My Story Begins!

My faith journey began the day I was born, and since that day, I have experienced over 70 years of the best of times and the worst of times. As my story unfolds in God, What’s Next? A Question, A Leap of Faith!, you may see, as I did, how life can be viewed as a paradox. The Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard famously said, "Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forward.” It is often only when we look back at our past that we can recognize the errors of our ways.

So much happened between the day I was born and the day my life changed; an incredible 51 years! I traveled through babyhood, adolescence, and my teen years, and then, “Bing, bang, boom,” I became an adult. Wow, what a quick trip!

That quick trip took me to June 2006. I was on a road trip in the Smoky Mountains during a bleak time in my life. Having been distant from my faith for an exceedingly long time, I felt depressed and knew I had lost my life’s compass. While listening to a special spiritual song playing on the car CD player, tears fell from my eyes as I cried out to Jesus for help!

Suddenly, I felt a presence like I had never felt before. It was as if the Holy Spirit had ignited a fire inside my soul! I cried out for Jesus, and He was there—after all those years of me pushing Him away.

The prophet Isaiah reassured us, "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" (Isaiah 41:10 NIV). He was there to comfort, guide, and love me, even after all those years of walking away!

On that day, which I call my Road to Damascus, my life was changed forever!

A few highlights from God What’s Next? A Question, A Leap of Faith! After traveling my Road to Damascus, I met, fell in love with, married, and tragically lost to death the woman my heart had been searching for all those years. Simultaneously, I experienced a Near-Death Experience (NDE) during the motorcycle accident that took her life. I also encountered a Biker Angel—a Rider of the Storm, so to speak! This is truly a remarkable part of my personal faith story!

There would be many other experiences that led me down the path of sharing my Christian testimony with you about my spiritual journey.

How did I decide on the title? It comes from a question posed to me by my senior pastor and dear friend, Dr. Bob Long, during a conversation shortly after the motorcycle accident on July 9, 2010. You can read more about it in Chapter 2, Me, the Road, Setting the Crucible.

More about me: I have lived in Oklahoma since July 2002, having moved from the Chicago suburbs due to a job transfer with my former wife and my daughter. It took me a while to acclimate from Chicago life to OKC, but once I did, I was "hooked." I am also a semi-retired accountant and a voice actor. I rode a Harley-Davidson motorcycle for several years, traveling on many cross-country road trips, mainly to Southwest Florida and the Keys. My past and current activities include dancing, cooking, baking, reading, and volunteering at my church in various ministry roles. My favorite country music artist is Kenny Chesney (I proudly belong to No Shoes Nation), and my all-time favorite rock/blues band is the Allman Brothers Band. As a member of the Baby Boomer generation, I often find myself acting as a Counselor of Life to many.