The judge said he was giving me a year on the “State Farm” to think about what I was doing with my life. God was not through building testimonies in my life for future use! As I was returned to the jail house, I was put into a cell with a career inmate. That night he tried to molest me. I hurt him real badly. They transferred me to Southern Illinois where I was to be put in a cell with the same person.

I refused transfer and was placed in solitary confinement until I would tell who was after me. If I had told on him, others would have finished his job on me.

I stayed there in solitary for six weeks. I was to be given a glass of water and a slice of bread each day until I ratted on the one that was trying to kill me. Something strange happened, though. Every evening, a full tray of officer’s food and a cup of coffee was slipped under my door. There was no light in the cell except what came in under the door. (There was a four-inch space under the door.) Instead of losing a lot of weight, I gained 14 pounds. God was protecting me! Each week I was taken to the infirmary for evaluation according to law. The doctor never saw me, only a male nurse, who looked me over but never weighed me. Finally, after six weeks, the warden told me to go back to my original cell block (where I was safe) and to keep out of trouble. God is so good!

Direction from an Angel

There's a lot more to this story, but I'll jump ahead to 1966.

While living in Los Angeles, I used to walk down the same street nightly. For several days, I’d noticed a man standing in the middle of the block each night. The man (who I thought was probably an under cover cop) called me by name and said, "Tom, split! They have you set up. They're going to bust you tonight." I started to walk away, then I stopped, thinking, who is this? I turned around to find him gone, but there was no place for him to go. He simply vanished! How did he know me?, I wondered.
Later, after salvation, I understood that he was an angel. At that same moment, 19 young kids were praying for me in Mobile, Alabama.

That night I left for Chicago where my mom asked me to visit my sister in Mobile.

The first night in Mobile, a 14 year old boy that knew me through my sister, invited me to a party. He looked like he was in his twenties. I didn't know at the time that he was the one God had told to start praying for me. The Lord had shown this young man that he was going to bring me to Mobile!

I went to the party. There were 19 teenagers there. This made me nervous. I feared I would be arrested for being with juveniles. It was a Friday and these kids met there to pray and have fellowship each Friday night.

On Sunday morning, my sister asked me to drop my niece off at Sunday School. I could not remember stepping inside a church since I was 12, and I was now 27. I took my niece to Sunday school. Without even thinking, I went into the church and sat three seats from the front. (I didn't know I was supposed to sit at the rear, as most unchurched folks do. You all know what I mean. You did that too!)

Following the Call

At the end of the first service I went back to my sister's house. I entered the bedroom where I was staying. Again, without thinking, I kneeled at the bed. I didn't know what to call God. I figured he must have two names like us, not just God. I raised my fist in the air and called him dude! I said, "Dude, I want what you got, even if you have to knock me out of the seat!" I had never seen an alter call before that morning's service.

So, I got up and went back to the church’s second service. I sat in the same seat. At the end of the sermon, when we all stood up, I began to feel shaky and uneasy in the stomach. I looked at my hands, and they looked steady. I remembered what I had told God about knocking me out of the seat. I felt as if someone was repeatedly hitting me in the stomach with a fist. But, then I heard the voice of the Holy Spirit (for the first time) saying, "Tom, if you take just one step the feeling in your stomach will quit." One step would put me in the aisle, where most people would be nervous in front of strangers. By faith, I took that step.

Hebrews 11:6 says "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (NKJV)

Instead of fear, I could feel a smile on my face that would not go away. I don’t ever remember smiling except to con someone out of something I wanted. The pastor shared the plan of salvation and I said yes to Jesus.

I met Jesus Christ that Sunday, about noon, on November 6, 1966! That evening I was baptized by emersion and shared in the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is the first requirement of becoming a Christian after accepting Him. (Acts 2:38) Then your work begins, telling others what you were and how to meet him.