Last night I believe I was touched by god. I have been an atheist my whole life.

I am so glad you now believe in God! Very good! Have you read the New Testsment at all? Would you like to?

Hi Aaron and welcome to CF!

Your testimony mirrors mine so much! I literally had those same experiences. I was a big time atheist more into science than anything. I always denied God existed, made fun of my Christian friends, etc. Then I started to have a mental crisis where I started getting these major panic attacks over the idea of dying. I didn't want to die and simply blink out of existence. I want to keep experiencing the life I'm meant to live and spend an eternity with God and loved ones.

I did try other things before coming to Christianity. I got into psychics and the occult before a friend invited me to church. A week later I accepted Christ as my Savior and never looked back. My panic attacks eventually went away.

If you ever have any questions about faith, God, apologetics, etc, my PM box is open! I had a long journey after becoming a Christian of trying to set aside my skeptical, atheist mind and adopt faith. Maybe I can be useful

Aaron West said:

Testimony


Last night I believe I was touched by god and it was the most amazing thing I’ve ever experienced. Let me start out by saying I have been an atheist for my whole life, all 38 years of it. I’ve always been a science guy. I have suffered from extreme depression and anxiety for my my whole life. The debilitated kind. Lately my depression had been extra bad because I was constantly battling the thought of what happens when we die. What happens to all of our relationships with loved ones when we die? Do my memories of loved ones vanish? This was causing me tremendous stress. The past few days I have been watching youtube videos on life after death experiences, I noticed a lot of them were the same. Many people report floating outside their bodies on the operating table when they are close to death. This proves your consciousness can exist outside your physical body which proves we have a soul. Last night I watched YouTube videos on god which lead me to downloading bible app and reading a verse. I was reading the verses in my head but then started to read them out loud. When I read them out loud, of a sudden there Is this over whelming feeling of truth that god was real and that we are all one with everything. I felt this power and love. I began to cry uncontrollably forcing me to take breaks from reading the verse. When I starting reading the verse again, the whole experience started again. I decided to keep pushing through, to continue reading the verse. I began to feel as though I was kneeling before god. I can't explain it but I know he's real and I know his love is extremely powerful. I felt as though everyone on this planet was connected. I was laying flat on my stomach on my bed and it felt like I was kneeling before god. I kept saying out loud “ I’m so sorry, I didn’t know, I’m so sorry, I had no idea”. I felt like I was part of it, part of something ancient, like I was ancient too. The love and sense of awareness, was so strong, I almost couldn’t take it. The power was so strong and intense, I felt like I was not worthy of his presence, I cried some more very intensely. I felt so sorry for not knowing this before. The experience felt familiar, like I had kneeled before him before, like I was home. This Sunday I will attend church. I am going to make an effort from now on to work on my relationship with god.

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Hi; make sure that you acquired a daily Bible reading habit! don't just take 'the church's' or 'the clergy's' word for things; check it out in God's Word for yourself!

John's Gospel and the Epistle to the Hebrews - and Psalms 46 and 90 - are great reading!

Hi aaron,

Truly God moves in mysterious and merciful ways for us. Do you have any understanding of what the Scriptures teach us about the person and the purpose of Jesus?

God bless,
In Christ, ted

Aaron West said:

