I always thought I did. I'd grown up in church. I told myself I did, but in truth, I didn't. Things had always been fine. Growing up, I wanted for very little. I always felt a bit out of place, like I wasn't quite the fit I needed to be in order to feel universally accepted. But, other than that, there were no needs that I couldn't meet on my own, or have met by those around me.

Until the summer of 1994.

Prompted by two years of high-school German classes, my family elected to take a trip to Deutschland and its neighboring countries. This would be a driving trip; the four of us would cover 2200 miles in two weeks--beginning in Frankfurt, and looping down through Switzerland and Austria. Completely stepping out in the spirit of adventure, and a profound level of naivete, we boarded the plane and arrived 16 hours later. And then reality smacked me in the face.

Nobody spoke English. Once we traversed beyond the perimeter of the Frankfurt airport, and subsequently got lost on the Autobahn, we landed in the sleepy hamlet of Waldlaubersheim. It was a Sunday, and the only establishment doing business, oddly, was the post office. After twenty minutes of literally sketching out a map to the next town with the monolingual woman behind the counter (German-speaking only, natch), I inhaled deeply as we got in the car, and didn't exhale until we were back in the States.

During this time, the air in our rented Ford Escort was heated. Frustration ran high, largely because of the language barrier and our complete unfamiliarity with the geography. We could often be found driving through the Black Forest at 11:30 at night, not knowing where we were going to stay. We were completely alone, and had nothing and no one to guide us.

I guess you could say I had one of those "God, if You're there..." moments. In fact, I believe I spoke those words verbatim, though not so loud that anyone would have heard. It was Germany's hottest summer in 90 years. The Escort didn't have air conditioning. The windows were all down, and we were going 100 miles an hour. Nobody would have heard. No way.

And then we came upon a bed-and-breakfast. Total coincidence--and about freakin' time, I told myself.

Same story the next day: out of our element (as usual) and keeping late hours. Just as we're losing all hope, my eyes turn outward, and I mumble the same words under my breath. And then, another coincidence. Awesome. Let's get some sleep.

Don't get me wrong--it wasn't as bad as all that. During the day, when we found our intended destinations, we bore witness to some amazing architecture, landscapes, and natural beauty--some of the most unbelieveable imagery I've ever taken in. Truly, this was God's country.

How appropriate.

The exasperated pleas to God kept coming, more than thirty in total during the trip, and every one was answered within ten minutes. Every single one. Had it only happened three or four times, it never would have registered with me. But it finally got to the point where I thought, "what's going on?" This unseen God, upon whom I had never needed to call, was suddenly right there, half a world away. And though I couldn't see Him or even hear His voice, I had evidence of His existence that I couldn't deny.

Simply put, I found Jesus at 100 miles per hour on the Autobahn.

But, let me backtrack...

Wondering if there's more to life?
Not sure if you're going to Heaven?
Need somebody to talk to?

You can start a personal relationship with Jesus right now! Within one minute, you can have the answers to these and any other questions you've ever had.

This doesn't have anything to do with anyone else. This has nothing to do with what your parents say or believe. This isn't about what your friends believe. It doesn't matter where you've been, or in what context you've grown up. Every person on the planet is one of God's children, created by Him. And, like a good father, He wants to know you--personally, one-on-one. He's already extended the invitation...all you have to do is reach out and accept it. It's just between you and God.

Here's the simple invitation--just read the bold print, and say it to God (and I'll explain each part as we go):

Jesus, I am a sinner.
You are a sinner. Hey, so am I. Everyone is. But it's okay, and it's awesome to just confess that. God loves it when we lay the truth out like that. Just say it out loud.

I've fallen short of Your glory.
Again, it's totally true...and there's nothing God would rather hear. It's such a relief to just admit that, because then, we're not trying to dodge God--or, worse, lie to Him. If you're holding off because you think, at this point, God's going to wave it in your face, just do it. God's not like that. We have to get this stuff out before we can move on. And the road ahead is so, so awesome--believe me!

Thank You for dying for my sins.
You hear that a lot..."Jesus died for your sins." But here's what it means: when Jesus died on the cross, He took our sins, which would have otherwise separated us from hanging with God in Heaven forever, with Him. He's already forgiven every sin you've ever committed. All Jesus wants is for you recognize that and believe it. That's it.

I'm tired of doing this on my own.
You are, aren't you? There are so many unanswered questions in our lives, so many choices we have to make. God knows the answer to all your questions, and knows which choice you should make. God is totally ready to give you the answers! With God, you're not on your own anymore--He's got your back, every step of the way.

Jesus, come into my life.
Whoa--big statement there. What does this mean? What's Jesus going to do once He comes into my life? What do I have to do once Jesus comes into my life?
Relax--like everything else, God has that under control, too. It's an invitation. When you invite a friend over, you don't always know what the two of you will do--and you don't have to. It just happens, right? It's the same with Jesus. He just wants to come inside, and He'll soon become your best friend.

Take control of my life from this point forth.
Here's where you start letting go of the steering wheel a little. But, honestly, hasn't the ride been a little bumpy up till now? Many people worry that once they accept Jesus, God's going to immediately send them into a monastery, or to a foreign nation to die for their country in a religious war. But God loves variety, and He created you the way you are for a specific reason. God loves you for who you are. What's more, check out Psalm 37:4:

"Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."

If you've just prayed this prayer from your heart for the first time, tell me about it! You have just made the single greatest decision you will ever make in your life, and you will be amazed at how each area of your life improves exponentially as God begins working with you and in you!

ALSO INCLUDED WITH THIS PRAYER:
- Total assurance that you'll spend eternity in Heaven with Jesus
- 24/7 access to God's perfect wisdom and strength
- promise of a new, completely awesome life

So hang on!

However, later that day, I went into work and recounted the details of the video. Surprisingly, several of my co-workers vehemently backed this theory up. Later on, when I asked my mom, she couldn't say for sure that the world wasn't going to end in the year 2000.

Then, seeking answers, I read the Book of Revelations, which--at that time--was the worst thing I could have done.

Freaking out at the prospect of being dead at the age of 22 (thrown into a lake of fire, no less), therefore being robbed of a long and eventful life, I met with my youth pastor, Chip Huber. He said, "I don't know whether the world will end then, either. But I know where I'm going."

I didn't know. And it was terrifying. I had to make a choice. I had six years to live, and by the time the hourglass' sand ran out, I had to know that I was going to Heaven.

After Germany, I went to the mountains of Colorado with my youth group. During one evening, we were standing in a circle, praying, when one of our guides interrupted.

"Guys, I'm sorry, but you just have to see this."

We opened our eyes and turned to see the setting sun striking the mountain across the way, illuminating its rock face in an electric red hue. The contrast between the mountain and the blue sky behind it was breathtaking. The guide continued.

"We're probably the only twelve people on the planet who are getting to see this right now. God painted this amazing picture, just for us."

And, standing there, looking at that bright red mountainside, I heard God's voice. It was the voice I didn't know I was hearing in Germany, and it suddenly sounded so real. Quietly--wordlessly, actually--I asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Nobody made me do it, but it was time. And life suddenly got amazing.