying as I watched other addicts like myself screaming and shaking from drug withdrawals. The remaining days there were filled with group sessions where the speaker encouraged us to seek a “higher power.”

This process went on for weeks, and I was vocal in my opposition to the idea of any “hokey religious stuff.” In my rebellion I spoke out against it every day. Then, one night, alone in my room, I had my “white light experience.” My room was filled with a bright, white light and I felt a presence such as I have never known before or since. No words were spoken, but when the experience was over, I knew in my heart and soul that I was going to be all right. I could not explain what had happened, but I knew it was real because the next day I was a changed man. Everyone in my group could see that I was different. My wife noticed the change as well. When I spoke to her on the phone that weekend, she said she hardly recognized me. For the first time, she was convinced that her decision to stay with me had been the right one.

When the day came for me to leave the rehab center I found myself fearful. There, I had felt loved and saw things clearly. Now, the prospect of living in the real world left me scared. After all, I had not been straight or sober for over 15 years. Thankfully, my family was there, ready to welcome me with open arms. 

My wife and kids had begun attending a local church. Stubbornly I refused to go with them, still unsure that my “white light experience” was from God. After some time, my wife pleaded for me to join her and the kids at the pastor’s house for lunch. My preconceived notions of clergymen did not prepare me for the appearance of Pastor Fillmore—a man my age, in cut-off jeans and a t-shirt. We talked for hours until I had told him my story, including the “white light experience.” The Pastor challenged me to join him for two hours every week for ten weeks so that I could learn more about what I had experienced. I agreed, and week after week I met with him faithfully. Eagerly I consumed the great teachings of the Bible and felt the love of God through the ministry of this genuinely caring man. But it was not until Pastor Fillmore directed me to the passage of Saul on the road to Damascus that I recognized what I myself had experienced in my room at the rehab center. Like Saul I had persecuted the Lord for years, mocking His people. Then, in His mercy, and just in time, He embraced me with His love and let me know that I was going to be all right. At last, thanks to Pastor Fillmore’s guidance, I was ready to give my life to the Lord. 

Now, more than twenty years since I stayed in the rehab center, I often wonder why I never ended up in a morgue or in prison. Without a doubt meeting my wife was a pivotal crossroad in my life. Her constant commitment and the precious prayers of our three children, which tugged at my heart, were all a part of God’s master plan for me. He has used me to help others change their lives. My story has drawn other addicts and alcoholics to God’s salvation. I have given my testimony and through it have helped spread the news of God’s glory, grace and peace to a segment of society considered “wasted lives.” If God can take a rebellious, unlawful drug addict and alcoholic like me and convert him into a believer, then I know that He can change the life of anyone. No matter the depth of the sin or darkness in your life, God is able to bring deliverance, healing, and forgiveness. I am living proof!

Jim Walker

— Isaiah 44:22 (NIV).

I was the middle son in an Air Force family, so I'm not real sure where I developed such a lack of discipline during my early years. But as a kid moving from place to place, and school to school, it was always important for me to try and connect with the popular crowd - it was the easiest way to feel accepted by my peers. So I learned how to steal, fight, drink alcohol and take drugs - not because I thoroughly enjoyed any of it, but because that's what most of my "friends" did through my high school years.

During my junior year of high school, I was staying out late, drinking every chance I got, and then dropping speed just to cope with getting through the next day. I was working as a dishwasher, but with all the "fun" things to spend money on, I wasn't saving a dime - nor did I care much about my future.

Then my family moved to Belmont, NH, and joined the varsity soccer squad. Because of one not-so-cool soccer teammate, I met Jewel Pearl - and my life came face to face with reality. From the moment I saw her, I knew there was something in her life that made her different from the other friends I hung out with. She didn't enjoy any of the same things I did. She didn't associate with the same crowds I did. She didn't even come to the soccer games. But she was knock-dead gorgeous - and I had never felt so attracted to anyone in my life. She was so out of my league that I was absolutely shocked when she actually showed an interest in me.

So I began going to her house as her brother's friend. The more I got to know her, the more I knew she was the answer for the rest of my life. It became abundantly clear very early in our relationship that I would do anything or give up anything to be with her - including going to her church teen group, attending church with her, or going to youth conferences with her -- anything! as long as I could be with her.

I was still smoking, drinking and doing some drugs while we dated, but she was (I think!) completely unaware. God was still just a means to an end for me to be with her, so I did my best to feign an interest in spiritual things. But the Holy Spirit began to lay it all out for me. The fact was that if I didn't change my lifestyle, I knew I'd lose the only good thing in my life at the time. So as the Spirit worked on my heart, I began to listen to the church sermons and soon began to understand that as beautiful as Jewel was, it was her relationship with God that had attracted me to her.

At some point during the next few years, I accepted the Lord as my Savior. I don't know exactly when it was because I went to the altar many, many times - but at least one of those times, Christ entered my life for good. I quit the drugs immediately, quickly changed my vocabulary, stopped drinking alcohol for the most part, and started working on the smoking habit. Shortly after graduating high school and being accepted at Plymouth State College as a physical education major, I decided I couldn't stand school any longer and asked Jewel to marry me.

She accepted - although I'll never understand how I could have been so blessed. Still, addictions and bad habits (mine, not hers) haunted our marriage for many years to come and the valleys were numerous. But Jewel had a strong and determined faith that held our marriage together, and I learned from her how to lean on Christ. More than 35 years later, we're closer than ever before - to each other and our Lord. We raised three fine children who are saved and attend church every Sunday with our eight grandchildren. God has led me on a journey I could never have imagined 40 years ago. I came to Him deserving nothing, especially a soulmate of Jewel's character and conviction. But God saw fit to bless me abundantly and lead me to a new life in Him and for Him.

Today, I believe God is in the business of challenges. He readily accepts the challenge of taking the worse of the worse, the lowest of the low, and the filthiest of the filthy and somehow reaches out and draws them in for His purposes. The desire of my heart for the rest of my days is to allow Him to work in my life to make me the best husband, father, and grandfather I can be - and provide opportunities to reach others that need to know Him and accept His gift of salvation.

Bob and Jewel Pease

Other testimonials coming soon