Curt cooking supper at The Old House

What I Value Most

You can also view this story at www.whativaluemost.com.

Simply type in "Curt Iles" to read my story.

I make my living as a storyteller.

Some stories are written, others I tell.

Most of the stories I tell are true. Others, although fictional, are taken from real life.

As a novelist, I create characters and stories.

However, what I want to share with you is a true story. How do I know? Because it is my story. It’s a story of what happened, and is still ongoing, inside of me.

In my heart. In my soul.

I’m fortunate to have grown up in a rural area. Our lack of material things was offset by the richness of living in a place where my family had settled in the early 19^th century. It gave me roots and a sense of belonging.

A feeling of being part of something bigger than I am.

However, when I was fourteen, I realized something was missing in my life. There was a nagging emptiness. A longing for something more.

I tried to fill this void with many things but to no avail.

Being from a religious family, I turned toward church activities and a desire to live a good life.

But I quickly found this to be impossible and futile. The empty hole remained.

Then for the first time in my life, I became serious about reading the Bible. On my own, I began to explore the words and writings of Jesus.

At this time, the first modern translations of the Bible were available and I found the words on these pages alive, fresh, and life-changing.

Through careful study, I realized what I needed was not religion.

What I needed was a relationship.

A personal intimate deep relationship with Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

I realized through what I read that I could have this relationship by simply asking in faith as I turned my life over to Jesus.

Sitting in a car, reading a gospel tract, I invited Jesus into my life.

No bells or whistles sounded, no flash of lightning.

However, Jesus began something inside me that continues to this day.

He kept his promise (Revelation 3:20)* and filled my life.

I realized the emptiness I felt in my heart could only be filled by a relationship with Jesus. That hole was God-shaped and nothing in this world could fill it.

I went from a head knowledge about Jesus to a heart knowledge of him. It’s only about ten inches from the brain to the heart. However, it’s the difference that makes all of the difference.

It’s my story.

And I’m sticking with it.

And I’m just as excited about my story as the day it first happened.

It can be your story too.

Curt Iles

curtiles@aol.com

* Jesus’ promise in Revelation 3:20: “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him.”

Curt in the garden