My name is Daniel. I am the founder of DYD Apparel. The road to this point has not been near what I expected. I do not know exactly where to begin. I only pray that this story touches the heart of at least one person. So, without delay, here we go. 

I was raised in a moderately Christian household. We went to church on Sundays, read the Bible on Easter and Christmas, were told to pray, etc. But as time went on, we grew busier (having a house of five kids isn't exactly boring), athletics got more important, and we saw things in the church that we didn't like. We saw the church begin to grow away from God and lean into politics and other things. At that sign, my father pulled us from church, and we did things our way. Well, we tried at least. Very quickly, going to church became a thing of the past, and Sundays became days for sports, working in the garage, and eating good food. None of that is bad in and of itself, but there was no God in our lives. 

By the time I was a freshman in high school, I was on top of the world. I was starting on the varsity wrestling team, I was throwing around weight in the gym, threatening to be the strongest in the school, I had a girlfriend, the social scene, straight A's, and everything seemed to be looking up for me. But very soon, all of that would come crashing down. My starting spot was taken from me, I lost in the last seconds of a big state tournament finals match, my girlfriend and I broke up, COVID hits, the school was out, gyms were closed, and my wrestling club was shut down momentarily. To top it off, I went to a national-level tournament in another state and tore my ACL. Now I couldn't walk, I lost my girlfriend and most of my friends, I couldn't work out or wrestle, and I was just lost. For some time, I was optimistic about turning things around. It was a new frontier, and I was excited. But that quickly wore off and depression set in. It seemed like I had nowhere to go, no purpose, and no saving grace. The next step took me one inch away from rock bottom. 

I had never contemplated suicide before. But at the moment, it seemed like something in a world of nothing. When I tell you that I was one centimeter, one pound of pressure away from reaching that bottom, I am not lying to you. But at that moment, I felt a hand on my shoulder. There was no one in the house at the time. I was alone. Or so I thought. I remember that feeling like it was yesterday, and it bring tears to my eyes as I write this and goosebumps to my skin. I was not strong enough to turn around, my body felt weaker than it's ever been. But when that hand touched my shoulder, I felt nothing but love, joy, and forgiveness. And I heard a voice call out and say, "I have so much more planned for you". I stopped my attempt, sat down on the edge of my bed with that presence (I know it was Jesus) right beside me. I held my King James Bible in my hands, not reading, just staring at it, weeping. For three hours I sat there, Jesus never leaving my side, just staring at the Bible. Finally, after three hours, I heard "Come and let me show you something." I walked down the stairs (still with a torn ACL), and into the garage, and I saw, in a light that I'd never seen before, two dusty, moldy, broken-down classic cars that my father had bought many years earlier. And the voice said, "Start here". 

I did not have any mechanical background. I didn't know anything about cars. But I knew that this was a start. With a half-missing Wal-Mart ratchet set, I went to work. I spent over a year and a half fixing those cars. Through the frustration, rage, bloody knuckles, rust in my eyes, ears, and mouth, sleeping under the car, and hundreds of hours on YouTube, I finally completed the restoration of both of the cars. The first was my father's '68 Impala. The second, the one that took more of my time, emotion, and effort than anything in my life, was what is now my '68 Chevy Camaro. This was a year and a half of almost all of my time in the garage, alone, mind off everything past, present, and future. 

One day, after detailing that Camaro, I stepped back to admire my work. The car was striking despite the little imperfections, perfect in my opinion. But then it hit me: this car was the symbol of my savior. No longer had I contemplated things such as I had. I was well away from the bottom and now driving towards the top. For another three hours, I stood back and stared at the car. And during my three-hour stare-down, I made a promise to God: to dedicate my life to pulling people out of the darkness that once consumed me. God had saved me, and I was to save others. 

Now, I wish I could tell you that it was barbecue chicken from there, but alas, it was not. I would see that bottom again and again. Every time I built myself up, everything would collapse, and I would be closer to that darkness. I know now that this kept happening because I did not build myself on God. I tried to fight my own battles and prove myself to God. And every time I was humbled, brought to a new low, and saved again by Jesus. 

After finishing working on those two cars, I continued in classic car restoration. I returned to the gym, wrestling, school, and the social scene. Now people had learned about partying and alcohol. I was not so well versed because I had spent my days and nights in my garage under a car the whole time. But when I got introduced to the nightlife, I went down a whole new spiral. I am an energetic, prideful man. So, when in a party scene, I go all out. I began blacking out almost weekly. Driving while intoxicated. My first time, and only time, going to a club, I blacked out, fought a 6'3" 280lbs. bouncer and got Looney Tunes tossed out into the back alley. I was without my phone, in a very dangerous city. Once again, God saved me. I don't exactly know how to describe that experience other than I teleported into a hotel fifth-floor housekeeping closet (I blacked out andJesus once again led me to safety). My parents searched dumpsters and grease traps for my dead body. Luckily, I made it out with my life. 

