silverfang82's 1997 Plymouth Breeze

Although I was raised in the church, I always felt that I was "too smart" or "too rational" to believe in God. The '97 shooting at my high school further cemented my resolve: I was never, EVER going to call myself "Christian." So I moved to Oklahoma and went to college. Soon, however, I found myself unable to pay tuition, living in a gang neighborhood, carrying a gun and smoking weed all day. I thought I was happy like that until I was almost killed in a drive-by. I realized that I would end up dead or in jail soon if I didn't get out of the 'hood, so I joined the Army. I partied every night and every weekend, until one day I woke up in a hotel room, hungover, only to find out that I had gone AWOL at some point during that week. Cursing myself for being a stupid drunk, I reached into the drawer beside the bed, looking for my gun. I was going to end it all right then. But instead of a pistol, my hand found a Bible. I was furious, but was too depressed to do anything but sit there and cry. I had been thinking for years that God had turned his back on me, while the truth was exactly the opposite: I had been running from God, but he had been right there with me the entire time. It was then that I got right with God.I faced the consequences of my actions (dishonorable discharge), and moved back to my hometown, and eventually was able to make amends with my family by the grace of God.