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D.W.'s Personal Testimony |
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I was born on September 10, 1981 with cleft lip and palate (with no roof in my mouth). Naturally my parents were unsure of the condition of their child and sought professional help and guidance but they always had the faith and the knowledge that God was in control. Nine major operations were preformed on my mouth to mold my appearance to what it is today. After about 3 years in braces, my teeth were as perfect as they could be. I was very thankful. School unfortunately caused great heartache because kids would make fun of me in school. In grade 6 I started Speech Therapy classes and by the first year in high school, grade 9, I had completed the entire course. Baseball was very much a part of my life. I started playing when I was about 6 years old and becoming a professional baseball player quickly became my dream. (Baseball would soon become nothing but a memory). After four great years of high school baseball I was given a college scholarship to play college baseball. Not sure about leaving home to reside in Illinois, I made the choice to stay home and go to college in Florida. After two semesters in college, I was offered a tryout in St. Louis, Missouri for a Minor League Baseball team. Excited about the second chance, I took off for St. Louis and tried out for the team. After a week of trying out I was released to go home. It was “no more baseball” for me. Concluding the release from the team in St. Louis I headed home to finish college and later graduated with an Associate of Science Degree in Computer Information Technology. Southern Gospel Music had always been in my family. As a child growing up I would hold a microphone on stage and pretend to sing. Only problem was, the mic wasn’t hooked up, so no one could hear my “joyful noise”. The calling became stronger upon my life to sing Southern Gospel Music. The fact that I wasn’t supposed to be able to speak plainly was a message I would share with many of the folks we would minister to every weekend. God’s calling and my burning desire quickly made me determined to be HIS servant for life. Although singing was something I always knew, the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ was something I didn’t “know” for myself. 1995 was the year I would lose someone very dear to me. My grandfather passed away in April of that year. On the 26th of that month we gathered to say “see ya later” to Papaw, but “see ya later” was something I wasn’t sure about. Knowing that, in my heart, I knelt down in front of my grandfather’s casket and asked Jesus to be my personal Saviour. What a joyous occasion that was! “Casting my cares upon him” was something I would strive daily to do for the rest of my life. Satan knew this and he didn’t like it! As a young man in high school I put what was “my all in all” for Jesus, into someone else. Quickly becoming overwhelmed with a high school sweetheart I would lose sight of the person God wanted me to be. While still singing gospel music, my testimony was nothing but “filthy rags”. At the devastation of the sudden break up, I turned to God for answers. One day while staring at a weapon of destruction, I was thinking of taking my own life. I was done, finished, not wanting to hurt anymore. It was at this time that God spoke the sweetest words to me. Simply saying, “I am not finished with you yet”! August of 2003 would be the month and year that would change my life forever. Little did I know that the Northern Gospel Singing Convention would be my “place of resurrection”! It was there I met my God sent Angel, Jessie May Hilton. Attending the convention with a heavy heart from the recent break up, I was still a man with a “joy-filled heart” and a “million dollar smile”. I was introduced to Jessie but was too shy, and perhaps even too scared, to say much more to her. Concluding the convention, the “SonShine Quartet” and I made our way back to Florida. With a simple “guest book” e-mail, I made contact with the Hilton Family. Shortly thereafter, Jessie e-mailed a response and that started our lifelong friendship. February of 2004, The Hilton Family spent the month with our group, The SonShine Quartet, in Florida. Knowing God’s everlasting love for me, made it easy to love Jessie. Before they concluded their trip to Florida I made plans to visit the country of CANADA, for the first time, to spend time with Jessie and the rest of the Hilton Family. April 24, 2004 would be another day I shall NEVER forget. After speaking with Mr. Hilton, on a few occasions, and obtaining his approval, I knelt down in front of the audience at the concert that night and asked Jessie to marry me. She agreed and we were married on October the 16th 2004. God is good! In Christ Alone, D.W. Crutchfield |
