My Story

Meet Ron Cotnam, a Christian Minister for the Texas Juvenile Justice Dept. Hi, I’m Ron Cotnam and want to share a little of my testimony with you. Back in the 1960’s and early 1970’s, I needed help, and didn’t know it. You know, kinda like a dead men walking, and they don’t know their dead; spiritually? That was me.

I enlisted in the U. S. Marine Corps 13 months in Vietnam. Don’t get me wrong, but I really enjoyed being there.

I’m initially from California and lived on the streets. I have spent time in the city jails, in Eureka, CA, San Francisco, CA and Texarkana, Ark. county jails in Humboldt County CA, and I was also a Federal Prisoner. Yep. Me!

Eating out of metal trash cans in Riverside, CA, and conned people out of whatever I could get, especially females, they were easy targets-(Back then)

In 1968 God gave me the opportunity to sleep under bridges in Riverside, CA, as well as Las Vegas, NV.

While in Texarkana, TX, I robbed a House of Prostitution, and didn’t care!  Absolutely…NOT!

Now, get this, having said all that, at 14, my momma told me to never take drugs, and I never have taken any illegal drugs and now at 73 years old now, and going strong.

In the early 1970’s I had what some people call a ‘drinking problem’, and was drinking at least 1 fifth of scotch a day, that’s the BIG bottle, and going through 3 packs of cigarettes per day.

I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior on February 9, 1976, and by the loving Grace of God, he took the want for alcohol and cigarettes away from me in 1976. HE deserves ALL the glory!

I have had open heart surgery and died two times on the operating table; however, I have recovered quite quickly for someone my age, and was up ministering the word of God after getting out of the hospital 6 weeks later at one of the homeless shelters.

Ever since I Have given my life to Jesus Christ, He has had opportunities for me to minister His Word to homeless shelters, Juvenile prisons and churches. I wanted out of prison when I was in it, now, I want back in to help the others and to tell them about the Love of Jesus Christ, and how HE can save them and set them free, too. If you would like more information please contact Ron Cotnam.  If you would like to know more about volunteering, check here