A Family’s Prayers Outweigh a Rogue’s Lifestyle

CBN.com - “There will be no smoking, no drug selling, no drug using, no premarital sex. I’m not going to nightclubs. I said that I’m going to live my life 100 percent for the Lord.”

Jeremy Anderson graduated from high school with a reputation for being a ‘good church boy.’ But just before he started college, his parents moved to a new state, and Jeremy got a new taste of freedom. 

“So now I’m in this city that I’ve been in all my life, and I’m there without my parents,” Jeremy says, laughing, “buck wild.”

Jeremy says small compromises led him to do all the things he promised he never would. Before he knew it, Jeremy was drinking, getting high, and having sex. “I began to live life for Jeremy. I began to say, ‘I’m going to make a name for myself on campus. I’m going to be the cool guy. I want the finest chicks on campus. I want all the money, all the clothes. It’s all about me, me, me.’”

Jeremy says he was trying to figure out his true identity. “In college I really struggled with it, because that’s when I was becoming a man and I was trying to figure out what type of man would I be.” 

After college, Jeremy became a manager at a rental car company. Drug dealers were frequent customers.“They would give me money and they would give me weed as a favor for me to put them in a car that they didn’t qualify for.”

Then Jeremy started a successful business promoting nightclubs. The pay was better than his day job, so he quit.“When the music stopped playing and when the champagne wasn’t flowing and the lights would cut on, and I would wake up and sober up, a part of me felt depressed because I knew there was something more to life.”

Jeremy’s father knew God had more for his son, so he prayed.“I think at the height of my success in drugs and clubs my father was at the height of his prayers and he transitioned from praying ‘for’ me to praying ‘on’ me. Whatever I was doing that wasn’t bringing God in Heaven glory, he was praying that I failed at it.”

“Instantly my drug connect gets cut off, my nightclub operation gets cut off, and so within a month’s time I find myself broke, owing people money.” 

Jeremy was on his way home to get high, when he had a conversation with his grandmother. “She’s like, ‘Look you’ve got to get your life together. Give your life back to God. He loves you, He wants to use you. What happened to the grandson?’  I’m like, ‘Look Grandma, people change. I’m not that little kid anymore who was preaching. I’m a different person now.’ She said, ‘Look, you’ve changed but God can change you back.’ I started thinking about this thing. I said, ‘God can change me back, huh?’”

“This was a pivotal moment. Something in my brain, something in my soul clicked…She said, ‘God loves you. God can restore you. And God still wants to use you.’ And at that time I decided to give my life to God.”

Jeremy surrendered to God, but he still had to face his addiction to drugs and alcohol.“I believed the lies of the devil. I thought the only way I would get a good night’s rest after making that decision is if I got high or drunk one last time. I’m smoking something that would typically get me high instantly. I’m smoking and smoking and I cannot get high and I instantly broke down crying. God said, ‘You’ve been using drugs, and alcohol and women to fill a hole within your heart and within your soul. Since you’ve accepted me, son, there’s no more room for that other stuff. I filled that void in your life and you’ve been made new again.’” 

Jeremy hasn’t touched drugs or alcohol since. He was re-baptized by his father, and soon after, he married Traci. Now Jeremy is a father. He shares his story through his books and speaking engagements. 

Today, Jeremy looks to his Heavenly Father for his identity. “The Father that said, ‘I see a vision and a plan for your life and I will not let the devil conquer your life so though you went far off, I’m going to take what the devil meant for evil and I’m going to turn it around for good.’ That’s what my Father was able to do.”