Jay Haizlip can remember drinking alcohol sometime around the age of five. By the time he was eleven alcohol had turned into drugs, and at the age of thirteen Jay was on the streets selling. Around that same time, however, something else happened that would impact Jay's life forever - he received a skateboard for Christmas. It became very apparent that the young Haizlip was a natural. He began to skate ditches and pools and quickly gained the respect of the skateboard industry. Sponsorship soon followed. On the surface Jay's life appeared to be a dream, but behind the scenes was a darker reality. Living for years in constant torment, a desperate Jay soon ended up in Alabama attempting to run from the problem. During that time he was sentenced to serve two years in prison as a result of drug trafficking. After prison, Jay placed himself in twelve-step programs and treatment centers only to return to the same lifestyle time and again. A short time later Haizlip encountered a man he believes God put in his path. He opened his Bible to Romans 10:8-9 and led Jay in a prayer to ask Jesus to take over his life. Immediately Jay answered the call of Jesus, traveling across the United States and overseas speaking in churches, assemblies, and city-wide crusades. Now Jay is actively involved with “The Uprising,” a faith-based skateboarding ministry, and currently serves as Senior Pastor of The Sanctuary Church in Huntington Beach, California, the Los Angeles suburb where he lives with his wife and three kids. Every now and then he still finds a good backyard pool to session.

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