I'm sure I will come back and edit this later, and add more to the story as I go along and it's of some importance. But, to start with you should have some idea of where I'm coming from to help you understand me.
I was born to a Catholic mother and an Agnostic father. Attended Catholic school and church through 2nd grade. My parents were divorced when I was about 5 years old. My mother remarried when I was about 7. My step-father was a Baptist so I attended Baptist church and took part in Awana's, then youth bible study in addition to regular services.
At the age of 12/13 I had an amazing experience. I was overcome with the presence of the Holy Spirit and I asked Jesus to be my personal Savior. The exact dates are not clear in my memory, only the sequence of events. A few months later my father died, he had been a huge part of my life and an adult I could always talk to, I was crushed. My step-father had always been very strict (the term today is child abuse). My mother started traveling for work a lot and the abuse got worse, I no longer had my father to turn to. Then I had an unfortunate incident in a bible study group... while talking about Revelations a member stood up and called me a heretic for my questions and thoughts on the subject. I felt cut off from any escape from my troubles, so I got angry.
I stayed angry for a very long time. I rebelled against my parents, school, the law, God. I drank and did drugs. I also started reading and searching for something to fill the void in my life. I read philosophy, attended different churches every once in a while, read about eastern religion. None of it really worked.
In 1997/8 I met and married a Catholic woman. For her to have the wedding she wanted I completed RCIA and was confirmed as a Catholic. Through it all there were things I just could not accept and sitting through services was often an exercise in frustration. I even attended a Catholic University and being surrounded by it did not make it sit right with me. After she asked for a divorce I stopped attending any church and was once again fed up with organized religion. I sank into depression and alcohol abuse.
At the end of 2007 my life took some drastic changes. I met a woman who challenged me to really think about God and my relationship with Him and to give some churches a chance. After spending hours talking/arguing with her and attending several services at various Bible based churches it finally hit me... this was exactly what had been missing from my life, a real personal relationship with Jesus.
I quit drinking in February of this year. I have slipped a couple times, but am dedicated to continuing my sobriety. I have found a church home, and I have been filled with a hunger for God's word. The prodigal son has returned.
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