We moved to Japan in 1992, and in three years, my business tripled from $200M to $600M and profits increased seven-fold. As my success multiplied, so did my self centeredness and pride. I also had a foul tongue that attacked others as needed. "My lack of integrity ate me up. . . .I felt a growing emptiness inside."   Worst of all, I became an absentee dad - like my dad - the one thing I said I would never be! My lack of integrity ate me up. I craved freedom.

As the audit continued, P&G moved us to China in 1995. We lived in Hong Kong, and I traveled into China every week, managing several joint ventures, with tremendous projects like the expansion of Tide and Crest into the world's largest market. Despite having a fabulous bunch of people and an exciting business, I felt a growing emptiness inside.

In March of 1996 I went to a retreat given in the mountains north of Hong Kong. I heard fifteen successful guys share authentically from their life stories- the failures as well as the triumphs. These guys were dealing with the same questions I had about life, purpose, destiny, and freedom. That weekend opened my mind and transformed my soul.

Every man who spoke had experienced an encounter with Jesus. I had been in church most of my life, but I never heard anyone talk about Jesus from personal experience like these guys. It was like the difference between talking to someone who knows Mel Gibson and someone who has only seen him in a movie. I found out that Jesus was more than a great teacher and example.

He was God in the flesh, and He made the incredible trip from heaven to be one of us, a creature here on the planet He created. I learned Jesus died in my place, to pay the penalty for my adultery, my selfishness, every mistake. I learned that Jesus does not want religiosity. He hates hypocrisy. He wants more than a weekly visit to church - He wants it all: our hearts, our trust, and our obedience. That was a whole new Jesus for me!
"...the penalty for my adultery, my selfishness, every mistake."   

I learned that being a good person or doing good deeds was insufficient for God, because no man can earn his way into heaven. I was kind of glad for that because on the scoreboard of good deeds, I was pretty much euchred! Jesus said that the way to eternal life was to trust Him and receive Him as Lord. One guy read a verse that blew me away (I found out later it was Romans 3:22): It's like me playing golf and being allowed to hand in Tiger Woods' card instead of mine! "We are made right in God's sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we can all be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done." That's grace. It's like me playing golf and being allowed to hand in Tiger Woods' card instead of mine!

WOW!!!! That's the God I knew I needed!