Personal Statement of Faith

My first book, A Tempered Faith, was written during the time of my spiritual transition. It is the documentation of my personal journey to a greater understanding of being a Christian. My second book, A Teachable Faith, details the spiritual growth that has taken place since my conversion.

Prior to September 11, 2001, I was Biblically illiterate. My previously-Catholic upbringing consisted primarily of the knowledge that "there undoubtedly IS a God"... but my comprehension of Him was shortsighted and immature. Although I believed in God and had heard many times that Jesus was sent here to live and die for our sins, I never fully absorbed the intensity and full meaning of His sacrifice and resurrection - until after September 11. There are remnants of that spiritual immaturity in A Tempered Faith, but I believe that is part of the beauty of watching a person's journey unfold. One cannot appreciate the progression of one's faith unless they see the whole picture, spiritual ignorance and all.

Before 9/11, I did not own a Bible. Now, I hunger for the Word of God and can't get enough of it. I have fully accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, whose death and resurrection provided forgiveness for my sins and the promise of eternal life with Him. I have consecrated my life to trusting and obeying God and His will. I believe that the date of my salvation is July 17, 2002, during Jim's underwater Memorial in Grand Cayman. I am a scuba diver, and on that dive I submerged into the water as one person and surfaced as another... God had made it completely clear to me that He wants to be in total control of my life and my future, and I then invited Christ into my heart to begin the long (and ongoing) process of sanctification.  I was baptized in that church on October 5, 2003, and my spiritual growth continues every day.

God gives me many opportunities to share the Gospel with others and to spread a crucial message of hope in Christ to those who have none. God planted so many people in my life to help me through my darkest days, and I believe that He is now planting me in the lives of others. Whether it is through my books, my website, or my speaking engagements, my mission is to glorify God and to encourage others to draw closer to Him by going deeper into His Word and by a personal relationship with His Son. I know that the One who truly understands pain and loss - far more than any of us can ever fathom - will help me to accomplish that.

Doctrinal Statement

The following is my doctrinal statement (a more detailed statement is available upon request):

• I believe in a Triune God who eternally exists and manifests Himself to us in three persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit.
• I believe in the unique virgin birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ; His death and resurrection of His crucified body, His ascension into heaven, His imminent return, and His present ministry of intercession for us (1 Cor 15:1-8).
• I believe we are all sinners by nature and by choice and are therefore condemned to eternal ruin (Rom 6:23).
• I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins; and all who repent and believe in Him are justified solely on the grounds of His shed blood (Eph 2:8), and that they are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and secured until the Day of redemption.
• I believe that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, the one rule of doctrine and duty, and our only divinely-inspired and infallible guide (2 Tim 3:16).