My Journey with God — Part 2

How it all begun… Part 2

Money, money, money…

“Money, money, money. Must be funny. In the rich man’s world,” sung by the famous band ABBA.

It sure is!

My business partner, who I trusted and considered a friend, scammed me by secretly borrowing money from multiple banks and fleeing with all the funds, while I believed our business was thriving.

At the age of 22, it left me in debt and no viable business…

What comes next is movie material…

Getting a visit from the Federal Police

The doorbell rang…

The people at the door told me they were from the Federal Police and came inquiring about my so-called friend, because he was wanted for scamming several banks.

While they did not tell me directly, it was clear the way they were questioning me; they were trying to figure out if I was an accomplice.

During that conversation, I found out my friend had connections with the Belgian mob.

He embezzled money from them and needed even more money to run away from them, all the way to the Philippines I found out later by investigation.

Scared as hell, not so much of the Federal Police, because I knew I was innocent and also a victim, but of a visit of the Belgian maffia.

All those mob movies, where you are dragged to a dark cellar, beaten up till you tell them what they want to hear ending up dead, became a scary reality in my mind.

Only saw one way out…

Committing suicide.

My best friend, who found me almost naked, sitting in a corner shivering and numb with the main window in my living room open, brought me to the hospital.

My life took a pivot when I was in the waiting room till it was my turn to see the shrink.

I was mad at myself. You have two choices; I told myself. Either you jump out of the window now and your miserable life is over, or you going to live the life you want.

I chose the latter…

Meeting my wife.

After my “unsuccessful” encounter with Jehovah’s Witnesses, I met a woman who would become my wife and mother of my children.

While cleaning the apartment, she also rearranged the furniture, making it feel you entered the wrong floor and apartment when you come home. 😎

She had found the Bible, the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures.

Asked me if I believed in God.

I told her I did, but that I had put Him on the bookshelf for a while. (you can take that literally)

She believed in God too and had friends who were part of the Seventh Day Adventists.

She asked me if I was interested in going to one of their services.

I agreed to go.

9 years of Adventism

A warm welcome made us stay 9 years member of the Seventh Day Adventist community.

We got both baptized, married in the church. We lived as much as possible God’s way, never without sin though. We were a happy family.

But then…

My wife got a mental breakdown, had to be hospitalized.

In that period she met another man there, with whom she committed adultery.

While the pastor of my church would understand if would leave my wife, I wanted to fight for my family.

But something had broken and a year later she left me for yet another man. This time I could not forgive, with a divorce as an inevitable outcome.

I handled third world help within the church, but since I was in the middle of a divorce and no longer “an example of the community” I had to stop doing that.

I had a hard time with my divorce. My work for God was one thing that kept me going.

Each time at the weekly service, it felt like I was treated like an outcast, not really welcome anymore, while I needed them desperately.

I stopped going to the church…and put God back on the bookshelf.

To be continued…

All the best,

Luc