Testimony


Last night I believe I was touched by god and it was the most amazing thing I’ve ever experienced. Let me start out by saying I have been an atheist for my whole life, all 38 years of it. I’ve always been a science guy. I have suffered from extreme depression and anxiety for my my whole life. The debilitated kind. Lately my depression had been extra bad because I was constantly battling the thought of what happens when we die. What happens to all of our relationships with loved ones when we die? Do my memories of loved ones vanish? This was causing me tremendous stress. The past few days I have been watching youtube videos on life after death experiences, I noticed a lot of them were the same. Many people report floating outside their bodies on the operating table when they are close to death. This proves your consciousness can exist outside your physical body which proves we have a soul. Last night I watched YouTube videos on god which lead me to downloading bible app and reading a verse. I was reading the verses in my head but then started to read them out loud. When I read them out loud, of a sudden there Is this over whelming feeling of truth that god was real and that we are all one with everything. I felt this power and love. I began to cry uncontrollably forcing me to take breaks from reading the verse. When I starting reading the verse again, the whole experience started again. I decided to keep pushing through, to continue reading the verse. I began to feel as though I was kneeling before god. I can't explain it but I know he's real and I know his love is extremely powerful. I felt as though everyone on this planet was connected. I was laying flat on my stomach on my bed and it felt like I was kneeling before god. I kept saying out loud “ I’m so sorry, I didn’t know, I’m so sorry, I had no idea”. I felt like I was part of it, part of something ancient, like I was ancient too. The love and sense of awareness, was so strong, I almost couldn’t take it. The power was so strong and intense, I felt like I was not worthy of his presence, I cried some more very intensely. I felt so sorry for not knowing this before. The experience felt familiar, like I had kneeled before him before, like I was home. This Sunday I will attend church. I am going to make an effort from now on to work on my relationship with god.

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Praise the Lord. Now, please share this with unbelievers .

Aaron West said:

Testimony


Last night I believe I was touched by god and it was the most amazing thing I’ve ever experienced. Let me start out by saying I have been an atheist for my whole life, all 38 years of it. I’ve always been a science guy. I have suffered from extreme depression and anxiety for my my whole life. The debilitated kind. Lately my depression had been extra bad because I was constantly battling the thought of what happens when we die. What happens to all of our relationships with loved ones when we die? Do my memories of loved ones vanish? This was causing me tremendous stress. The past few days I have been watching youtube videos on life after death experiences, I noticed a lot of them were the same. Many people report floating outside their bodies on the operating table when they are close to death. This proves your consciousness can exist outside your physical body which proves we have a soul. Last night I watched YouTube videos on god which lead me to downloading bible app and reading a verse. I was reading the verses in my head but then started to read them out loud. When I read them out loud, of a sudden there Is this over whelming feeling of truth that god was real and that we are all one with everything. I felt this power and love. I began to cry uncontrollably forcing me to take breaks from reading the verse. When I starting reading the verse again, the whole experience started again. I decided to keep pushing through, to continue reading the verse. I began to feel as though I was kneeling before god. I can't explain it but I know he's real and I know his love is extremely powerful. I felt as though everyone on this planet was connected. I was laying flat on my stomach on my bed and it felt like I was kneeling before god. I kept saying out loud “ I’m so sorry, I didn’t know, I’m so sorry, I had no idea”. I felt like I was part of it, part of something ancient, like I was ancient too. The love and sense of awareness, was so strong, I almost couldn’t take it. The power was so strong and intense, I felt like I was not worthy of his presence, I cried some more very intensely. I felt so sorry for not knowing this before. The experience felt familiar, like I had kneeled before him before, like I was home. This Sunday I will attend church. I am going to make an effort from now on to work on my relationship with god.

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What an amazing testimony! I hope you enjoy going to church on Sunday!
I'm so glad you are going to pursue a relationship with God! Know that He loves you and wants a relationship with you too

Aaron West said:

