By Randy Berdal
I grew up on a farm in Northern Wisconsin in a non-religious family, both of my parents were the children of alcoholic fathers. Although in retrospect my father had many good qualities, he was at times abusive. In part, for me, this resulted in a turbulent childhood, troubled teen years, resulting in excessive alcohol and drug use starting at age 17, two rock bands and involvement in the occult. Our rock band, Whirlhouse became involved in a violent altercation in November of 1969, where I was beaten, and my life threatened at knife point. I left the band and ended up depressed in Minneapolis and aware that I needed God by age 19. Jim H. a friend that I had taken drugs with showed up at my apartment, presented me with a tract and his bible and the phone number of the Christian ministry that he had been living with in Oakland CA. I received Christ as my savior Feb 26, 1970 and repented that night of drug and alcohol use. I left Minneapolis in three weeks and went to the ministry in Oakland CA. I lived in a “Jesus People House”, a Christian half way house called the Agape house in East Oakland. The neighborhood was 100% African American. There were as many as 26 young men in our house at one time from a diverse cultural background of African American, native Hawaiian, Mexican, Jewish, Puerto Rican, Native American, and white. This was a great blessing.
The schedule of the house was daily Bible study and street evangelism. A typical scenario was to be out on the streets or a late-night bible study, talking to youth with no place to stay, bringing them home and staying up till 2-3 in the morning telling them about Jesus. It was a transformative year for me as I had really lived as an introvert, meditative, drug user, to come out of the inward experience of drugs and music, to become outwardly focused on others through evangelism. This was not me, this was the work of the Holy Spirit, transforming me.
After a year, I came home to Wisconsin to visit my parents on the family farm in Thorp Wisconsin. I had intended to go back to Oakland, but while here I met up with other friends from my drug using circle who had been transformed by Jesus Christ, and we began to discuss the possibility of having a Jesus People house in Eau Claire, Wi. After a year of planning and prayer, we did open the House of David in Eau Claire. From there we did evangelism on the University campus, and on the streets, and held daily Bible studies at the house. God was at work and I was happy and blessed to be apart of what He was doing.
I married Judy in 1983 and we have been married for 37 years. We have had two children, our son born first, then later we adopted our daughter from Mexico. At times I thought that the spiritual growth of my first three years was just about all I needed, but now in retrospect, God was just getting started. Spiritual growth often comes through difficulty, and raising children is not easy. We had difficulties with our daughter that brought us to our knees, and later when our son was going to college and dating someone outside our faith, this brought me to a crisis. This led to Christian counseling where I faced for the first time in my life the abuse that I experienced as a child. The wound was cracked open and I began to experience deeper emotional healing that I never thought possible. This brought about positive changes and healing in my relationship with my father, son, and my wife. God was continuing to heal and transform. (I do not think He is done yet) The next change came in my career.
With the housing crash of 2007, my construction inspection job went form 60-70 hours a week to 10-20 hours a week and I needed to find new work. God led me to Milwaukee Rescue Mission where I managed a drug and alcohol recovery program. It felt like I was back doing what I was created to do, working with people like myself who had made bad decisions and needed new direction.
The next phase that God had already prepared me for was raising a grandson for six years while his mom, our daughter, got her life together enough to take over. I could see God’s hand in my mid-life’s crisis of facing my childhood abuse and dealing with anger. That was a critical step in being prepared to be a parent again at age 58. In recent years I have also discovered the blessing of Jail and prison ministry. I feel as though I have come full circle in my life where at age 70 I’m again ministering to people in difficult life circumstances, many with drug and alcohol problems, similar to where I started at age 19 in Oakland California. Thanks be to God for His grace and mercy in my life that has allowed me to live this life and to experience the reality of God’s Holy Spirit and many, many answers to prayer over the years. 2nd Co 9:15 (NIV) “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.”
Randy’s Bio
Nine years experience as a manager in engineering, retail store owner/manager, and as manager of a transitional living program at Wisconsin’s largest homeless shelter. Versatile, able to excel with inter-personal relationships, provide support and encouragement to recovering addicts while simultaneously maintaining standards and achieving necessary goals.
Specialties: Demonstrating empathy to people in crisis or those making difficult life transitions, trained in non-violent crises intervention, CPR, Basic first aid, budgeting, and financial management.
Reflections by Richard
Friends for over 40 years!
Randy and I attend Trinity College, now named Trinity International University many years ago.
We spent a year getting our B.A. Degree in Applied Christian Studies.
Spent a year of Mondays afternoons traveling to Trinity
We both already had 60 credits and were able to complete our degree in one year!
We did alot of reading and writing.
Also, did a research project. That may become a separate “story” or post from me in the future.
