From Mockery to Belief: A Journey of Discovery

The following is an account of an experience that led Mark to believe in the existence of God. Mark, who previously had a different worldview, found himself in a dire situation when his airplane encountered a snowstorm at night, and he did not have enough fuel to reach the Alaskan Arctic airstrip. As his plane was running on empty for 30 minutes, the engine started misfiring, and he prepared himself to crash into the Bering Sea. Mark, who had never prayed before, lifted up a silent prayer in desperation, “If there is a God, I need your help now!”

Immediately, the plane popped out of the snowstorm, and he now had an additional 20 miles to fly with an empty fuel tank. When he landed, there was no earthly reason why his plane should have traveled that distance with no fuel. Mark believes that God added an hour of fuel to his tank. “When I landed, I was a different man. I was not a Christian, but I was a believer in God.” Mark thought about his grandmother, the Christian in the family. “So, Grandma was right; there is someone out there.”

Mark's experience is not unique, as many people struggle with the thought of God's existence. Often, it takes a life-or-death experience to bring a person to a decision. For some, it begins with the miracle of birth. As they look at the miniature, but perfect, human being in the crib who developed in nine months, they wonder if such a miracle could have happened without the intervention of a higher power. Observing their child's fingers and toes flex, or seeing the smile and excitement when their child recognizes them, causes many to ponder whether there is a God or a Creator.