Testimony


Last night I believe I was touched by god and it was the most amazing thing I’ve ever experienced. Let me start out by saying I have been an atheist for my whole life, all 38 years of it. I’ve always been a science guy. I have suffered from extreme depression and anxiety for my my whole life. The debilitated kind. Lately my depression had been extra bad because I was constantly battling the thought of what happens when we die. What happens to all of our relationships with loved ones when we die? Do my memories of loved ones vanish? This was causing me tremendous stress. The past few days I have been watching youtube videos on life after death experiences, I noticed a lot of them were the same. Many people report floating outside their bodies on the operating table when they are close to death. This proves your consciousness can exist outside your physical body which proves we have a soul. Last night I watched YouTube videos on god which lead me to downloading bible app and reading a verse. I was reading the verses in my head but then started to read them out loud. When I read them out loud, of a sudden there Is this over whelming feeling of truth that god was real and that we are all one with everything. I felt this power and love. I began to cry uncontrollably forcing me to take breaks from reading the verse. When I starting reading the verse again, the whole experience started again. I decided to keep pushing through, to continue reading the verse. I began to feel as though I was kneeling before god. I can't explain it but I know he's real and I know his love is extremely powerful. I felt as though everyone on this planet was connected. I was laying flat on my stomach on my bed and it felt like I was kneeling before god. I kept saying out loud “ I’m so sorry, I didn’t know, I’m so sorry, I had no idea”. I felt like I was part of it, part of something ancient, like I was ancient too. The love and sense of awareness, was so strong, I almost couldn’t take it. The power was so strong and intense, I felt like I was not worthy of his presence, I cried some more very intensely. I felt so sorry for not knowing this before. The experience felt familiar, like I had kneeled before him before, like I was home. This Sunday I will attend church. I am going to make an effort from now on to work on my relationship with god.

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I just want to thank you for sharing this here today, it was really heart warming. It's too common to find people who are struggling to get that connection with God, and we all like to encourage each other to have hope .. well this really is an inspiring testimony, something that will be bookmarked and kept on hand in case there is someone who would especially benefit from hearing what you have found.

So I just want to thank you and make you feel warmly welcomed, and of course to encourage you to reach out to Christians, even those ones that you might remember who have always cared about you but maybe you didn't take seriously when you were looking at it in a different way. I'm sure you would really brighten their day by showing up on their doorstep and sharing your heart with them!

.. meanwhile as you are enthusiastic and hungry and having been of an atheist mind for so long, I'd like to offer this little booklet that will help The Lord to make sure you've got a solid base of understanding, that if you take your time to go through it and let it sink in over the next couple of days, then when you get to the church on Sunday I'm sure you will see that the whole world has opened up to you in a way that you never imagined.

And do you know the Bible tells us that the angels in heaven rejoice when a sinner repents?
As stated previously get yourself a Bible (I would recommend you start in the New Testament)for this is the way we can know God and continue to grow and know that we are following the truth as Jesus said " I am the way, the truth and the life" you now have a new life in Him.
Welcome to our family!
Thank you for sharing this precious moment with us. May God bless you.

Praise God Aaron. I am so happy for you, Keep reading the Word of God and talking to the Father above. He will continue to make Himself real to you :]

Aaron West said:

Don’t think I can reply to everyone unfortunately. Thanks so much for all the replies, I’ve read all of them. I really appreciate it, very kind of you all. Is it normal to question my experience after?

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I private messaged you Aaron :]

Aaron West said:

Hi there. Thanks for your reply. I plan on going to church tomorrow. Is it normal to question my experience after it happened?

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There's a part of you that will always be skeptical. I think even the most devout have doubts. But keep going to church, do your studies, ask questions, etc. And remember, we're not perfect and don't have all the answers either...that's why it's called faith! You have to accept a lot of stuff you can't measure within your own mind.

Aaron West said:

I’m new to all of this so I don’t know anything about the bible.

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Hi aaron,

Well, if I might give you some encouragement in that direction. The book which is near the back of the bible called 1 John is very short and to the point concerning what the salvation of God is all about and gives some instruction as to how those who are seeking it should live.

If I can be of any help please don't hesitate to ask or PM me.

God loves us and all He asks, ultimately is that we love Him.

God bless,
In Christ, ted

Aaron West said:

Don’t think I can reply to everyone unfortunately. Thanks so much for all the replies, I’ve read all of them. I really appreciate it, very kind of you all. Is it normal to question my experience after?

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Hi Aaron, I think it is probably common to face what you are facing (1 Corinthians 10:13). At the time of your experience, it was real and this is how it made such an impact on you. Now because time has moved your experience into a different situation, that experience has become a past thing and you are left with memories. Now there is a new contest for your mind - whether you might be swayed to follow some deceptive perspective of those memories to think less credibly of your experience than you did in that moment.

