James Doyle
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Childhood
I was born, the youngest of 5 children, and brought up on a large council estate in Dundee. Except for being baptised as an infant in the Roman Catholic church and attending the local RC schools I had only minimal religious input growing up and only attended church for wedding and funerals.
Conversion
After years working my way up the ladder in petroleum retail industry and spending a year out in Hong Kong I returned to Scotland with nothing to do. I moved to Aberfeldy and away from Dundee as I was looking for something different. I saw an advertisment for a general assistant at the Atholl Centre. Not knowing this was a Christian organisation, I applied for the job and got 2 weeks probabion as a housekeeper. I was unsuccessful as a housekeeper, but after I had left the job a week their chef left and I was asked to come back and work in their kitchen and receive chef’s training at Perth College. I agreed to do this and it was during my 6 years of working here that I became a Christian. I was witnessed to by volunteers at the centre and the groups of people using the centre. I attended the Church service on a Sunday so I could get a break away from the kitchen and was amazed at the teaching. It seemed to be the minister was preaching directly to me, my lifestyle and my problems. I began to get more and more interested. Frequently the minister preached on Sunday about the very things I had been discussing with people during the week. Either he was following me around eavesdropping or God was trying to tell me something. Eventually, I made the choice to acknowledge Jesus in my life and was baptised on Easter Sunday 1998.
Change in life since conversion
Before conversion I thought life was about getting the best for myself and what the world could do for me. My pleasures and comforts were the first priority and I was dependent on my own abilities and judgement to get places. Accepting Jesus turned this attitude on its head and learning about his sacrifice makes any sacrifice I may have to make in life negligible. Receiving his forgiveness was the removal of a Burden I didn’t know I was carrying until I brought it to the cross. I am not dependent my own abilities, but am dependent on his Grace. I see God at work in my life everyday, through my family, friends and everything he has given us.
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