Every new day is a gift from God

Before I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior my life had some emptiness and lack of purpose.

I remember being raised Catholic and going to Sunday school and receiving communion. I was young and I didn't understand anything that I was doing much less anything I was learning. I went through high school and started working various jobs. I never went to church unless it was Christmas or Easter. When I was 19 I got married to my first wife. I didn't even seem thrilled about it, it was her idea and I truly believe I just did it because all of her friends were married and it seemed like the thing to do. I didnt really understand the vows I had made. Even after getting married I didn't know my purpose. I knew I needed to start a career to support my wife and stepson. At 23 I became a correctional officer. I made plenty of money, I could afford to support a family but I didn't have a relationship with God. My wife and I would go out, drink, party and go to clubs. I would look at all of these women in the clubs and had lustful thoughts. I never physically cheated on my wife and I believed I was "just looking". Marriage was just a piece of paper. I regretted getting married.

My wife didn't take marriage seriously either. She met someone online and attempted to meet that person face to face. We got a divorce and I spent some time being single without a care in the world. Eventually I met my current wife and saw her love for God. She told me she was Christian and I didn't really understand what the difference was. I went to church with her and saw that she prayed directly to God. She didn't confess her sins to a priest and there was no ritual or ceremony in the delivery of the message. I immediately saw that the people at the church reached for God's grace and did not follow a strict ceremony like what I was raised to follow. I knew that I wanted to have that kind of relationship with God. My wife Rhonda led me to God by a simple invitation to her Church. I knew I was forgiven by Grace and not by works!

Even after receiving God's Grace, I still struggled with obedience. I went to church sometimes but found it easy to not go when something came up. I did find purpose though and I took my new marriage vows very seriously. I had a great job, a beautiful home and we had three kids. I remember praying to God and telling him that my success at work and in the future was on His plan and if He wanted me to be a police officer, He would see me through the academy and beyond. My purpose was to be a good husband and father to take care of the blessings He gave me (my wife and children and every other gift). He gave me the protection and wisdom to help people in a career I love.

With God I my life I had purpose, and many blessings. I still had some issues and often times I questioned His plan. Sometimes I would look up and say to God, "Are you serious?" Or "Anytime you wanna step in and fix this...." There were even times when I thought he was too busy to help me so I felt I had to accomplish things on my own. God showed Himself to me when He grabbed my wife and brought her closer to Him. I thought, wow - finally. That was one way he revealed Himself. He showed himself again in December 2014. My daughter suffered a cardiac arrest and was put on life support. Doctors didn't know whether she would survive. They didn't know if she would have brain damage if she ever woke up and they were uncertain if she would have physical or mental deficiencies if she survived. So many people prayed for my daughter and I was in such a dark place. My daughter Priscilla read scripture to Amanda as she was on life support at Stanford hospital. Priscilla read Mark 5:41 (Talitha Koum - "Little girl I say to you wake up"). As Priscilla read that scripture, Amanda opened her eyes, and she could hear and understand me.. I told her to squeeze my finger and she did. Though I would be devastated if God called my children home before me, I would know now that it is His plan and I would accept it. I am so grateful for every new day we all receive.

I have personally seen a miracle from God. My daughter's heart stopped. She received CPR for about thirty minutes. Doctors explained that 5 minutes isn't too bad and an hour of CPR was bad. They said thirty minutes is not good and they were skeptical what kind of life she would have if she survived. I'm happy to say that Amanda has no brain damage, no physical impairments and is as normal a teenager as could be minus her ability to be the star softball player she once was. God made himself known in a way I cannot ever deny. His miracle has brought my sister to become a believer too. I know that through God this life on Earth is temporary and by accepting him as Lord and Savior and that Jesus died on the cross for our sins I have been forgiven and I will have eternal life in heaven