Isaac Dunteman

Wassup guys! My name is Isaac and I’m from the central Kentucky area. I mostly grew up in the small town of Winchester just outside of Lexington. I was blessed with loving, Christian parents and a unique childhood. I am the oldest of seven children (all from the same two parents). We all were homeschooled and grew up with a strong biblical background. From an early age I knew that God had gifted me in the areas of creativity and music and that I was to use those gifts to serve Him wholeheartedly. However, in my later teenage years I started holding on to a lot of unforgiveness and resentment towards my parents and I became extremely angry and bitter towards them. I began to see the way I was raised as boring and overly conservative. When I was eighteen my family moved out of state and I chose to ignore God and follow my own path. I began heavily using drugs and alcohol on a daily basis and partying became my life, it was all I did. My whole life became a hellish roller coaster ride of drugs, alcohol, and jail. I got to the point where dealing drugs and shooting up consumed all my time and energy. In 2008, just after my 23^rd birthday, I found out that my girlfriend Bethany was pregnant and I knew that the way we were living would have to change but instead I ignored the reality check and continued down the path I was on. I started making counterfeit money in November which was the final straw. I was picked up by the police and charged with trafficking narcotics and forgery. I was looking at 18 years in prison. Overwhelmed by that thought, I cried out to God while I was in jail, surrendered my whole life to him, and asked Him for mercy. Two months later, despite what everyone expected, I was sentenced to only 360 days with no felonies which shocked even my own lawyer. After 3 months in jail I transferred to Chad’s Hope Teen Challenge where I have begun to develop a personal relationship with the Creator of the universe. I am now beginning to see the love He has for me and the calling that He has on my life to worship him.

“For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made, your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:13 - 14