Mike Trainer: The following testimony is from a great friend of mine and fellow Kiwi in Christ, Craig. This is his story and he came to know the good news of God’s salvation. I hope you’ll find it inspiring!

Hi, my name is Craig. I was born to 2 amazing parents and had the classic Kiwi ¼ acre dream childhood. 

Mum and Dad were and still are amazing. Dad worked hard to support a young family and would do a milk run in the morning, his trade during the day and pick fruit in summer until sunset. Mum was at home doing an amazing job with me and my 2 super cool sisters Sandy and Julie. Mum would make all their clothes, bottle golden queen peaches, knit me jerseys, and was always there for us. When we were old enough, she started work and was very successful in her working life. My family are a tight-knit team, and all get on fabulously. Mum and Dad were the best providers, we had amazing holidays, we had a boat and skied on the weekends and overall, I don’t know how life could get better.   

I navigated school well and became deputy head boy, house leader and loved playing rugby for the first IV and met great mates along the way. Budge, Shultz and Rabbit to name a few. I left school to pursue a degree at Massey University but failed and the dream run started to take a turn. 

I started questioning my purpose in life and got a bit loose with alcohol and marijuana. It became more important to march in the HART (Halt All Racial Tours) rally’s and oppose commercialism in favour of saving the planet. I started looking at the world scene with some concern and wondered why we still have wars, people starving, escalation in the number of civil conflicts, environmental pressure leading to the extinction of some species among other concerns. My 7-year search for the truth had begun.

I was just not ready for University so left after 2 years and instead of a degree, graduated with a Certificate in Science and Technology. It was time for the overseas experience so with a couple of university buddies, Budge, Doug and I took off for Adelaide and worked in the orchards and nurseries in the summer of 1985. We drove a 1966 HD Holden, listened to Bob Marley and Elvis Costello, played heaps of backgammon, surfed and chilled a lot. 

After a great fun filled summer Budge got a second wind and went back to Massey where he went on to graduate with a BA and went on to teach our youth all about Geography where he remains today. How he became responsible enough is still a mystery. 

After the summer of 85 Doug and I drove from Adelaide to Melbourne along the great ocean road and surfed all the classic reef and point breaks along the way including Kennet River and Bells Beach and some amazing waves on Philip Island. Doug then flew home, and I shot up to the Gold Coast to catch up with my ultra-cool sister Sandy and her amazing husband Chris and got to surf the Spit, Burleigh Heads, Kirra, Snapper, D-Bar and more. I heard an old mate Acid (Dean) was in town so more surf, backgammon, live music at Bombay Rock to watch Midnight Oil, and he and I got work at Conrad’s Casino together. We had a ball throughout 86 before heading to Bali with him and another friend Mad-dog (Milton) for some solid waves at Uluwatu. Acid and Mad-dog were total surf focused and went on to surf big Grajagan in Java while I was surfed out and chose to head up to South East Asia for a look see. I had a pack with my life in it and was looking for some answers. I remember being given a bible by a work friend at the Chevron Hotel where I had a second job, and she had circled a scripture that has become a foundation for the rest of my life. I did not know it then but 3 years later my world was about to change. 

Before we get there, I must say South East Asia was a great experience and I met many wonderful travellers along the way but though I was having important life experiences I was not content and was searching and would spend much time visiting temples and talking with monks about life and religion. For me knowing the truth (whatever that was) was something I had to settle in my heart. 

Fast forward to 1990 and a meeting and a rekindling of a friendship with Robbie who I worked with in the summers of 83, 84 at Unilever. He was a loud music listening, fast driving, fun loving crazy man. I often describe him as “Adrenal glands on legs” because he had so much drive and energy which was a perfect match for me because apparently, I’m laid back and need kick starting.  Robbie and I shared good times together in 83, 84 which revolved around Van Halen, beer and cars. Anyway……the 1990 meeting was radically different. Something had happened to Robbie that he was fizzing to share. He still played music loud and drove like he maybe shouldn’t, but he had had an experience that changed his life. As I have mentioned life was good and I should have been content but the search for truth and answers to the big questions was in me and through me and I could not deny it.  Robbie went on to share how he had been affected by the Holy Spirit and how Jesus had become his best friend and Robbie was different. Same but different. Well, the rest is history and as the bible says “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God” I heard Gods word as Robbie and his friends shared the Bible, the life of Jesus, Gods plan for man and the most amazing life transforming fact. Jesus loved me so much he willingly went to Calvary and was crucified for my sins so that I would not have to die but have everlasting life. We are not talking natural death but spiritual. So, though this body will die like all others I have this hope of the resurrection and life in the kingdom of God forever. Crazy right.

Man, it is hard to compress my life with Jesus into a short story like this but the how I came to know Jesus is important so let me get a little biblical here because all I did was do as the bible said as shared by Robbie and others. I got baptised (Mathew 3:11-17, Mark 16:16, Act 2:38) by a good friend Mike on the 10th October and lo and behold on the 14th Oct 1990, while a Christian friend Adrian prayed for me, I received the gift of the Holy Spirit in a powerful way as they did in the bible (Acts 2:1-4).

Wow, the lights went on and I understood the mystery of life, the truth, Gods plan. The 7-year search was over. I was genuinely content. I will leave it here for now but will add another story soon of what I have learned and experienced since and I’ll also share that scripture my friend from the Chevron Hotel circled in the bible she gave me and let you know why it has been so important to me.      

All the best with your journey, catch you soon.

Craig.