In August of this year, I will have been a Christian for 30 years. During my teen years, I did a lot of seeking. I thought about resurrection as it was a big thing in pop culture at the time. I looked into Hinduism, mostly because my favorite singer, George Harrison was one (not a good reason to follow a faith, though). When I first started thinking about Christianity, it started with the Jehovah's Witnesses. I studied with a family for quite a while (almost a year). The studies were pretty good. They were from a little book that told lessons and then had scriptures to look up. In the end, I rejected being a JW for various reasons. It was then that I attended a Baptist Church. In reality, I wasn't really a Christian at all. Then in August, 1983, when I was nearly 18 years old, I picked up a Good News Bible that my grandmother had given us- it was actually only a New Testament version called "Good News for Modern Man". I'd look at it, but I never thought to read it. I realized that I didn't know anything about Jesus at all! Not a thing. Reading it (I read the whole thing in one day)I realized what I had heard from Preachers and evangelists wasn't exactly the same as what I was reading. From the moment I finished reading it, I was a Christian.
For the first few years, I went to Church and all that but then a change came in my life. I was nearly 20 could only find part time work in my hometown (at the time). So I joined the Navy. In 1986, when I was 20, I went off the boot camp in Orlando. During my nearly seven years in the Navy, I went through a lot of changes in my life. Although I was still a Christian, I wasn't really living my life the way I should. I did a lot of things that I am not proud of at all. I only went to Church services off and on. Finally, when I was 26 or so, I did what Baptists call "rededicated myself to Jesus". I then got married, had children, and left the service.
When my oldest son was 3 years old, I had the blow of my life. I knew he had some problems- he hadn't started talking yet, never waved, and other troubling things. He received the official diagnosis of autism. I began a spiral downward about that time. I suppose I blamed God for my sons disability. I went through a bout of depression, anxiety, and I started to have symptoms related to diabetes. After 5 years, I decided it was time to once again "rededicate" myself to God. I stopped blaming God for my sons' problems (my younger son also showed problems).
It hasn't been an easy road but I persevered and I kept going.
For the first few years, I went to Church and all that but then a change came in my life. I was nearly 20 could only find part time work in my hometown (at the time). So I joined the Navy. In 1986, when I was 20, I went off the boot camp in Orlando. During my nearly seven years in the Navy, I went through a lot of changes in my life. Although I was still a Christian, I wasn't really living my life the way I should. I did a lot of things that I am not proud of at all. I only went to Church services off and on. Finally, when I was 26 or so, I did what Baptists call "rededicated myself to Jesus". I then got married, had children, and left the service.
When my oldest son was 3 years old, I had the blow of my life. I knew he had some problems- he hadn't started talking yet, never waved, and other troubling things. He received the official diagnosis of autism. I began a spiral downward about that time. I suppose I blamed God for my sons disability. I went through a bout of depression, anxiety, and I started to have symptoms related to diabetes. After 5 years, I decided it was time to once again "rededicate" myself to God. I stopped blaming God for my sons' problems (my younger son also showed problems).
It hasn't been an easy road but I persevered and I kept going.
