Religion and piety were a mainstay in our life. I was diligent in all the religious sacraments of the Catholic Church and believed therefore that I was a good person. I even traveled to Anchorage to see Pope John Paul II and was allowed to participate in his mass.

But I grew up and saw how shallow it all was, with all the hypocrisy and uncertainty. I was confused as to which way the great 'balance-in-the-sky' was leaning. If I died, would I go to Heaven or to Hell? Unfortunately, nothing in my life changed. I continued to live a sinful life. I lied, cheated, was arrogant and rebellious. In all this I could not change - even with the confessions - I could find no reconciliation, no comfort. I had no peace with this God I served, and didn't know if all I was doing was good enough. Hell was not where I wanted to end up, because I wasn't a bad person; but could I know for certain I'd go to Heaven?

Later when I was in college my parents (Mom and StepDad) got saved. They were now 'born-again' Christians. What was all of this about? I had to know if they had gone crazy. I then began attending for many months the Bible study that they had now at their house [which is where I met Cathy]. It was led by their pastor, a Baptist preacher and retired New Tribes missionary, who was an undeniable man of God. He was always careful to respond to my questions from only the Bible. He never gave me his opinion - only what the Word of God said. This really fustrated me because I could only get angry with God and not him.

So one night Pastor Frank Snyder led me through the Bible showing me that I was a lost sinner and destined for Hell. This I had no problem accepting, I could not lie and say my life was perfect. Quite the contrary, I was an unholy terror in College. Then he showed me that there was no way possible for me to save myself or earn my salvation. All of those good deeds I had done, just worthless, filthy rags in the eyes of God Almighty. But the Lord God loved me enough to allow His Son Jesus Christ to die on the Cross of Calvary - in my place - to pay the full penalty for my sins. And then he told me that I needed to make a decision to trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary to be sufficient payment for John O'Brien's sins. So that night - June 5th of 1986 at 1:20 A.M. - I received God's free gift of eternal life through Christ by placing my faith alone in what He had done for me.

Then as the months rolled by I started to notice some peculiar changes beginning in my life. I had a real confidence in my eternal security, because it rested on Christ's cross and not on what I did or could do. God began to remove the bonds and chains of sin from my life. Pride was being replaced with humility in my heart. Honesty became a conviction in my life. I really was "born again", living a new life, being a new creature in the Lord Jesus Christ.

I was baptized later that summer. It marked a real turning point in my young Christian life. I began to reap His blessings of spiritual joy and love. I had direct access to the Living God and I finally had peace with Him. I passed fromknowing all about God & Jesus to really knowing God and Jesus Christ -personally!

By John O'Brien

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