This is, unfortunately, just one angle of what is a normal struggle for the human in this fallen world. In a perfect world where there is no confusion about God's character (ie: Garden of Eden or the restored Paradise Earth), then there would be no question about it - your experience with God as The Holy One is supported by everyone around you who can attest to His nature, and we assure you that your faith is not misplaced. However, this world is far from such a perfect world, and most people are surrounded by much the opposite - it is far more common for the ones around us to doubt our experience and to support the scepticism that would dissuade us from having faith. Furthermore, your mind has been subjected to the atheist way of thinking for quite a long time, it is still a very familiar mindset and is therefore easily triggered.

So I see it as a battle to retain the faith that had taken root in you - and as you can probably understand already, that some people who you might assume to be Christian have actually followed deceptive thinking patterns and as such, their words are poisonous (Matthew 7:15, Matthew 23:27-28) in order to put ideas in your mind that will weaken your faith (2 Peter 2:1-2, Galatians 1:8, Matthew 7:16).

So just as St. Paul wrote in his time, he had few of such quality that he could recommend (Philippians 2:19-24), and as he had warned the same readers only a few paragraphs sooner (Philippians 2:12) "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" - "for all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus".

.. I have to inspire your hope too! .. because Jesus does say "My sheep hear My voice. I know them, and they follow Me. They will never follow a stranger, but will run away from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers. I give them eternal life! They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. And no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

.. So I would like to draw your attention to the second part of 1 Corinthians 10:13 - even though we are being tempted in case our faith might possibly be shipwrecked (John 10:10), He will provide a way out for us.

In those times, instead of accepting that the situation is too much for us - look for that way out. Ask Him in prayer "Lord, what is the way you have provided for me to get through this?".

This is just as He calls us to be in that relationship with Him, as His sheep that follow Him. Jesus is the good shepherd (Psalms 23 : "Thy rod and thy staff, .. they comfort me").

Aaron West said:

Testimony


Last night I believe I was touched by god and it was the most amazing thing I’ve ever experienced. Let me start out by saying I have been an atheist for my whole life, all 38 years of it. I’ve always been a science guy. I have suffered from extreme depression and anxiety for my my whole life. The debilitated kind. Lately my depression had been extra bad because I was constantly battling the thought of what happens when we die. What happens to all of our relationships with loved ones when we die? Do my memories of loved ones vanish? This was causing me tremendous stress. The past few days I have been watching youtube videos on life after death experiences, I noticed a lot of them were the same. Many people report floating outside their bodies on the operating table when they are close to death. This proves your consciousness can exist outside your physical body which proves we have a soul. Last night I watched YouTube videos on god which lead me to downloading bible app and reading a verse. I was reading the verses in my head but then started to read them out loud. When I read them out loud, of a sudden there Is this over whelming feeling of truth that god was real and that we are all one with everything. I felt this power and love. I began to cry uncontrollably forcing me to take breaks from reading the verse. When I starting reading the verse again, the whole experience started again. I decided to keep pushing through, to continue reading the verse. I began to feel as though I was kneeling before god. I can't explain it but I know he's real and I know his love is extremely powerful. I felt as though everyone on this planet was connected. I was laying flat on my stomach on my bed and it felt like I was kneeling before god. I kept saying out loud “ I’m so sorry, I didn’t know, I’m so sorry, I had no idea”. I felt like I was part of it, part of something ancient, like I was ancient too. The love and sense of awareness, was so strong, I almost couldn’t take it. The power was so strong and intense, I felt like I was not worthy of his presence, I cried some more very intensely. I felt so sorry for not knowing this before. The experience felt familiar, like I had kneeled before him before, like I was home. This Sunday I will attend church. I am going to make an effort from now on to work on my relationship with god.

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which verse was it ...