It was the year 1975. In Germany while serving in the U.S. Army and being deeply involved in the drug culture, I attended an a dorm party with about 10 other men. All of us had quantities of different kinds and sorts of hashish and hash oil.

One night while partying with different drugs, including hash and opium, I felt despondent. While lying there in the floor of the dorm room I started rising out of my body.

I was not afraid at all -- only filled with wonder. As I started to float toward the ceiling I could see my body lying there, as well as everyone else in the room.

As soon as my back came to ceiling level I started flying through what appeared to be a tunnel spiraling fast. There it was: just like I would imagine flying through a copper tube with a myriad of different levels of light and colors. I started to slow down and saw planets and stars whizzing past me.

Then I saw darkness in front of me and felt a presence so powerful that I had to lay back and try to relax every fiber of my being to be able to survive being in the presence of that power, and I suddenly felt the strongest love that I had ever felt filling me with such force of the love that I had been engulfed by it completely.

I was asked if I wanted to stay or go back. I wanted to stay, but something within me became doubtful. Then I was given a vision of two small children; a little girl and a younger boy and what they would look like.

I had a sense of a woman or wife involved but felt that she was out of the picture. As soon as I had seen this in my mind and realized the consequence of it, I made up my mind to return.

As soon as I had completed that very thought, I darted flying back and appeared before my body in an instant. I turned around and sank back into my body and sat straight up so fast that it jarred all in the room with surprise. I was completely sober and collected, and felt full of joy and love. I knew that I had just met God.

Later, I did end up getting married and adopting my wife’s young daughter. We had a son together, as well. Although we went through many hardships as a family (including divorce after my wife left), now all of us are Christians growing daily in our faith with God and are thankful for the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Spirit of God began transforming my life that day when I went through that tunnel, and now He has brought me peace of mind, love in my heart, the strength to deal with the trials and hardships I’ve had to face, and a sense of contentment with whatever situation that I encounter. I’ve learned that the more that I die to myself and live for God, giving glory and honor to Him, the more love that I have within my heart. God is Good! God is Love! Praise God!