I promised to stop drinking after that experience. But one month later, on Halloween, I blacked out once again and drove home, only for my parents to find me passed out on the floor. My life was spiraling down once again. Finally, I got my act together, wrestled my senior year, placed at states, and got into college. Unfortunately, (and most fortunately) I decided on the nation's top party school. My freshman year was not a glorifying year, until once again, I found myself at the bottom. I was wrestling for the club wrestling team. I was good. Projected to qualify and place at nationals. But I ended up tearing my other knee (PCL) the tournament before the qualifiers. It had all come full circle. I was back in the darkness, thoughts soaring through my mind, not knowing where to go. But this time, I picked up my Bible and read. 

After six years, I finally finished the Old Testament near the end of my freshman year. But I still wasn't in a good spot. I was still lost, scared, and depressed. On the day that I finished the Old Testament, I was especially depressed. I felt numb to the whole world and was searching for something to make me feel again. I climbed (still torn knee here) into the shower, lights off, full cold, just to try and feel something. I began to pray: "God, I am lost. I do not know what to do. I've tried and tried. But I cannot prevail. Show me, Lord, what I must do." And once again, the Lord answered: "Dictate Your Destiny". 

That was the first time I had ever heard those words. Despite my torn knee, I shot up in the darkness, heart racing, wondering, "What does it mean". I leaped out of the shower and wrote it down. Wrote down some questions. And began to ponder. When I looked at my phone, I saw a text from an old friend inviting me to church that Sunday. I hadn't been to church in years, but I still said yes. I opened my Bible and saw that I had made it to the New Testament, and I began to read. 

Going to church became one of the hardest things for me to do. But the best. I consider myself to be a pretty strong guy (to put into perspective, I’ve squatted 605 lbs.) but every time I was in church, I felt the weakest I’ve ever been. My legs were shaky, my shoulders literally got sore. I couldn’t even stand properly during prayer and singing, I had to hold onto the seat in front of me to stay up. But one day, at the church I found while at school, the pastor said something that changed everything. It felt as though he was speaking to me. He said, “There is not a single thing you can do to prove yourself to God. That’s the whole point of Jesus. He came and died for you because you’re messed up, because you’re unworthy, so that you may be cleansed and made worthy through Him. But the only way to do that is to stop running, and accept the gift that is Jesus Christ.” I stopped, realizing the mistake I’d been making all along. In the middle of church I began to tear up, and I prayed to God. At that moment I gave up trying to prove something. I gave it all to Jesus with all my heart. And I accepted the gift. All at once that weight lifted off my shoulders. The pain was gone. My strength returned more than ever. I felt physically lighter. I accepted the gift and lost the burden. 
What I finally learned after many convicting Sundays, is that "Dictate Your Destiny", is a motto that I have tried to model my life around and tried to share with everyone I meet. I am an optimist by nature so I firmly believe that "there is not a single thing that one cannot do". It took me a while to add the missing piece to the equation: "There is not a single thing that one cannot do WITH CHRIST!" 

The question, however, remained: "What do I do with this Dictate Your Destiny". Well, I figured that action was better than inaction, so I printed it on a shirt. I wanted to see if people liked the design, the message, the vision. The answer to that is "yes". And so, I founded DYD Apparel with the same mission that I promised God all those years ago: "To lead lost souls out of the darkness that once consumed me by bringing them to faith, emboldening their spirits, and creating disciples of Jesus Christ." 

The road to now has been long, challenging, and full of questions. But the darkness no longer encroaches because I have found the everlasting light that is Jesus Christ, and it is my mission to spread that light. If my efforts only bring one person closer to God, then everything I do is worth it. 

I pray that this testimony touches your heart. It never gets easier to tell and I always get emotional. Our stories are what connect us. So please, share your story with the world. You never know who it may impact. And when all seems unclear, and you do not know where to go, aim upwards, pray, and do what you believe serves God. You will know soon enough whether or not it is right. If you are running and still trying to prove yourself, please, I beg you; stop and accept the gift. My favorite verse, the one that I live by now, is Luke 9:23 "And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me."

Or in other words, Dictate Your Destiny.