Daniel grew up in church, but once he got into sports, he wasn't really into church anymore. He was recruited to play football and ended up at UW-Madison. When he showed up freshman year, he was the "big man on campus" and got caught up in partying. In his last season, the team ended up with a record of 1-10, but Daniel still thought he had a chance at the NFL. In his fifth year at UW, Daniel got caught up in partying, didn't get drafted and addiction took over his life. And so, in his last semester of college, he ended up flunking out of a class and didn't graduate. He had to look for a job instead.

He ended up in Washington because of a job offer, but it fell through. So he saw a large group of people and thought it was a concert and decided to go and "use his skills to talk to girls." That "concert" ended up being a huge, Christian event called Washington for Jesus. That's where things changed—Daniel gave his life to Christ and it was "the best thing that ever happened to him."

"God met me. And then the people surrounded me and they said, 'God wants you.'"

After that, Daniel moved back to Wisconsin and started attending Door Creek Church. And when doors opened back up amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, he ran back.

“God has delivered me and saved me. I should have been dead. I should be doing maybe life in prison. But from that time when I came back to Christ, when He first spoke to me, until where I’m at now, I see how God hand-picked me. My whole life has transformed. And it’s not just being a good Christian, it’s because the hand of God on my life. So whatever God wants, He gets from me.”

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This story, and all of our stories, are from people who call Door Creek Church their home. As you contemplate this story, may your faith be encouraged and your hope renewed. If you’d like to learn more about sharing your story, start here.