My parents raised me in what I assumed was a Christian home.  My mother was certainly a believer, and I thought my father was as well; however, when I was in the 2nd grade, he had a dramatic conversion experience to Christianity.  The next year, my Dad closed his law practice and went to work for a Presbyterian seminary an hour’s drive from our hometown.

Due to my father’s affiliation with the seminary, my childhood was marked by exposure to renowned theologians, preachers, and church conferences.  We also had a wonderful church home with outstanding ministers and strong lay leadership.  Yet, with all these influences, I merely believed in God, but I did not trust Him as my Lord and Savior.

During my junior year in high school, I noticed the life of my youth minister and others in my youth group who had a passion for Christ that I didn’t have.  I became convicted of my sinfulness and that I was separated from God and in need of reconciliation with Him.  The Holy Spirit changed my heart, and He enabled me to commit my life to Jesus.

As a young adult, I had a significant spiritual problem that I was completely blind to.  I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit and had many small business successes in high school and college.  I trusted in my own ability in business, though, and did not fully trust the Lord for my “daily bread.”  I launched a company that failed after 18 months.  We were ruined financially, and because I had kept Tracie in the dark about our finances, I almost lost my marriage.  Yet, out of all that pain, the Lord demonstrated His love for me by drawing me closer to Him, healing my relationship with Tracie, and miraculously providing an improbable career with Coca-Cola.

Since that time, I have grown in my faith and knowledge of Christ.  My Christian pilgrimage has been marked by many trials but more joys; in fact, the admonition in the book of James to “consider it all joy when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance” has certainly been borne out in my life.

My personal relationship with Christ has provided me with the three great commodities of life:  a purpose for living, freedom to do the things I ought to do (not a license to do anything I want to do), and assurance that at the end of this life, everything will be OK.