This book is the answer to a question my mother posed to me seven years ago. After experiencing the forward operating base (FOB), I was stationed at in Afghanistan overran. I really began to search for the answers to all the questions I had about life. I knew God wanted something greater for me than the life I was living. I was working under a contract as a civilian at the time. It was a major pay hike in compared to active duty military, so materialistic things was not an issue. The real issue was my faith in God. I could not understand how life could be the way it is and God not intervene.


Flashback. I can remember all the times at church when someone would say, God is really going to use you one day. Let us just say. I did not find the cookie cutter square laced image appealing when I was young. I played sports. I was into the dating scene. I had an ego out of this world, and I did not want God coming along to burst it. I always knew right from wrong. However, I can remember (often reminded) how bad of a temper I used to have. It was easy for me to get angry when I felt wronged. Being the baby boy and number five out of six children, I always had a keen eye to fair treatment. I also was very independent. I wanted to experience my own path in life. I was the inquisitive, hard headed and stubborn one out of the bunch. I knew God's way was defined, however God's way seemed awfully boring and dull in comparison to my thinking.


Flash forward. I am in a bunker staring at a local Afghani. Someone who every day I greeted with a loving smile. Someone on any other day, I would have told anyone; he was a cool dude and my friend. On this day however, I was looking for any reason he would flinch, twitch, scratch something, move too fast, ANYTHING that meant I needed to hurry up and kill him, before he could get the thought of killing me out of his mind. After experiencing such contrasting views in my mind, I started to question everything I thought I believed. I believed in good. I believed in love. On this day however, when life and death was on the line, I knew for sure without a doubt in my mind. I chose my life over his.


I knew I needed answers for myself. I knew there was only one place to start. I opened the Bible and started reading. This time however I did not fight the story. I chose to listen to the scripture and accept what was being said. As the chapters went on, the story of the Bible began to build. I understood it is something that is meant to be read as a whole and not picked apart. After learning about being carnal and what a carnal mind represented, I asked my mom why no one just tells the whole truth and stop spoon feeding people. At the time I was a little upset to be quite honest. I understood the antichrist for what it was. My mother's response was simple, "Well Ryan what are you going to do about it?"


However, outside looking in is totally different from being in the mix. Once back stateside, I realized life being isolated in the middle of nowhere in Afghanistan is not the same as being in America. After a bunch of twist and turns, growth and maturity, I learned why maintaining your connection with God is so important. I asked God for a message for His people, and I realized it was the same message He was giving me. This book is about the lessons God gave me, so I could realize by being His child. I am His son. Likewise, if I am His son, He is my Father. This books highlights the transitions I had to go through to get rid of the things that are in part, in order to accept the whole. This is my answer to my mother's question. I hope it helps others on their journey of getting to know God as their Father.