Joel’s story

From ruin to restoration

I was born in Mount Gambier in South Australia.

I am the eldest of four. I grew up in a loving and relatively strict family with Sri Lankan Catholic heritage on my father’s side and an English Christian background on my mother’s side. I was familiar with the Christian life.

My first few years of Catholic high school saw me start to gradually drift away from my upbringing, turning away from Christian music and church songs towards heavy metal and rap music. Youth groups turned into the footy club; communion turned to drinking and smoking; Bible and prayer turned into pornography. Eager to fit in in high school, alcohol and cannabis became my norm, and partying and hip-hop culture started taking over my faith.

I moved to Melbourne as an adult to pursue my budding music career. Not long after, my brother died in a horrific car accident. Although I had a cool job, a home near the beach, a girlfriend, a dog, and a car, the loss of my little brother took its toll on my mental health.

In 2009, my daughter was born. After a few turbulent years, we became separated, leaving me empty, depressed and suicidal. I attempted to kill myself by hanging in a drunken stupor. But God had other plans for me when that rafter in the carport snapped.

I jumped headfirst into Melbourne’s live music scene, but I was really living the sex, drugs and hip-hop lifestyle. Soon, I was unemployed, homeless and single. I was on Centrelink for the first time in my life. I was dabbling in occult practices, new age philosophies, and basically living an ungodly life.

After watching a documentary about the new age movement, I felt God prompt me to turn back to him and the promise I made as a youngster. I called my sister and told her I wanted to be a Christian again. I began praying again, broke up with my girlfriend, picked up my Bible and moved back to Adelaide.

My worldview, mindset and personality began changing for the better. Although I was having some amazing encounters with the Holy Spirit and got baptised, drinking was still a demon I was battling. The battle of homelessness and addiction led me to Teen Challenge SA via a hospital mental health facility and a backpacker’s hostel.

The prayers of my grandparents, parents, sister and her church were coming to fruition. I’m glad they didn’t give up on me, and Jesus never did either. I’m not focused on the ruin but on the restoration in God’s timing. The continuous cycle of destruction was over, and my destiny to be a soldier of faith, exposing darkness with light, is manifesting stronger than ever. I now write lyrics that glorify God, and I am very thankful for my Christian heritage.

I have replaced all my worldly pursuits with spiritual conviction. Now, the joy is starting to outweigh the torment with God first in my life, turning pain into purpose – kingdom purpose. For the first time in 20 years, my family relationships are repairing. This is all thanks to God and the Living Free program. I’ve also been accepted to study Christian music at Bible college.

I now have a home and have been working on a gospel rap album, ‘Eternal Perspective’, showcasing my God-given talent and sharing my testimony at ministries in Adelaide and Sydney. I have found community through ‘Krosswerdz Crew’, a global group of believers who share Christ through hip-hop music and culture.