Post by awdtalon on Sept 8, 2004 11:37:30 GMT -5
When I was a young boy my family attended a small church in a nearby town on a regular basis. I really don't remember anything other than that we went there and the Pastors last name was Searles (sp).
Anyway, my brother was diagnosed with Leukemia when I was 5 and he was 3. It was a long battle and we were the first family assisted by the now famous Teddy Project (similar to Make a Wish Foundation) which is a part of Camp Good Days and Special Times. The battle ended when my brother was 5 and I was 7. The loss essentially destroyed our family. My parents divorced a short time later and neither of them have intentionally attended a church service in over 22 years. I didn't miss church as far as I can remember and I grew up a DEVOTED atheist and had a real disdain for those who needed the crutch of "religion."
As you may know,
God has a way of seeking out challenging subjects such as myself. He also has a way of using mind numbingly beautiful girls to get a young mans attention. ;D So here I was, innocently working at the local Ponderosa Steak House, doing my best to convince anyone who wanted to listen that the monkeys are our uncles. Strangely, this beautiful girl WOULD listen and smile quietly (that really got me) while I vented by "vast" knowledge. Eventually, I decided that I simply HAD to have this wonderful girl and I began my mission to win her over. She had better plans however and simply was not interested in a serious relationship, partly because she had been hurt before and partially because of my "vast knowledge" of atheism and evolution. Finally, finally, finally, I convinced her to let me take her out for Valentines day in 1995. I can not even tell you how quickly a guy can fall in love with a near perfect women. You see, now that she had her hooks in me she invited me to church. What won't a guy do to impress a beautiful women? So I went, and I went a few more times and one day I found myself going even when she had to work and wasn't there. One day, I found myself actually believing all the "nonsense" and came to a sudden realization that I was bound for hell. 
I "knew" what to do but yet I didn't quite know so I sat quiet for a few weeks. One night after our Wedneday evening service the young ladies mother told me we needed to talk. OH NO! What did I do? This was serious and I KNEW I was in trouble for something. The thing was, I was in trouble, and she knew it. All she said to me was 'If you die on the way home tonight do you know where you'll be?" I did know and it wasn't good. I prayed that night for Christ Jesus to save me from my sins.
Well, skip ahead a little and it turns out that what the beautiful girl was waiting for was for me to get my head out of...the sand... and figure out that there was a God and He died for ME! (and you
. We were engaged a few months later and married about 18 months later. We recently celebrated our 5th anniversary and she is still th e most beautiful, wonderful, most nearly perfect women I have ever met. Only today I know WHY she's like that.It's because she's a women after God's own heart and you can't NOT be beautiful when you live that way.
So here I sit, a 29yr old former atheist. Captured by the love of God nominated this week to be a Deacon of our church. Don't tell me God doesn't have a sense of humor. ;D 
Sorry to ramble on so much.....
Talon
Anyway, my brother was diagnosed with Leukemia when I was 5 and he was 3. It was a long battle and we were the first family assisted by the now famous Teddy Project (similar to Make a Wish Foundation) which is a part of Camp Good Days and Special Times. The battle ended when my brother was 5 and I was 7. The loss essentially destroyed our family. My parents divorced a short time later and neither of them have intentionally attended a church service in over 22 years. I didn't miss church as far as I can remember and I grew up a DEVOTED atheist and had a real disdain for those who needed the crutch of "religion."
As you may know,
God has a way of seeking out challenging subjects such as myself. He also has a way of using mind numbingly beautiful girls to get a young mans attention. ;D So here I was, innocently working at the local Ponderosa Steak House, doing my best to convince anyone who wanted to listen that the monkeys are our uncles. Strangely, this beautiful girl WOULD listen and smile quietly (that really got me) while I vented by "vast" knowledge. Eventually, I decided that I simply HAD to have this wonderful girl and I began my mission to win her over. She had better plans however and simply was not interested in a serious relationship, partly because she had been hurt before and partially because of my "vast knowledge" of atheism and evolution. Finally, finally, finally, I convinced her to let me take her out for Valentines day in 1995. I can not even tell you how quickly a guy can fall in love with a near perfect women. You see, now that she had her hooks in me she invited me to church. What won't a guy do to impress a beautiful women? So I went, and I went a few more times and one day I found myself going even when she had to work and wasn't there. One day, I found myself actually believing all the "nonsense" and came to a sudden realization that I was bound for hell. 
I "knew" what to do but yet I didn't quite know so I sat quiet for a few weeks. One night after our Wedneday evening service the young ladies mother told me we needed to talk. OH NO! What did I do? This was serious and I KNEW I was in trouble for something. The thing was, I was in trouble, and she knew it. All she said to me was 'If you die on the way home tonight do you know where you'll be?" I did know and it wasn't good. I prayed that night for Christ Jesus to save me from my sins.
Well, skip ahead a little and it turns out that what the beautiful girl was waiting for was for me to get my head out of...the sand... and figure out that there was a God and He died for ME! (and you
. We were engaged a few months later and married about 18 months later. We recently celebrated our 5th anniversary and she is still th e most beautiful, wonderful, most nearly perfect women I have ever met. Only today I know WHY she's like that.It's because she's a women after God's own heart and you can't NOT be beautiful when you live that way.So here I sit, a 29yr old former atheist. Captured by the love of God nominated this week to be a Deacon of our church. Don't tell me God doesn't have a sense of humor.
;D 
Sorry to ramble on so much.....
Talon
