Overcoming the ravages of addiction and depression through faith was the positive message put forth by guest speaker Tarrant Cross Child Saturday.
He was the guest speaker at the Mayors’ Prayer Breakfast. This year’s event, put on by the Battlefords Ministerial Association, took place at St. Paul’s Anglican Church in North Battleford.
Both Mayor Ryan Bater of North Battleford and Mayor Ames Leslie of Battleford were in attendance, as was Battlefords-Lloydminster MP Rosemarie Falk and former mayors Chris Odishaw and Ian Hamilton.
Cross Child, an athlete who has run the Saskatchewan marathon six times and won in 1998, conducts faith-based running clinics entitled Child of the Cross across the province.
He is also an active speaker, and had been at both North Battleford Comprehensive High School and at John Paul II Collegiate the previous day to give presentations.
In Cross Child’s address Saturday’s he spoke of a spiritual awakening that came about in the wake of his battle with addictions and depression. He was in a dark place emotionally only a few years ago and spoke openly about how he had tried to kill himself.
“I wanted to end it all so bad,” he said.
It was during his time recovering from his unsuccessful suicide attempt that Cross Child turned to faith. He prayed for direction from his hospital bed.
“God, if you’re real, if you have a plan for my life, I need you to show me a sign right now,” he recalled. “Not tomorrow, not next week, I need a sign right now.”
He then described how it was at that moment that a nurse then came over to him and told him he would not need the IV anymore, and encouraged him to enrol in Teen Challenge, a faith-based rehabilitation program, saying she had heard good things about it.
“As she’s talking to me this peace comes over me,” said Cross Child.
Cross Child said he felt hope again. He also described getting down on his hands and knees, and how he gave his heart to Jesus Christ.
“I started to see things in a new way, a fresh way. My problems didn’t seem so big anymore.”
Cross Child also described how he started running again, setting a goal to compete again in the Saskatchewan marathon. He said that the 2015 race, which he competed in, stands out for him the most now, because of all he went through.
Now he combines spirituality with athletics and promoting healthy lifestyles in travelling to different communities, providing running clinics.
“Is this my mission? Yes it is,” said Cross Child.
