Summary:  My desire to be a preacher waned during my first year of college as I lived with and wanted to emulate my dear uncle, a successful businessman who enjoyed a much higher standard of living than my family had as I grew up.  So I transferred from liberal arts to engineering after my freshman year.  Spirituality took a back seat as I wrestled with significant challenges of adapting to a demanding new life.

 I packed off to college innocent and immature, convinced that I wanted to be a preacher like Jesus.  But as I experienced the upscale life style of my uncle and aunt, with whom I lived, my commitment changed; I wanted to be successful like Unc, who I had admired and loved deeply throughout my life.  My Bible gathered dust as I was immersed in the challenges of an adolescent 17 year old facing, for the first time, college level academics, dating, sex, and socializing on a much larger scale.  I was consumed with the pursuit of success at meeting these new challenges.  But while I was immersed in learning new life lessons, I was exposed to a spiritual philosophy that remains a foundation of my faith today, a foundation of faith in the power of God to lead and direct me in meeting my challenges.