My Story
I’m Cole Dulas. I’ve always Been Cole Dulas, but I’ve never been the same. In a lot of ways this is a story of how Cole Dulas became Cole Dulas became Cole Dulas became Me. I mean I look to who I’ve been, and feel entirly different. A wounded Child, a wounding adolescent, a resurrected soul, a lover of Jesus, an arrogant leader breaking hearts and being healed, a boy turning into a man and being made to look more like Christ every day. Exciting Right? I think so.
Childhood
This is pretty accurate. I’m the one on the left. I was an awkward, lonely, child with an imagination as big as my smile. If you’ve met me, that’s pretty big. I’m a good smile-r. I can’t remember much of my childhood, to be honest. I can’t remember much of my life, until Jesus came and gave me life. I guess I was dead after all.
My parent’s got divorced when I was 9. That was tough to adjust to. I got used to not having many friends. I got used to fending for myself. I got used to long afternoons on the couch with a box of Cheez-its. the friends I did have were not super reliable. I’m still not sure they liked me that much. I’m not trying to be depressing, it’s just a fact that formed me. To this day I function fine if you leave me alone forever. I learned a beautiful independence, and a painful penchant for not being in community. This sometimes makes me stronger, and sometimes cuts me really deeply. I’m learning for the first time how to have close friends. Guys who can bleed with me. It’s wonderful, and it’s thanks to Jesus.
My family is not a christian one, at least not the way my friends families are. My mom came to know Christ when I was 8. My dad is an atheio-agnostic-y won’t tell me what he truly believes in-between non-churchy wise man. While I can’t nail down his beliefs I know this: He doesn’t know Christ, and he doesn’t understand my relationship with Jesus. He loves me, and has been a father I thank God for. My family on both sides are habitual church goers, but were never really able to carry on conversations about Jesus with me. So I feel like the second Jesus follower in my family. As I’ve grown up, I’ve seen my family reconnect to church, and even Christ. I’ve never been so excited as when my twelve year old cousin told me she loves Jesus.
So here’s what you need to know: I was awkward, lonely, bitter, mean, chubby and nerdy. I had an unshakable affinity for sweatpants, button up shirts, and spiked hair. I would become a bully in middle school, and begin to alienate my friends. I would have lots of adventures, and make many movies. I also played lots of video games. This was what I did while my mother went to Church.
High School
This time, I’m on the right. High School started Rocky, but by the end I had some great friends, good stories, and a relationship with Jesus.
Freshman year. This was a painful year. I began to push my limited number of friends away. I wrote a brutal letter to a friend of mine’s girl friend saying harsh things that I regret to this day. He wasn’t just some friend. He was the only friend I’d consistently had for the past 5 years of my life in Phoenix, Arizona. He still doesn’t enjoy talking to me. That was pretty much all I remember. Sad year.
Sophomore year. I had finally found a new niche of friends. I was hanging out with these two brothers, and a few middle school girls who thought we were cool. Well, thought the brothers were cool. I was mean to them. See a pattern developing? One of them I made cry every other day or so. I was pretty cruel. I guess I was defending the only friendships I had left, but doing so…poorly.
TBC…
