I was raised in a nominally Christian home. I'm sure you know the type, where God is a tool used to manipulate children so they behave. Well it wasn't long before I rejected such teaching and rebelled. I always felt a hole inside me but never knew quite how to fill it. I had plenty of truly Christian friends who, in hindsight, did try to explain God's free gift of salvation but for some reason I never really heard what they said. Its funny how blind I was. I was reasonably successful in life, married at 22 and immediately started a family, earned a Ph.D. and started the tenure climb. Things were going well, or so I thought. I was erecting my tower of Babel, planning to climb on up and be king of the mountain. Of course God had other, better, plans. Well I was on the road to alcoholism. I drank heavily and often, being intoxicated at least once a week and talk about a bad temper. How my family got through that is a testament in itself. The year before my tenure decision, my wife insisted I attend church (all good fathers do she said) and the minister actually insisted on coming to my home. The audacity of it! Well, he wouldn't leave until I promised to read scripture. "Read Romans for me", John said. "What? Look I'm a busy man," I replied. "Ok, read just one chapter a day." "Aren't you listening, I am much too busy." "Well, surely you can read one verse. Everyday just read one verse. Surely you can read fast enough for that," John taunted. Is this guy ever going to leave? "Ok, John. One verse a day." Well, one verse grew to one chapter to one book and before spring I had read nearly the entire New Testament. I still didn't believe, but God had prepared me with the answer He knew I was going to need soon. Just a few months before my tenure package was due, my new department head sat down with me for the first time to hear what I had been doing. Of course I laid out all my wonderful accomplishments. "No, no no! None of that is any good, you have done everything wrong. You belong to the wrong societies, you publish in the wrong journals." Everything I worked for came tumbling down and I mean everything. I had only one place to turn and having read most of the New Testament, I knew where it was. Well I surrendered to God and put my faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. I did this as a broken man, making no deals with God asking for nothing but the chance to experience the Father's love. Well, let me tell you. My need for alcohol disappeared overnight. I never missed it. It simply vanished. I am tenured. My department head remarked at what a huge change in direction I was able to accomplish in a matter of 6 months. Hey, I didn't change, his attitude toward me is what changed. God did that! My temper, well it's in control; just ask my kids and my students. Why do I believe? Is it just because there are scientific and intellectually compelling reasons? No. I believe because God has changed me. He started with my heart and worked His way out. He will do the same for you, just ask Him. "That if you confess with your mouth, `Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.'" Romans (where else) 10:9-11. Thank you God, Jesus is Lord of all!!!