I don't know how to begin this story, so I'll just begin with this: I was lost and dying. Not a physical death, but a spiritual and emotional death. I wished I could die.

I began to pray, to plead to God to help me. I didn't know what I believed, or even if I believed. I just knew I wanted to die. I didn't know how much longer I would last. And so I began to pray, plead for patience and healing, to know the truth and recieve understanding.

And so I left my home to go on a journey. I practically fled, I was so desprete to get away from my hurts and fears. My daughter and I flew two thousand miles to visit my friends and family in my home town.

The first pray that was answered was that for patience. Anyone who prays for patience should know, it will be tried! My connecting flight was delayed twice, and then canceled. My daughter and I stood in a line for over three hours to be told we could get a flight the next afternoon and would have to spend the night in a hotel in Cherry Hill, NJ. God must have gifted me with patience to endure all the frustrations of getting through that flight.

When we finally got to our destination, Jade and I had a wonderful reunion my my father and best friend. Our only bag had been left in Philadelpia, but no big deal. Who needs clothes and diapers anyway, right?

While staying with my parents, I began to pray often, searching for an answer, searching for the truth. I needed a miracle to help me carry on with my life. And a miracle I recieved.

While driving down the road one afternoon, shortly after I arrived, I noticed a sign on the edge of the road. It said, "Return to the Lord. Thursday, Friday, Saturday. 7:00 PM."

"Hmmm..." I thought. "That might be fun." It looked like a tent revival, and I figured it would be good entertainment at the very least.

So the following Thursday I pulled into the feild and walked up to the tent. It wasn't too big, and there were only a little more than a half dozen vehicles. I went in and sat down in the back. What a surprise! It was like nothing I had ever been to or imagined before. It was like God himself was there before me, telling me the truth- that he was a gentleman, and wouldn't force me to do anything. That he was the Supreme Creator, and loved me for the person I am. That the wisdom of the world is nothing compared to the foolishness of God. And I believed.

Yet, I still tried to resist, to say, "No, it isn't true. I don't believe. If he were real life wouldn't feel like this. I wouldn't hurt so bad, there wouldn't be so much pain around us. I stuck around after the service, just thinking, waiting. I told God, "I'll just stay here until something happens. I'm waiting, you tell me what to do."

Several people who had attended the service called over to me, asked me where I was going. I don't remember what I said, but we began to talk. Jesse invited me to pray, and I said no, I didn't think so. So we continued to talk. As we talked, thunder and lightening began in the distance. Matthew asked me, "Who do you think created all this, the clouds, the rain, the lightening?"

Just then, the impossible happened! POW! Lightening crashed down, blinding me. Shock coursed though me, shoting through my head and down into my back. It began to pour buckets of rain down upon us. I was stunned, and got ready to walk back to my car and go home. Three of us prayed, and I began to walk to my car. It truely is a miracle. I believe I was struck by lightening that Thursday night. And I lived to talk about it.

Matthew invited me to come to his home to visit for a little while. I accepted, and drove next door to his home. We talked for almost three hours. It was amazing. I didn't feel that certainty that God himself was speaking to me anymore, but my heart was healed of some of its pain. My Brothers and Sisters showed me the error of my thoughts and hurts, revealing the truth. "The truth shall set you free." And I believe it has.

God is there for me, just waiting for me to accept his invitation into his loving arms. I am amazed! It is a miracle. I have seen the truth and the light and been touched by God. I don't need a religion, I need a RELATIONSHIP! It's true. God loves me. It may not want to give up something, but that's OK. God is patient; he'll wait for an eternity for me to realize his truth.

What a relief! All I have to do is ask, and I shall receive! If I need patience, understanding, truth, hope, faith, good health. I just need to ask with a sincere heart. And I shall recieve.

What a wonderful blessing. I say this in the name of my Lord and Savior: Jesus is real. Either he is the Son of God or he was a complete lunatic. One or the other. I am here to testify that the man Jesus the Christ IS the begotten Son of God, our Savior and Messiah. God is real and he is asking you into his Home. All you have to do is welcome him into your hear.

I say these words in the name of God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen.