I thought I would become at Christian when I was 70 and I had had my fun. I thought there was no rules or punishment.

I grew up in a typical family. My mother took me to church some, and I even walked the aisle and was baptized. I knew about Jesus, but it never really affected me. I was insecure, shy, and lost. In high school, I hung out with the band and the smart kids. I also drifted away from church and God. When I was in college, I took my first step back to God when I met my future wife. We started attending church soon after we were married. But it was all in my head, and not in my heart.

My wife and I joined the church in early 1988. After that, the church was helping with an area-wide crusade. I joined the crusade choir. On May 2, 1988, the speaker was preaching on how bad it was for someone to come to Christ and then fall away. It was like he was speaking to me alone. That night I realized what Jesus did when he died on the cross and rose again, and I asked Him to come into my life.

Since Christ came into my life, everything has been different. I am close to my wife and we have developed a strong bond. God gave me a wonderful ministry in our church orchestra, and he has blessed that. I have also been blessed with two wonderful children. I still struggle in some areas, but I know that with God’s help and grace I can ask for help and forgiveness. I can’t imagine how my life would have turned out if I had not come to Christ that night.

About 19 years ago three people from a local church visited me at home. I was asked “when you die do you think you will go to heaven.” I said “yes” for afterall I had been baptized as a youth. I was then asked “why” and I did not have an answer. After the visit I began to ask myself questions. Why was I not able to explain? Why did I always attend church as a youth but not in recent years? Was the Bible true or not? What about my children who were visiting the church; would they go to heaven? Was I not being a good father?

I found my Bible, dusted it off, began attending church, began listening to what was being said, began reading the Bible, and began praying. Some time later I can remember gripping the pew during the invitation telling myself I want to go forward but I am not certain the Bible is true. That night God convicted me. I tossed and turned getting no sleep. The next morning I prayed to Jesus and the conviction immediately disappeared.

A short time after my life changing experience, I asked myself why did God bother with me. I tried to fight off the conviction all night long but He kept the pressure on. Soon after I was reading Matthew and when I reached to chapter 7 verse 7, God told me “here is your answer.” The verse says “ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be open.” God has blessed me without reason. And he will bless you too if you ask, seek, and knock.