I was born the son of a Methodist minister. And that's where many people think the story ends. After all isn't a minister's kid a Christian? Not really. That's not how it works. Here is what happened.

Like most kids, especially little kids, I never paid much attention to religion or what I believed. I went to Sunday School of course. And to church. I'm not sure I ever really paid much attention even though I behaved very well. I knew the songs and when to stand, sit, sing and be quiet. But I first started thinking about God, Heaven and life after death when my mother died.

My mother had been sick for a while. I later found out that she'd been sick for 5 years. One day my father sat his four children down and told us just how sick she was. He told us that she might not come home from the hospital. That she might die. Shortly after that, she did die. I was 10 and the oldest of my parents four children. I was devastated to say the least.

Dad told us that our Mom was in heaven now. Her pain and suffering was over. Mine though just began. I was very close to my mother. Much more so to her then to my father. I began to worry that I'd never see her again. After all, like most children, I saw my mother as some sort of perfect person. Believing she was in heaven was easy. Believing that I was good enough was a lot harder.

I prayed about it. Cried about it. And never got any solid hope. I should have had hope and if I'd listened in church more perhaps I would have known the way to God. But how many really listen all that close when their father talks?

My Dad arraigned for his kids, and for many of the church's kids, to attend a Christian camp in upstate New York. The camp was called Word of Life Ranch. It was on a lake and had swimming, boating, horses, and all sorts of other wonderful treats for a city kid like myself. They also had preaching. On the first Sunday I was there I really listened to the preaching. The preacher talked about knowing, actually 100% sure knowing, about going to heaven. This was for me.

He explained that we were not good enough to go to heaven on our own. That we were all sinners. Then he gave the Good News. God loved us. All of us. And God has created a way for us to be with Him. He sent His own Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for our sins. Jesus died and rose again so that we could be with God. All we have to do is accept this gift of God into our hearts. That's it. It's a free gift and all we have to do is accept it..

The service ended with an alter call and I went forward to publicly show that I believed and that I wanted Jesus living in me. This changed my life. I now have the peace of knowing that I am one of God's children. I know that my debt is paid and that I will go to be with God one day. I've never worried about death since that day. Now I know that there was more to my mother being in heaven then just her being a good person.

Copyright Alfred C Thompson II 2007