I would like to tell you how I came to Christ. In 1977 I was going through a very difficult time in my life. I was married with 3 very small children that I loved so much. My wife and I separated and divorced. I was so depressed on what was going on in my life that I got fired at my place of employment. I was so depressed I felt like I had nothing to live for. I decided I would take my own life and not have to go through the pain that I was going through. I took a hand full of pain pills and that just made me sick to my stomach. Then I went to the drug store and bought a package of over the counter sleeping pills. I took the whole package and it still didn't work. I was getting more depressed that I could not even end my own life. I decided that I would do it right by driving my car into a telephone pole. It was at night when I was going to do this. I seen the telephone pole that I was going to use for my distruction. I said three words at the moment "help me Lord." I wasw startled when my radio station that I was listening to said the words "spread the word" with a pause before and after. Suddenly 2 white clouds lit up the sky. They moved toward each other and when they met the clouds went downward as one cloud. At the same time the clouds met. There was so much love of Gods word filling me that I had tears of joy running down my face. I could not remember one though that I had of God's word that he filled me with. I just knew that I had been touched by God. I was not a very religious man. I was never raised that way. But I was religious enough to call out for the Lord. I realize what had happened to me now that I have matured as a Christian. I was filled with the Holy Spirit. It has been 28 years that have gone by now. I started taking baby steps and now I am making long strides for Christ. I feel that I have just now found out what my calling was when I heard the words "spread the word." This is why I e-mail out poems and daily inspirations, it is the way the Lord wants me to serve him. I was called back to my job a couple of weeks later. I have 32 years in at my work place and will be retiring in the near future. My ex wife and I never got back together, but from that day on I have had peace about the break up. You may not have believed in what I have just told you but it doesn't matter because I know it is true and changed my life in Christ.

MY BROTHERS FUNERAL ON FEBRUARY 4TH OF 2003 MY BROTHER DIED OF CANCER AT THE AGE OF 52. MY BROTHER ASKED ME A COUPLE OF MONTHS BEFORE HE DIED IF I WOULD PREACH AT HIS FUNERAL. I AM NOT A MINISTER BUT MY FAMILY LOOKS TO THE CHRIST THAT IS WITH IN ME. I DECIDED TO TAKE ON THIS CHALLANGE. I WANTED TO TRY TO BRING PEACE TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS. I MOSTLY WANTED TO DO IT FOR THE LORD. I FELT THAT IF I DIDN'T DO IT I WOULLD ALWAYS REGRET IT. I HAVE A CD "SONGS AND SERMONS" BY BILLY GRAHAM. ON THIS CD IT HAS GOT 5 SHORT SERMONS SCATTERED THROUGH OUT THE CD. I TOOK ALL FIVE OF THESE SHORT SERMONS AND MADE ONE. I WANTED TO MEMORIZE THE SERMON. I WANTED TO DO THE BEST JOB THAT I COULD POSIBLE DO. I HAD THE SERMON MEMORIZED BEFORE MY BROTHER DIED. IN MY BROTHERS LAST FEW HOURS I REPEATEDLY QUOTED THE SERMON THAT I WAS GOING TO GIVE AT HIS FUNERAL. I QUOTED IT SO MANY TIMES THAT I NEW IT VERY WELL. THE LORD DID A BEAUTIFUL JOB WORKING THROUGH ME AT THE FUNERAL. I COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT ANY BETTER