Brian Sumner: He Had Everything He Wanted, But Still Felt Empty
Successful But Lonely
Growing up in a bad area of Liverpool, England, Brian Sumner always loved skateboarding. But it wasn't until he moved to America at 16 that his skateboarding dreams started coming true. By 19, he went pro and got sponsors. He won prize after prize in tournaments. "It seemed as though everything I wanted, I got," he says. "Still I was so empty."
When things fell apart, Brian had nothing to fall back on. "I was angry and getting into fights," he says. "I didn't see the purpose of life." Brian faced court battles and charges for his actions. He was repeatedly turned down for U.S. citizenship. He was alone and suicidal.
Old Life Gone
Brian was placed on probation for fighting and sentenced to community service at a Christian thrift store. "That's when I began to seek God," says Brian. "I went to church once as a kid, but I didn't hear anything about Jesus." He started reading the Bible, studying several different religions, and praying to a God he wasn't sure existed. "One night I said, 'Lord if you're real, show me.'"
Right then, Brian felt empowered by the Holy Spirit. "Jesus came into my heart, saved me, and delivered me from my old life," Brian says. He's now a U.S. citizen. He serves as a deacon of his church in California. And, of course, he's still skateboarding. He loves jumping, grinding, riding rails and flying over flights of stairs. "But what I like best is when I can share Jesus," he says.
Reaching Out
When he was saved, Brian developed friendships with Christian boarders. However, he also made a point to hang out with non-Christians too. "I could have started an all Christian skateboarding club," he says. "But like Jesus said, we need to reach the lost. What I like best about skateboarding now is when I can use it to share Jesus. It's cool when another skater asks how I stay so upbeat."
Culled from CHRISTIANITY TODAY.
Posted: October 04, 2018 10:48 pm
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