In early August 2002 I had a powerful and personal feeling of the
presence of God in my life and in the world. Although my transformation began in small ways on the morning of September
11, 2001, on the night of Friday August 2, 2002 I was completely overwhelmed. Alone in my house, I vowed to give
up drugs and a lifestyle focused on lust and my own immediate fleshly gratification, and began holding on to the Eternal.
Two days later, I attended a church 18 miles from my home that a girlfriend
had taken me to over six years earlier. Nervous and afraid after a sleepless night, I arrived before 8:00 AM, and stayed
for both services. I formally accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and haven't looked back since. I left behind
a life of depression and emptiness. A life without meaning.
The next week I began a trip to see friends and relatives around the country
to tell them of my joyous revelation. My stops included Columbia, SC, Baton Rouge, LA, New York, NY and Dayton, OH.
The next Sunday, I quit smoking and committed myself to celibacy before marriage. I had already decided to try to surrender
and sacrifice all to the Lord.
By mid-Fall of that year I was living in South Carolina in order to be
close to my father who had been in a life threatening accident. Over the last 15 months of his life I
was able to reconcile with my dad, something I prayed for over many years, even before I really believed.
My faith was tested severely. I briefly thought, "How could God do
this to me so soon after being born again?" Over the course of that time my father went from intensive care
with a grave head injury and little comprehension to back reading the New York Times and driving his car; and then
once again back to surgery and intensive care.
Through faith, prayer, fasting and total immersion in the bible I was able
to perservere, grow and change for the better. I visited many churches led by the Spirit; unconcerned with de-nomination,
race or class. Sometimes attending three times on Sunday, along with bible study and other services during the week.
This lifestyle, loving God, has succeeded where other programs and good-intentioned efforts
had failed.
During my stay in South Carolina, I met a women organizing a small, short-term
mission trip to a refugee camp in Kenya that was home to the "Lost Boys of Sudan." Almost immediately, I felt the Spirit
of the Lord compelling me to follow. Heedless of her lack of credentials or the backing of a large institution; as well
as the terrorism warnings from the State Department, I put my faith in God and went.