THAN WHAT I DID. IT GAVE PEACE TO MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS BY ME DOING IT. I GIVE ALL GLORY TO THE LORD FOR HE MADE IT HAPPEN. THIS IS THE SERMON THAT I MEMORIZED. THIS IS THE SERMON I GAVE IN THE BEGINNING MAN CHOSE TO LOVE AND OBEY GOD.AS A RESULT HIS LIFE WAS A PARADISE BUT ONE DAY SOMETHING HAPPENED, MAN DELIBERTLY REBELLED AGAINST GOD. HE WILLFULLY BROKE GODS MORAL LAW AND MANS SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP TO GOD WAS BROKEN. HE BEGAN TO SUFFER AND DIE AS THE DISEASE OF SIN ENTERED THE HUMAN RACE. HE LOST THE PEACE, JOY, AND SECURITY THAT HE HAD. THE PERFECTION OF GODS HANDY WORK WAS STAINED. EDEN BECAME FOR MAN A PARADISE LOST. HAVING EXCEPTED THE FACT OF GOD. THE NEXT QUESTION WE ASK IS WHAT KIND OF A PERSON IS HE.WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN EVIDENCE THAT HE IS A GOD OF ORDER, DESIGN AND PERFECTION, BUT WHEN WE PICK UP THE BIBLE. WE DISCOVER THAT GOD IS MUCH MORE. THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT HE IS A GOD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HOLINESS. THE BIBLE TEACHES HE IS A GOD OF JUDGEMENT, THAT HE IS SO PURE THAT NO INPURITY CAN STAND IN HIS PRESENCE, BUT MORE, THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT GOD IS LOVE AND IT IS BECAUSE GOD IS LOVE, THAT HE CREATED THE HUMAN RACE. THOUGH WE LIFT OUR VOICES AND CRY FOR HELP STILL WE CHOOSE DELIBERTLY AS ADAM DID THE WRONG WAY. AS WINSTON CHURCHILL ONCE SAID, MAN HAS IMPROVED HIMSELF EVERYWAY EXCEPT MORALLY. WE RESORTED TO EVERY MEANS TO REGAIN PARADISE. OUR MOTIVES HAS BEEN GOOD. OUR ATTEMPTS COMENDABLE, BUT THE BIBLE SAYS THEY ALL FALLEN SHORT, BUT GOD FACED A DELEMA, IN SPITE OF MANS REBELLION GOD LOVED HIM BUT BEING JUST HOW COULD HE FORGIVE MAN IN LESS THE PENALTY OF SIN BEEN PAID. THIS WAS THE QUESTION GOD FACED AND WITH HIS LOVE FOR MAN SO STRONG HE IMMEDIATLY TOOK THE INITIATIVE TO RESTORE THE BROKEN FELLOWSHIP TO PROVIDE A MEANS FOR MANS REDEMPTION. TO THE AMAZENENT OF THE WHOLE UNIVERCE GOD DECIDED TO BECOME A MAN IN THE PERSON OF HIS SON. MAN CAN NEVER BE NEUTRAL ABOUT THE CLAIMS OF CHRIST. HE IS THE ONE WHO SAID, I AM THE DOOR BY ME IF ANY MAN ENTER IN, HE SHALL BE SAVED. I AM THE GOOD SHEPPARD. THE GOOD SHEPPARD GIVES HIS LIFE FOR HIS SHEEP. COME INTO ME ALL YOU THAT LABOR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST. I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. HE THAT FOLLOWS ME SHALL NOT WALK IN DARKNESS. THE TRUE PURPOSE OF THE COMING OF JESUS CHRIST WAS NOT JUST TO HEAL AND TEACH. HIS PRIMARY PURPOSE WAS TO REDEEM. HE WAS BORN TO DIE TO BE A RANSOM FOR MANY. ON A RUGGED HILL, A CROSS STOOD BLEAK AGAINST THE SKY AND BECAME THE PITABLE POINT OF HISTORY. WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT CROSS IS A MYSTERY, IN SOME MYSTEREOUS WAY GOD TOOK ALL OUR SINS AND LAID THEM ON HIS SON. GOD WAS SAYING FROM THE CROSS TO THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE, I LOVE YOU, I WILL FORGIVE YOU.ON THE MORNING OF THE THIRD DAY AFTER HE WAS CRUCIFIED. THREE WOMEN WENT TO HIS TOMB TO ANOINT THE BODY WITH SPICES. THEY WERE THE FIRST TO HEAR THE MOST DRAMATIC ANONCEMENT THAT THE HUMAN EAR HAS EVER HEARD. HE IS NOT HERE HE HAS RISEN. I AM HE THAT LIVES AND WAS DEAD CHRIST SAID. I AM ALIVE FOR EVERMORE AND BECAUSE I LIVE YOU SHALL LIVE ALSO. FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE SIN ENTERED THE HUMAN RACE. THERE WAS HOPE FOR MANKIND.