In January, 2010, I had been pushed beyond my mental and emotional limits and made the decision to take my own life. Everything was mapped out: Go to work, go home, take the last of my blood pressure meds, fade to oblivion.

I got to work and went up to the employee break room where I just sat talking to no one. After a few minutes a fellow Christian named James came in. I said nothing, just a look of recognition. But he had something to say to me.

"So, you brought your problems to work with you?" I just looked at him, said nothing. But then he said:

"You don't want the devil to win, do you?"

That was it. Nine words. James did not, could not know what was going on in my mind. But those nine words changed everything.

My message to you is simply this: God is real. He loves you. And don't ever, ever give up.