From a Life of
Hate, Violence and Crime to a Life in Christ
Turtle Mountain Native was facing Prison
when he found God
Crying out to God on a dark night in a jail cell in Gillette, Wy., changed Maynard LaVallie's life. It was 1978, and he had been arrested after attacking a bar full of men with a shovel, injuring two of them seriously. He was arrested, charged with assault and faced a possible 14 years in prison.
Sitting in the cell, he looked back on his life of drinking, drugs and rebellion. He saw it as a waste and could see nothing in his future but a violent death or prison. "I rebelled against authority, and it brought the law down on me many times throughout my young life. I despised those who had a different view from mine, I hated my past, It brought back memories that were very painful. I lashed out at others because of this pain. I tried to drown in a bottle, drugs, and relationships which all ended up broken, leaving me angry. I was an angry young man ready to explode and one day it came to an end in a jail cell. Being in a jail cell was part of my young life. Many time I ended up in jail cell because of the rebellious life I lived.
A man who was involved in jail ministry from a local church came into the jail to talk to the inmates and explained how Jesus could change their life. "I was raised religious. I had thought about God in my own way, but religion doesn't change your life. A relationship does," LaVallie said
That night, alone in the dark, he challenged God to help him. "When I accepted Jesus Christ in my heart, my life changed 180 degrees."
Now he's a full-time evangelist. Born in Belcourt, N.D., LaVallie is one of 19 children, and is a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewas. He attended the Indian school in Wahpeton, N.D., but quit in eighth grade.
After his conversion, he attended Central Indian Bible College in Mobridge, S.D., earned credentials as an evangelist with the Assemblies of God Church. In recent years, he worked as a chaplain at the Grand Forks Mission and directed the mission in Rapid City, S.D. Two of his brothers also are in full-time Christian ministry, he said.
Maynard now lives in Gillette Wyoming and has developed a full-time ministry as an evangelist. He and his wife, Pauline, have four children.
Maynard travels the United States and Canada ministering in churches tent meetings and revival services.
(Taken from the Grand Forks , N.D. Herald )