In one capacity or another, I have always known about God and about His Son Jesus Christ. I just never put the whole salvation thing together until 1984 when a dear friend of mine led me to the Lord and I was saved. Immediately, my life changed, my heart was warm and full of joy. I read the New Testament like a man on fire I couldn't get enough. My wife at the time couldn't understand all the changes I was going through and a deeper chasm than what was already there grew wider. I was on the newly born again Christian roller coaster of love, emotion, and was not yet quite rooted firmly in the soil of knowledge. After about a year and half of this when the bottom fell out of the ride that I was on, I left the church and my wife and I separated. I lost everything. I lost my family, I lost my job and soon, I would lose my self-respect. I found myself in the dark regions of the local bar scene, drinking and carousing all night never really knowing when or where I would wake up or with whom. Eventually, I lost my home and was living in my 1978 Ford Pinto, just me and everything I owned. I had gotten a job through a local temp service and ended up sleeping in their parking lot. I got the job through the temp service and would only work Monday thru Thursday as the bars were all open and had bands playing and it was a means to support my alcohol and my growing drug appetite. To get by, I was down at the local Wilts Supermarket every morning just after it was time to sell liquor buying wine coolers by the 2 liter bottles. Still, I was unable to afford food but had ample supplies on hand through dumpster diving at a couple of the fast food places around town plus what I would steal from the local grocery stores. Eventually, I moved from my car into a mobile home with the help of a friend. If I slept with her, she would give me the down payment for the trailer so, I did. The trailer had a sofa, a chair, and a broken down old bed in it. I couldn't afford heating oil or propane so I used a kerosene heater I had to heat the trailer and it served double duty by cooking or warming what food I could acquire on it. For food, clothing and rent money, I prostituted myself out to women in bars. Alcohol and drugs were free. I began to feel sick from my lifestyle both physically and mentally and was run down to the point of exhaustion. That's when I turned to God for help. I was on the verge of suicide and nowhere else to turn. The bar scene was all but worn out and lost its appeal, and I told God my greatest fear dying alone. On may home from what was another night of self abuse I decided to stop at a local bar on the way home just to say goodbye to everyone for awhile when I saw her sitting right by the door. She was a vision of great beauty and I just had to meet her. Eventually I did and the rest was as you say history. We were married a few years later, no more alcohol or drugs, no more bars, just each other. We've been together now for 19 years and it just keeps getting better. I eventually fulfilled my lifelong dream becoming a Christian Minister being ordained in early 2006 having been with and led by the Lord for the past 9 years. Forgiveness is a wonderful thing and eliminates many a sorrow. God patiently waits on those who seek Him. If you're unsure of your relationship with our Father and with His Son Jesus Christ, contact me. Together, we'll seek guidance from the Father to eliminate those things which are interfering with your walk with God.

Copyright 2010 Dr. Myers is an Independent Christian Minister and a Biblical Counselor with an Honorary Doctorate in Psychology, and a Masters in Divinity with a PhD in Biblical Studies. He is also a motivational speaker and writer and may be reached at; [email protected] All Scriptures taken from the Zondervan 1984 NIV and used with permission.