Why *I* know God exists:

1) A predesposition to knowing there is a God through my upbringing.

2) When I divorced my first husband and was having monetary problems raising two kids on my own with hardly any child support, there were times I'd run out of food or wasn't able to pay a bill. Not really praying I'd say "God, if someone owes me some money, let them pay me now." Before I was in dire straights, there was a check in the mail for just exactly what I needed.

3) When my mother lay dying, suffering with agonal breathing, I called the minister of our church and asked him if he would come pray that God stop my mom's suffering and take her home. He came. He asked me if I would be okay if God didn't take her immediately; was I okay with GOD'S decision. After a short struggle, I had to answer "yes", not only because personally, I couldn't and wouldn't do anything about it, but mostly because I wanted to freely say "Father, not my will but YOURS" because God's plan is perfect. Within 45 minutes, my mother had stopped her suffering. My response when she failed to struggle for the next breath was "How great Thou art!!"

4) Shortly after my mom passed, I was at the cemetary putting fresh flowers on her grave. My heart was heavy but not only because of the loss of my mother. It was heavy because my only daughter was in the talons of a young man that was a replica of my first husband only worse. Not only was he a control freak, sex pervert but he used "a private prayer time" with my daughter to try and brainwash her to his needs. He was also trying to turn her as well as the college group of our church against me. They actually prayed to "bind Satan in the mind of Tomi"!

At the grave site, for the first time, I beat the ground and said "God, my rosebud, my precious first born is in YOUR hands! I don't know what to do about all of this!" A week later, my daughter, herself, broke up with this young man.

5) After my separation from Jerry, I had quite a hard struggle both emotionally and monetarily. I was staying with a friend because I had no place else to go. There was a hair's breath between me and homelessness.

My friend didn't want me getting comfortable and did some things that she knew I didn't appreciate, like watching witchcraft TV shows. During one of these times, I was walking around outside, wondering what I could do to find my own place. Out of despair and up from my gutt came "OH, GOD!!!!!!!!" Three days later, my oldest son called me and playfully let me know that he had a mobile home in mind to buy for me... my "little tin can." That's exactly what it was! It had been "manufactured" in 1960, had no insulation and only three rooms, if you want to call them that, and a bathroom.

NOW I live in a mobile home that is only 6 yrs old, has two bedrooms and is BEAUTIFUL! It has superb insulation, a heater that works, a dishwasher and other luxuries. Some may think they are necessities but not me.

My prayer wasn't really a prayer. All I did was call on God and he knew what I needed and gave it to me "shaken down, pressed down" and overflowing.

"You ask me how I know He lives"?? I KNOW He lives beyond any shadow of a doubt. I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. That He was crusified, died and rose on the third day. I believe He assended into Heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father. I believe that He will return for His Church and take us to be with Him for ever and ever. Amen.