When I was 18 I met up with my father again and spent 4 years working for him in Texas and Florida. It was a hate-hate relationship that lasted until I joined the U.S. Army in 1988. While I was in the Army I met up with some people that were the forerunners of the American Militia movement. In 1991, while waiting to be shipped out to Saudi Arabia, I was arrested for an "act of subversion and espionage directed against the United States." Even though all charges were dropped, this effectively ended my military career!
Terrified of Dying
While in Ft. Lewis, Washington I got involved in martial arts. (I don't include this to say that you can't be a Christian and do martial arts, but rather, because I can't be a Christian and do martial arts.) This involvement led me to Buddhism, Taoism and the I Ching (Taoist Tarot cards). I believed at the time that if I studied Taoism long enough I would become immortal, which was important to me because I was terrified of dying.
Martial arts became an obsession and I trained 5 to 7 hours a day, 6 days a week. I got good, but no matter how good I became, there was always someone better. So I began carrying a gun everywhere I went, and I mean everywhere. I wouldn't even take out the trash, or go to the bathroom unarmed. I was also still heavily involved with militia types and was beginning to stockpile food, military equipment and weapons. I was convinced the second American revolution was about to happen.
I realize now that what all these militia types are "flipping" about is nothing more than the tribulation prophesied in the Bible. I believe it is going to happen, and won't be stopped, no matter how many guns they buy.
Finding a Church - Finding God
In 1995 my AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) sponsor (I'd been in AA for about 14 years at the time), said to me, "Tom, if you're not happy in AA, maybe you should try God." He invited me to his church. And if you think my life was wild before I met God, you should have seen me after.
In June of '96 I began attending the church my sponsor suggested. It was a little Korean church in Colorado Springs. All of the other parishioners at the English service were married to Koreans and I really didn't fit in. In August I asked some of the people I worked with what church they attended, and I don't know what they intended to say, but when they spoke I heard the name of the church I attend now. Since some of the people I asked were good looking females, I promised I would be there the next Sunday. I have attended that same church for almost 10 years and have never seen even one of the people that told me about it, ever! That is why I believe God made me hear what He wanted me to hear when I asked the name of the church.
I don't know what was preached at my first service there, but at the end of service the Pastor gave people an opportunity to publicly accept Christ. Now I'm not saying that if your church doesn't do altar calls you're a heretic; I'm saying that before that day I never knew you had to actually decide to commit you heart to Jesus Christ. Some people can tell the hour and the day that they were saved. I know it was in late August of '96, and I got baptized in September of the same year, but I don't know the date. Since then God has been cleaning up my life.
