What happens when you have God's blessing nailed down, and then without warning an evil intruder rips everything apart? I had a corner on the good life. Driven by my material appetite, strategically balanced by religion, I desperately played both sides. Comfortable in a good marriage, with two kids, and a home situated on a small horse farm, I was truly blessed.

Mark Scholten hasn't arrived, but is striving to be a fully devoted follower of Christ cleverly disguised as a father, friend, and employee. Before diving into that endeavor he studied management and plastics engineering at two universities in Michigan. As a young man he developed interests in motorcycles, football, movies and reading, which still hold sway over him, especially on weekends.

He lives in northern Michigan with his daughter and son on a small farm that boasts gold-buckle-winning quarter horses, and a slightly overweight pug. Change comes slowly to that part of the world, if at all; perhaps that is why change in Mark's life needed to be spurred by pain and sorrow.