43 years ago my life changed. In one day I went from being a struggling 16 year old kid afraid of everyone and haunted with an ugly inferiority complex to a 16 year old child of God blessed with an outgoing personality and a passion to tell others about the love of God.

Each year on this special day, I pause to give thanks to Almighty God for reaching into my heart and changing me so dramatically. Each year on this date, I try to reconstruct what happened oh so many years ago and in so doing worship He who saved me and humbly give thanks to my God for all He has allowed me to do in this life.

I could write a book filled with incidents and examples of God teaching me, helping me, reproving me, challenging me and tenderly taking care of me. I could easily write blogs for another five years with my testimony of God’s goodness, grace and mercy in my life. God promised me that He would never leave me 43 years ago and I am here to proclaim He has honored His promise.

For 43 years I have always felt God was closer to me than my very breath. God, to me, is not some “thing” out there in the universe but rather my Father who dwells in me. God is not some intellectual entity to whom formal prayers are offered. To me, God is my constant companion, forever friend, and loving Father all rolled into one.

I have spent most of my adult life failing miserably (according to the world). I have never made much money, made a name for myself or become rich or famous. I do not have tons of “friends”, a multitude of admirers, a host of “groupies” or an address book filled with thousands of names.

What I do have is the very best wife a man could ever pray to have. What I do have is the companionship of a few very close friends. What I do have are a precious few people who love me for who I am and not who they want me to become.

I may not have much in the material realm to brag about, but I have a mansion filled with spiritual blessings to enjoy. I may suffer daily from misc. physical ailments, but I have peace, joy, hope and love to pull me through. I may appear to be a failure in this life by those who live for this life only, but in God’s eyes I am His success story.

I remain as thankful and humbled today by God’s amazing grace, abounding mercy and eternal love as I was 43 years ago. What can I do but bow before the King of heaven and pour out my heart which is full of praise, thanksgiving and love to Him. God saved me and gave me life so since I owe Him my life, I will continue to devote my life to Him.

^{Creative Commons: Public Domain}