I could no longer deny the obvious. There had to be another purpose to life than to just remain clean and sober. As a result, I began to search for something more. I began to listen to a local Christian radio station, and as I listened in, certain verses seemed to reach out to me.
Romans 5:8 - "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (NKJV)
2 Peter 3:9 - "The Lord is … not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (NKJV)
Romans 10:13 - "For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." (NKJV)
A Second Wind
Just as a long distance runner gains his second wind, I began to spiritually reawaken. In that process of reawakening, I slowly began coming to the following conclusion. God never gave up on me; I had given up on Him and by doing so, I had given up on myself.
I thought to myself, "If God has room enough to love me, He can love anybody!"
So on December 21, 1985, I walked down to the intersection of Apple Valley Road and Highway 18, threw away my last pack of cigarettes and began hitchhiking down to the New Life Chapel. I rededicated my life to Jesus Christ. As a result, I immediately became filled with God’s love and forgiveness.
Back then, a respiratory therapist who knew of my chest injuries had frequently encouraged me to pursue his field as a profession. But because of the lifestyle I had recently surfaced from, I was skeptical of ever achieving that goal. This was compounded by the fact that the respiratory therapy program would certainly make inquiries into my past.
I began praying for direction; and God gave me the strength to talk to the program director!
My confession didn't even faze him.
He said, "Yes! Of course you can enter the program. Congratulations!"
My jaw must have hit the floor. God had opened the doors of possibility in my life, and I was completely thunderstruck.
As the fall semester began, I met a beautiful blonde woman with blue eyes and a captivating smile. She was enrolled in the respiratory therapy program as well. She only lived a few blocks away from me, so we began car pooling to classes together. We eventually began going out on dates, and on January 10, 1987, Randi and I were married in a small church in San Bernardino, California. Life could not have been better.
Walking Free
In the spring of 1988 I petitioned the Court to have the conviction rendered against me when I was 18 erased from my records. I was surprised when it took all of about 30 seconds for the judge to do just that. I walked out of Court that day free from the sanctions that had been imposed on me for the past 10 years.
Then on May 7, 1988, Randi delivered our son, Vance II. This was the greatest miracle of all.
I currently hold state licensure to practice respiratory therapy in the State of Colorado. Previously I held licensure in the state of California. I have been honest and forthright about my past when applying for licensure, and even though the standards are very strict, I have never been denied. I have been in the respiratory therapy profession for the past 17 years. Although the pay is modest, the rewards for serving the community are undeniably a blessing.
You see, God truly is a God of miracles.
There are life choices and the consequences that occur because of those choices. Smart choices are not necessarily the easy or fast ones. I encourage you to make the smart choices.
If you feel you are beyond the point of salvation, I want to tell you that God never gave up on me! He certainly will never give up on you. No matter how far down you are in life, God is willing to meet you there and bring you out.
Psalms 18:16-17 - "He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me." (NIV)
May God receive all the glory for His love, His compassion and His longsuffering quest to rescue us all out of our own deep waters.
