Have you ever asked if there was a god? If so, Have you ever asked who is god? I have asked these two questions and I've come to the conclusion that there is a god. I've read, heard and seen stories that convince me that there must be a god. I was intrigued enough to ask who this god is. Because, I'd like to know. That started me on a journey to collect the stories about people who have encountered god. I'm gathering first h ...
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Mike was raised in a loosely religious family, first encountering Christ at a Bible Camp. While he chose to be baptized as a teenager, his faith remained surface level, seeing it more as a ticket to heaven than a true relationship. It wasn’t until the tragic events of 9/11 that he began to take these questions of faith seriously. Shortly after, a former teammate reconnected with him and offered mentorship, guiding him through the Gospel of John and helping him grasp his faith's true meaning. This transformative experience led Mike and his wife to commit to their lives to Christ together, strengthening their faith and marriage. Years later, Mike and his wife were forced to deal with the tragic loss of their teenage son, Cole, in an accident. While grappling with profound grief, they received unexpected comfort through a woman who shared a spiritually vivid dream she had had about their son that brought them peace and strengthened their commitment to live out their faith and share God’s love with others. "He’s my savior. He's my friend. He's my counselor. He's my comforter. He's my God, you know, he is my hope. Without him, I look around and I just think, man, if I did not have the Lord to lean on right now and, and seek advice and wisdom and, and comfort from in this crazy world… I just can't imagine what this life would be like right now. I mean, this would be a terrible place to live, wouldn’t it?”
Mark grew up in a home devoid of love. Despite attending a Seventh-day Adventist school, the spiritual teachings of his childhood felt distant and irrelevant compared to the harshness of his home life. His father was emotionally and physically abusive, referring to Mark and his brother as "slaves" and beating them for minor infractions if his rules were not kept. One particularly traumatic incident involved Mark being severely beaten for eating “too much deli meat,” further instilling a sense of worthlessness that permeated much of his early life. This sense of feeling worthless defined Mark for much of his childhood, resulting in apathy and failing grades in school, despite the reprieve school and church had been from the abuse of home. Mark even attempted to take his own life, though the grace of God saved him. It wouldn’t be until Mark was 23 when his best friend, a recent Christian convert, told Mark that he valued him and wanted him to study the Bible together. Mark eagerly agreed and learned that God was real and actively pursuing a relationship with him, something he had never experienced before. Today, Mark works as a site director for Youth for Christ, mentoring middle school students. His past experiences allow him to connect deeply with young people who are struggling, especially those contemplating suicide. “Who is God to you?” “The friend who chose me first.” You can check out the amazing work Mark and others are doing over at Youth for Christ.
Graham Stanford grew up in Yorkshire, England. He did not grow up in a churched environment, or have any longing to pursue faith or church; his only love was soccer. Yet, despite being involved in soccer, he desired to seek and find truth in his life. While attending a youth club, a friend introduced him to Christ, leading him to embrace faith after learning about Jesus’ message: "I am the way, the truth, and the life." With an emphasis the “greatest life" he found in the fulfilling promise and direction of Christ, Stanford founded “Greatest Life Ministries” to spread this message to others. The ministry revolves around sharing the gospel and empowering individuals to live this greatest life through Christ. Graham has been sharing this message for over 60 years, traveling and speaking, especially to young people. Join the Greatest Life Ministries team as they discuss the amazing work God is doing through them, some of their major faith inspirations, and living out a practical Christian life. Check out Greatest Life Ministries
Steve grew up in a coastal lake district community in Northeast England, the son of a miner and member of a large family. He experienced a significant transformation when he encountered Christianity during his college years. Feeling isolated after a delayed start to his college experience due to a heart condition, Steve met Malcolm, a Christian whose friendship and acceptance lit a spark in Steve to explore his faith. Throughout those college years, Steve found Christ’s presence becoming more real in his life, shifting his perception of God from distant and powerless to loving and present, and would even lead him to pursue ministry as a vocation. Steve met Gloria at a Bible study group he led in a local Anglican church after finishing Cape Ray Bible School. They grew to be close friends before eventually getting married. Their marriage and family were rooted in their faith, with Gloria stepping away from her job as a midwife to assist in Steve’s ministry. After a series of health complications, Gloria was diagnosed with and eventually lost her life to cancer. Despite the immense grief, Steve found strength in God, feeling closest to Him during this painful time. Steve’s experiences of personal pain, financial struggles, and loss only deepened his reliance on the lavish grace of God, which he now shares with others through his writing and testimony.
Rick grew up in a traditional Christian family in Norfolk, Nebraska. He grew up attending church regularly, learning Bible stories, and eagerly learning about God. While he believed, and his faith was sincere, it wasn’t until later that his relationship with God went from traditional to personal. He attended college in Kansas, where he became involved in campus ministries and, soon after graduating, went on a life-changing mission trip to Egypt. This experience shifted his perspective, allowing him to see a more global, less “Americanized” view of Christianity in a part of the world where such beliefs were persecuted. It was here where his faith started to evolve as he began to understand God’s guidance and that knowing about God was not the same as truly knowing Him. After returning to the U.S., Rick worked in the agriculture industry, moving between states like Minnesota and Wisconsin before eventually returning to Nebraska and settling down with his wife, Jackie, after meeting at a church singles group. As an adult, Rick understood Jesus not only as his Savior but as his Lord, and how his faith evolved from something inherited and practiced out of routine to something deeply personal and transformative. This deeper connection with God, built on trust and reliance, allowed him to see God's presence not only in major life events but also in the small, everyday moments. “God is very personal. As we've talked about the depth and how the personal side of God just resonates with me more than anything else. He is there in the little things. He's there in the big things, too. He has everything. But at the same time, we sometimes forget that he's there in the small, seemingly insignificant things that develop, like the conversations and who you meet.”