The day I almost died was the day I found new life.

I woke up in the hospital room, bewildered as to why I was there. The room was dark. A curtain was drawn partially on the side in front of my bed and I couldn’t see the door. How did I get here?

Staring up into the darkness, I suddenly became aware of pain in my body — a low, throbbing pain in my head. I shut my eyes again and tried to concentrate. The last thing I remembered was driving very fast along the winding road to a friend’s house. It was raining, but I knew the road so well — I’d driven it many times — that I didn’t bother to slow down. I was on my way to celebrate college graduation with some friends.

I tried to think harder, but I didn’t remember anything after that.

Hours later, when I reawakened, daylight was shining into the room from behind the thin beige curtains that covered the large window to my right. My head still hurt, and, for the first time, I felt the bandage on it. I could hear the beeping sounds of hospital machinery and the sounds of feet and wheels in the hall just outside my room. There was a covered dish on the small table to my right, but I wasn’t hungry, so I let it be. I wished someone would come tell me what was wrong with me.

As if on cue, the door opened and rapid footsteps approached my bedside. A hand appeared and yanked back the curtain around my bed.

“Dude, what happened to you?” Leon said looking down at me, the long, lightning-bolt shaped scar on the left side of his face stood out stark brown against his tanned skin.

“I’m hoping you can tell me,” I said. “The last thing I remember was driving. And aren’t you supposed to be in Indonesia right now?”

“Our flight got canceled. We had to reschedule for later today.” Leon waved his hand dismissively. “Which is good, because you were in a car accident.”

“Oh, man,” I said. “My car.” I had a black, custom-made Spyder Porsche.

“It’s a total loss,” Leon said. “It’s a miracle you got out alive.”

My heart sank. I loved that car.

“Besides, you have bigger problems to worry about than a car,” Leon said his tone growing more serious.

My brow furrowed. “Like a concussion?” I said.

“No. Another vehicle was involved in the accident. The two adults are alive and they’re gonna be okay. But, their little girl…” Leon shook his head. “She’s in a coma… they say she suffered severe trauma.”

“Oh, man…” I shook my head. “I hope she doesn’t die.”

“I gotta ask you something else, Jaidon,” Leon said.

“What?”

“If you had died last night, what would have happened to you?”

I shrugged. “I’d just be dead, I guess.” I was still thinking about the little girl in a coma.

“That’s not what I mean,” Leon said. “What would have happened to you? Where would you have gone?”

I could see where he was going with this. All through my graduate years of study at the University of Maryland he kept trying to talk to me about spiritual stuff. I knew all that he was about to say now: I’m a sinner destined for eternal punishment and separation from God. But, God loves me and he sent his son, Jesus Christ, to save me. If I wanted to be cleansed of my sin and be sure that I would go to Heaven when I died, I had to believe in Jesus Christ for salvation.

“You nearly died, man,” Leon said. “You could be dead right now.” He snapped his finger. “Gone. Out of here. What then? Something happens after that — Heaven, Hell. You don’t just cease to exist.”

I was quiet for a moment before answering. “I see what you mean.”

Judas Church is available now on Amazon.com .