Dana’s first memories of faith go back to childhood. “My journey begins with my grandfather, my mom’s dad, taking me to a Sunday service,” he recalled. “I was very young and remember watching him kneel next to the pew, interlocking his fingers, pressing them to his lips, and whispering. That was my first understanding of prayer. He told me he was talking to God, who lives in a place called Heaven and always listens.”
That lesson stayed with him. At six years old, after losing a toy outside a military commander’s house, Dana remembered his grandfather’s words. “I prayed, crying in fear, and something told me to look under a bush nearby,” he said. “There it was, after I had looked everywhere. That was when I knew there was a God.”
Later, while serving in the Navy, Dana faced a terrifying typhoon off the coast of Japan. Believing they might be lost at sea, he read the entire Bible for the first time. But after years of turmoil and betrayal, he found himself in prison. “I fasted for over 10 days, pleading with God to just take me home,” he said. “When I woke up, I was angry that I didn’t die. [But] God had other plans in store for me.”
In prison, Dana has discovered that plan. “God has brought me peace, ‘shalom’ in Hebrew, since turning my life over to Him,” he said. “Before, I was like a tossing sea, never having rest in my spirit. The more I found peace with God, the more I found peace with people.”
Crossroads has been central to his growth. “Through studying the Bible with Crossroads and my mentor, I learned how to treat others and to trust God in every circumstance,” he said. “Her thoughtful comments encouraged me to dig deeper into Scripture and reminded me that I am not alone in my trials.”
Now, Dana focuses on eternal things and serving others. He has spent his time studying God’s Word, helped bring others to Christ, and mentors fellow veterans. “I focus on storing up treasures in heaven, where they can never be taken away,” he said. “God has given me the privilege of helping veterans receive the benefits they earned. The state of Oregon has even used me as a pilot program for the entire system. Only God could do that.”
Learn more and sign up to become a mentor at cpministries.org/mentor.