A formal introduction

A long long time ago, in a galaxy far away, my parents met and ... OK let's skip that.

I was born with a soldering gun in my hand (this being very uncomfortable for my mother), and proceeded to get into electronics at a very young age. In my teens, I created a mobile discotheque (music on wheels) in which my friend Jim and I would do weddings and parties and high school dances. I loved loud music, and played everything from Led Zepplin, to David Bowie, Beatles, Stones, Styx, Boston, Van Halen, ELO, ELP, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Deep Purple, and anything and everything in between (I didn't realize what I was playing and later on actually listened to some of the music, which in the case of David Bowie, was actually shocking. I stopped listening to him, and turned off pretty much the entire secular music scene, but still can really enjoy listening to some of it if I come across it at various places).

I had a huge longing in my heart for something very deep and ended up joining (or at lest getting involved in) the Hunger Project which turned out to be a cult. Then, I attended the Mormon church (probably a couple of times) with my friend David, and that, too, did not satisfy. I drunk, and had a girlfriend, and that, too, did not satisfy. And even all my learning at McGill University, did not satisfy! What was I to do?

I knew there was more to life than just doing all of these things, but I could not put my finger on it. There was something bigger than me. Who, or what, was it? When I had been a lot younger, at church with my parents, I had learned that Jesus died on the cross for me. I said I believed it, but it didn't make any real difference to me. Nothing changed. I was just that same old person, longing for something real, something more, something concrete and much bigger than me. Well, the Bible says, "Seek and you shall find," and amazingly, I found it! Or, should I say, "It found me"? I would have to say, "Heaven was looking down. God saw me looking in all the wrong places, and decided to extend a life-line to me." I'm so grateful for that life-line.

A girl invited me to church, but I turned it down. I had no use for church, so I went out for lunch, instead. At lunch, I met a girl who only talked to me about Jesus. I had never met her before, and she talked to me for 4 hours non-stop. The reason I didn't stop her, was because she kept saying things about me that were very personal, and I thought, "How could she know all this?" For I had just met her. The words that were coming out of her mouth were divinely inspired. The power of God was upon her in a very amazing way. I was thoroughly captivated, just like Moses was captivated at the burning bush. For Moses said, "I will turn aside now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.” I was so thoroughly captivated, I just had to listen to what she had to say.

When Moses turned aside to see this burning bush, that is when God spoke to him. When I shut off all my other plans to hear what this girl had to say, God also spoke to me. It was incredible! I had a vision, and I saw Jesus dying for me on the cross. This vision was in my "mind's eye," so I did not see anything openly, but God was speaking to me very clearly. I saw Jesus dying for me on the cross. The part that touched me the most was that he was thinking about me when he was dying on the cross. That was the mind-blower. That was the game-changer. My upside-down life turned "right-side up" at that very instant. I have never looked back.

In my entire life, I can honestly say there has never been a more important moment than that moment. Strip me of all my money, all my wealth, all my influence, all my degrees, all my worldly achievements, and even my very life! But do not strip me of that life-changing moment. That life-changing moment was brought about by the boldness of one girl, who was probably about 20 years old at the time (if not younger). Something gripped her that she felt was important. That something was the Creator of the Universe, who visited this earth in the form of a man. That something was Jesus. She could not help but share this good news with others. For her life was not hers to live, but Christ's to live through her. She did not hold back at that critical moment. So neither will I at this moment. Because this is a divine moment, and you are not reading this by chance.

My story is a very long one, and I have gone on to write more than 700 faith-inspiring articles since that time, and I invite you to read some of them which are available at my website, amazingtruestories.ca and revivalfire.ca. In short, if you have ever thought that there might be "more to life" than you had imagined, then this website is the place for you. And if you are looking for your own website for your business, be sure to come back and allow me to show you what I can do for you.

Be blessed!

Dan Parkes
CEO, Digital Dan