God has proven to me that His word is true and His way is best. This process began for me in 1984 at the age of 29, when I realized that in spite of my best efforts, I was a failure.  My youthful dreams and ideals had been shattered, and the road ahead looked hopeless and dreary.

Since doing things my way and trying to meet other's expectations had failed to bring about the good life for which I yearned, I desperately considered whether there was any other hope or possibility.  It immediately came to mind that there was one option remaining which I had never tried:  doing things God's way.  Since I felt I had nothing to lose, and that there was at least a slight possibility that God's way might actually make a difference, I made a conscious decision to say "Yes" to His invitation to "Follow Me!"  I knew this meant actually putting into practice the things that Jesus taught, rather than just going to church and studying them and talking about them.

Although I was a regular church-goer, this event of being "born from above" did not happen in a religious service.  I was sitting in my rocking chair, despondent, alone in my room.  I hadn't been reading the Bible, nor did I read the Bible for several months thereafter.  I simply made a decision to try doing things God's way.  Then while still sitting in my room, I asked God what He wanted me to do.  I was braced for a long list of do's and don'ts, and even felt a twinge of self-righteousness in the thought that I was going to do a bunch of Godly things.

To my surprise, I did "hear" a silent but clear instruction.  Instead of a list of things for me to do, it was only one command, and that command was only two words long.

So do you think I was happy and relieved that God only requested one thing of me, instead of throwing the Book of the Law at me?  No!  Because what He commanded me to do was the last thing I felt like doing. 

Here is what I heard:  LOVE [a specific person].

Now this person who God specifically called by name (I prefer not to mention it for the person's sake) was not very lovable from my perspective.  In fact, most of the pain and sorrow I had suffered during the previous 10 years was within a relationship with the person, and I had abundant proof of many wrongs.  I felt very indignant at God for expecting me to love a person who I perceived to be mean, selfish, etc.  I passionately protested, thinking that God would say, "Yeah, you're right, you can forget about what I just said."  But when I paused to listen for God's response, I heard "LOVE ______" even more clearly, in that quiet-Spirit way.  By now I was downright mad, and I began to voice all my complaints, and my opinions about how God should be telling the person to love ME, not vice versa.  When I finally finished my second protest and listened, the command to "LOVE _______" was repeated with even greater urgency.  At that point I said, "Okay" and broke down and wept, partly in self-pity and partly in the relief of giving in to something I had been fighting for so long.

My next question was "How?"  Over the next few months, and in the years since, God has taught me about His love through showing me how to love this person, and showing me how much He loves this person.  It has been a tremendous challenge, one which I failed at as often as I succeeded.  It has now been eighteen years since I made the decision to "Love my enemy", and they have been years filled with adventure, challenge, fun, fulfillment and faith-stretching situations.  The Lord has faithfully led me step-by-step out of the hellish, sorrowful, failed life I had made for myself into a good life in Him.  When I obey and follow Him, I have joy and peace--even in the midst of conflict.  When I don't obey, I have troubles and conflict even in the midst of comfort and convenience.