The Dan Lirette Story

Amazing Grace: The Dan Lirette Story

My name is Dan Lirette and today I'd like to share my Testimony with you.

I was born on November 2nd, 1976.

From an early age my brother and I would attend a local Evangelical church with my parents, though both of my parents were not saved; my parents were simply Christians in name only, with mom being of the Evangelical brand and dad being of the Roman Catholic brand.

I vaguely recall sitting church and it being boring; I wasn't interested in listening to the Preacher and can't really recall a single sermon preached. I did, however, enjoy the treats given at the churches we attended as youngsters!

At approximately 8 or 9 years of age I was outside playing when God called my name audibly; I heard Him speak my name as I hear any human speaking, though His Voice was certain marked by the fact that I knew it was Him.

You have to remember that I wasn't religious or a Christian; I was actually a troubled young boy who didn't know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and yet God audibly called me by my name.

1 Samuel 3:1-8 “And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision. And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see; And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep; That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I. And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again. Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him. And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.”

Just as the Lord had called Samuel by name before he knew the Lord, so the Lord called me before I knew Him!

The Mercy and Grace of God is astounding in that God calls us before we call out to Him, and His love for fallen man is such that He sent His own Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us, that we might be saved! Oh the matchless Grace of God!

At approximately the same time of age, I was also apprehended by the enemy while going to bed one evening; the memory of the terror that came upon me is forever etched in my mind.

While walking up the stairs to go to bed, all of a sudden the powers of darkness came rushing over me and I began screaming and yelling, not knowing what was happening; I know now, however, that it was the enemy, and oh what a darkness lives in him!

The specifics of why these two incidents took place in my life as a young child I may never know until I reach that Glorious shore on the other side to meet my Jesus face to face, yet I do know that they took place and I also know that God is Sovereign over all and He allows what He allows and puts and end to what H wants to put an end to.

Some would say that such experiences no longer happen in our day, that such things are the wild imaginations of a youngster; nonetheless, the Lord knows the truth of it all and eternity will reveal the fact of the supernatural to those who disbelieve that such events and others take place today.

Growing up, I was quite drawn, unfortunately, to wickedness.

My young life was a foreshadowing of the wickedness to come, of which we all now find ourselves in.

What most children in my vicinity would not partake in during those years of my young life, children now partake of in in this generation.

For example, I was one who would go into an abandoned building and light candles and burn Bibles and pray to devils; I was entrenched in darkness as a young boy.

Drawn to the dark side of the spiritual realm, my life was engulfed in evil.

Further to this, I engaged in a consistent lifestyle of stealing, lying, fornication, abominable deeds and all sorts of sinful behavior.