Global Domains International

Well I suppose the best place to start would be where I was born and raised. I was born in Burbank, California in 1971 at Saint Josephs Hospital. I don’t remember much of my birth but who does. I was raised in Glendale California in your typical middle upper class divorced home environment. My Parents divorced when I was 8 and they both remarried soon after. I lived with my Mom and her new husband and my 2 sisters. I would see my Dad on occasion, once a month or so, but didn’t really care if I did or not. He was not a part of my life so we had nothing in common.

I hated school and did as little as possible to get by. I loved sports. I played sports all day every day. By the time I was 13 I had become a pretty good athlete. That summer I was asked to play for our schools summer volleyball league. I had never played volleyball before but I was a natural. Our team ended up winning the Los Angeles County championship and qualified for the jr Olympics. We went to the jr Olympics which were held at UCLA and won the Gold Medal. I was voted most valuable player. Volleyball became my favorite sport.

The next year I tried out for the highschool volleyball team and made Varsity. I was a freshman. I was a starter after the first few games and ended the season as one of the best players on the team. The next summer I had the time of my life helping the girls varsity volleyball coach train her team for the following year. I don’t think I need to explain why it was the time of my life.

My sophomore year was a huge turning point in my life. I was failing at school but succeeding at volleyball. I was barely maintaining a 2.0 GPA so I could play on the volleyball team and actually was given some higher grades from a couple of my teachers just so I could play. I broke every school volleyball record by half way through the season and was named the best high school volleyball player in the country. I had a decision to make. I would either keep playing and dealing with the spotlight that had been put on me or I could quit and not have to deal with it. Long story short, I never played organized volleyball again.

This is where things started getting messy. By the time I graduated high school I was using cocaine and drinking alcohol on a daily bases. I was also a pack a day smoker. I took a couple months off before going into the workforce. My Mom and Stepfather were both executives at a movie studio (I will not say which one for there privacy) so that is where I started my first career. What a great place for a young drug addict alcoholic to work huh. I would have no problems fitting into the Hollywood way of life. And I didn’t.

By the time I was 19 I had bought and totaled my first sports car. I had gone through my first of many 30 day drug and alcohol rehabs. And was living in a half way house. I will spare you the rest of the details of my early twenties. I think you get the picture.

26 was another turning point in my life. I had been to Los Angeles County Jail twice and was inches away from going to prison for a long time when the biggest thing that has ever happened to me took place. I met God. Sounds corny right. Well it’s the truth. Jesus Christ literally saved me. I had nothing to do with it.

That day while I was on my second pitcher of beer at my favorite pool hall He opened my eyes Out of nowhere. I was shooting pool by myself and listening to the jukebox when all of the sudden I heard the words of a song I had heard dozens of times but this time I understood them. Flood by Jars of Clay. I began weeping uncontrollably and I realized I needed help or I was going to die. I realized that I had taken my precious life for granted and had been flushing it down the toilet. I realized that there was a God who I was going to have to give an account of my life to and that even though He created and loved me He was going to have to punish me. I needed help. That is when Jesus stepped in and said, Father, this one is with Me. Jesus said, Gilbert, you are the one I took the punishment for. Jesus said, Gilbert, you are the one I died on the cross for. Jesus said, your sins were taken care of on the cross. Jesus said, now follow Me. And I did.

I have been a struggling Christian ever since. Jesus is constantly teaching me and I am constantly hard headed. But He has used me in many mighty ways and I am grateful for that.

Now I am married to a beautiful redhead and have three awesome kids. I am an ex severely depressed Retail Manager and current severely joyful web designer and Online Business entrepreneur. Thanks for taking the time to read my story.

Your Online Business Buddy

Gilbert Brenner