save - thomas eyles

3rd January 2011 by MORE

I am 22 years and currently attend Fairfield Corps.

When I was born I was supposed to have a twin, but he died at birth. For people who are twins, they feel complete when they are near their twin, but I've sort of had this hole my entire life and I've constantly been chasing after friendships to fill what I've lost.

I'm an officer's kid and I've had to move around a lot. So, I've always had to leave my friends and this has always opened up that hole in my life. I also got bullied in high school.

After I finished school, I then met friends at TAFE, got into drinking basically because my friends were drinking and I wanted to hang out with them. Then I joined the military – that was something I wanted to do most of my life. This is where I got into the drinking and smoking scene in the Army.

However, about June 2009 I started to lose my eyesight and I didn't know what was going on until July. I found out that I inherited a disease from my Uncle and that I was going to lose my eyesight. Not only was I losing my sight but I was also going to lose my job in the Army. When I found out, I broke into tears because I was going to lose all my mates – this was hard because we were like a family there.

Around August 2009, the eye doctor told me that excessive drinking would make my condition worse. I didn't want to stop drinking because it was the only connection that I had with my mates.

It wasn't until April last year that I realised, what's the point of drinking? So, from that point onwards I gave up drinking.

Towards the end of last year, when I was walking home from youth one Friday night, I crossed the road and got hit by a car. I went over the car's bonnet, smashed the windscreen and landed over the other side of the car. Then, another car drove passed and hit me on the side. I was in hospital for four days, but the thing was, my only damage was a chipped tooth, a two and a half cut down my head and bruising throughout my whole body. No broken bones and no brain damage. While I was in hospital I realised that I only got flesh wounds from the accident and that God was looking out for me – God must have a plan for me. That was a semi-revelation for me.

I wasn't drinking anymore but I was still talking on the phone to friends that I shouldn't be talking to. I had been friends with them for a long time and I didn't want to hurt their feelings, plus I didn't want to lose any more friends.

When I went to Gospel Arts Camp (GAC) last year, there was a person who spoke on the Monday evening session about how she was a product of rape. She was adopted but didn't know until a certain age.

Not that I am a product of rape, but I felt like I could relate to her. It was at camp that I realised I had lost my twin and that I've got a hole inside of me. I realised that God wanted me alive and he proved that by keeping me safe when I got hit by a car, when a lot more could have happened – I could have died. Basically I realised that God has a big plan for me.

This came up again at a prayer night when someone who I had never met, prayed for me and said that God has something big planned for me – she could feel it.

I would like to leave these last words with you:

"Everyone is a hero whether they like it or not, they have someone who looks up to them. Whether big or small, no matter if we like it or not we need to be an example."

Comments

Kimberley

January 05, 2011 at 12:03pm

Good on you Tom! God really does have some amazing plans for your life.

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Laura

January 08, 2011 at 6:55pm

this is amazing Tom!! going to use your quote!!

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Nigel Roden

May 12, 2012 at 4:03pm

Hey Tom! Wow. Thanks for sharing your story. I praise God for what he has done, but what he will continue to do in your life. You are an inspiration to me in your journey with God. May God continue to protect and bless you!

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