"Let's eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die." This is what I believed before I became a Christian. I thought it was all over once a person died, so I wanted to get as much pleasure out of life as I could. As a young teenager, I started going to parties. There, I met people with the same hunger for instant pleasure as I had. I noticed that they were pleasing their desires through alcohol, drugs, and heavy metal music. They all seemed to be having a great time, so before I knew it, I was doing the exact same thing. I started drinking and doing drugs. I also bought my own collection of heavy metal tapes. The weird thing is that the more I fed my desires, the more hungry I became. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't satisfy myself. So I ended up having to take double doses of drugs so that it could have the same effect. This caused me to have several blackouts and I nearly overdosed. As I continued to listen to heavy metal music, I developed a hatred for authority, but at the same time, I was scared of it because I knew if I got caught doing the things I did, I would be in jail for a long time. Out of fear, I tried cleaning up my act by being religious, but that didn't work.

    Then one day, a college student shared a booklet with me on how to become a Christian. He told me that my sin separated me from God and that I needed to put my trust in Jesus Christ as my Savior. At that point, I believed that Jesus died for all of my sins so that I could be completely forgiven and have eternal life in Heaven.

    Now, I have a purpose in life. I discovered that there is more to life than just trying to please my selfish desires. Instead, I now seek to help others, especially in getting to know God. Drugs and alcohol are no longer a part of my life, as they are unnecessary. I have also stopped listening to heavy metal music, and instead, I listen to spiritually uplifting music that promotes right thinking about life. My hatred for authority is gone, and instead, I choose to submit to God-appointed authorities. I obey the law as an act of showing my love for God. When I was a long-haired rocker, I tried to selfishly get as much pleasure out of this life as I could. But now as a Christian, I'm experiencing a deep, satisfying pleasure that only God can give as a by-product of putting Christ first in my life and living for Him. I'm reminded of what God says in Mark 8:36, "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?"