As Simon Williams (inset, above) drove across an Israeli minefield in a tractor with his drunken friends, he knew he was in self-destruct mode.
Drugs, drink, theft and fraud had become the norm.
“I was looking to relieve my inner pain and tranquilise myself from it, and cannabis gave me that temporary release,” he now realises. “This, I believe, was the start of me losing my moral compass, and slowly over a few years and with other drugs, my thinking became more distorted.”
So distorted, in fact, that alcohol, tractors and minefields even seemed a good mix. The group were caught by the authorities and beaten up. Simon vividly remembers their treatment.
“Pain shot through the length of my body as his kick connected with my ribs, while the cords binding my hands cut any blood supply to them, turning them blue.
“From a corner of the thick, oppressive blindfold, I could see just enough to identify my friends as they were subject to the same treatment and mercilessly tossed into the vehicle beside me.”
They were put on trial in Israel but, against all the odds, were released.
Even that experience didn’t change Simon, and he ended up back in prison in the UK. With his cocaine addiction at its height, and realising his marriage and life as he knew it were about to fall apart, he finally reached rock bottom and tried to wean himself off his old habits – but couldn’t.
In despair, he shouted out to God for help. Within a few days, Simon found himself able to resist cocaine, and his life was radically changed for the better as he got to know the God he realised was the one that had always looked after him.
AMAZING
He says the difference God has made to his life has been amazing.
“God has restored my marriage and my whole life. It is like he has rewired my thinking and put me back into my right mind. He restored my career, my finances, put me into leadership positions and used my mess to become a message of hope to others.”
“The wonderful thing is that when I fully accepted Jesus into my life, I was forgiven, redeemed – and a restoration began in me.”
The change has been enormous. Simon’s marriage was restored, and he has now been with his wife Suzanne for 27 years. He had a complicated childhood, yet God was able to heal some of Simon’s inner wounds and he was able to repair his relationship with both his parents, and even share his new faith with them.
“God has shown me some of the things that affected me in those early years and once illuminated, a healing began. These included, for example, my relationship with my father who was absent early on, and the turmoil he had with home life and alcohol.”
Perhaps the most surprising thing is that, having tried to dodge the authorities for so many years, and longing to be out of prison when jailed, Simon now voluntarily goes back inside while working for the Kairos Prison Ministry for over 10 years. With his wife, he regularly visits his local prison to help with their Sunday morning service.
Simon is uniquely placed to relate to prisoners and the reasons they find themselves in prison. “Inmates can identify with my story and see what God has done in my life, which can give them hope and also a future for them.”
He has written his story in a new book, A Second Chance, which is no mean feat for someone who left school with few qualifications.
“I wanted to share the amazing way God has brought me through some life-threatening experiences, and to show that no matter how far a person can drift from God, he can restore a life.”
Extracts from A Second Chance: © 2023 Simon Williams. All rights reserved.
