A Changed Person now .........

This is a testimony on a facebook discussion board I was on with an atheist, this is from a Believer named:

Charlie Bridges:
Hope you two don't mind me dropping in on this conversation. I grew up in a quasi-christian home Lewis and didn't really pay much attention to God and faith. It wasn't un til my 40's that a traumatic event in my life got me to asking questions about life; why am I here, what the heck is going on, is there any rhyme or reason to this life? After some soul searching I decided to look more closely at faith and the possibility in God being real.

I've traveled the world Lewis, 22 countries and every state at last count. I have seen many things in nature first hand, things that most people only see on Discovery channel or some other medium. After much thought, study and observance of the world around me I had to conclude that there must be a creator, a designer of all that I see. My mind cannot wrap around the idea that all of this just came to being out of a "Big Bang". To me, evolution is ludicrous, even impossible.

Having come to the decision that there must be a creator, I decided to start searching for Him. I started of course with my original Christian faith that I grew up in. I didn't stop there though, I checked out other faiths too, dozens of them. I also started with a prayer; I just said "God, if you are real please help me to find you and to understand what I can about you. If You want me to know You, then show Yourself to me".

Since then I think I have studied over 70 religions, including various sects that call themselves Christian. I started this about 12-13 years ago Lewis and I have to tell you, the Christianity of the Bible is the only thing that makes sense to me. It's they only thing that describes my condition, the remedy for it and the hope of some day escaping a world that has gone crazy. I believe in the sinful nature of man because I have seen it in myself. I know right from wrong, and I know that no matter how much I try to do right, I still have a propensity to do wrong (sin)... even to the people I love the most. No matter how hard I try to change myself, I can't do it on my own. I fail everytime. The only thing in my life that has allowed me to change for the better is my faith in Jesus Christ. Don't ask me how that works because I can't explain it. It's just a desire to please the One who paid the price for my sins. Just to let you know, I'm not a scientist, preacher or scholar of any kind. I'm just a retired Navy man and truck driver.

Knowing that I can't do right all the time, even when I want to, makes the story of salvation make sense to me. In front of a Holy God, I need someone to take the rap for me. I need someone to bail me out.

That's when I really found God, and His love for me. When I finally admitted that I wasn't perfect, and that I couldn't measure up to this Holy and powerful God. The Bible says that if we confess our sins He will forgive us, and purify us from all unrightousness. Thus, there goes my guilt! I accept the sacrifice Jesus made for my sins, admit my weakness and ask for forgiveness, and accept His grace. In that process I have found that I become more like Jesus each day. It's slow at times, but the changes in my life for the better do happen.

That's just my experience Lewis, you'll make up your own mind. I would encourage you to "study" the Bible though, dig into it and ask God for understanding as you do. I recommend starting in the New Testament because the Old Testamnet can put you to sleep if you don't have a burning desire to ingest all you can of God's word, lol. Good luck buddy and I hope you find whatever you are looking for.

Ohh, one last thing. The USA might be the most "religious" nation, but that doesn't make it the most faithful to the truth. A lot of people walking around this country think they are Christians, their lives say otherwise.