1.000000. Preface
Preface In our extensive travels, my wife, Dorothy, and I have met many friends on the highways and byways of life. They have come from many different cultures, economic backgrounds and educational levels.
We do not believe it was by accident that we met these individuals. Neither do we believe it is accidental that this little book is in your hands.
Over the years, the most important conversations we have had with our many friends have centered around our quest for God. Some of the thoughts we have shared together are contained in this book. The first edition of Your Quest for God, from which the subsequent revisions were made, was a personal project of thanksgiving. As Dorothy and I approached our 25th wedding anniversary, we pondered what would be the most vital way we could express our thanks to God for His goodness to us.
What better way, we thought, than by writing, printing and giving to 25,000 people a message that would bring them hope and peace. That would be one thousand for each year of our married life.
God blessed this little labor of love as the book literally found its way around the world. All 25,000 copies were placed directly into the hands of people in many different countries. Our greatest joy was to receive letters from those who, as a result of reading Your Quest for God, found new purpose in life.
Numerous requests came that we translate this book into other languages. Therefore, we decided to make the first revision of the text for this purpose with the prayer that many more people throughout the continents of the world would be helped in their ‘Quest for God.’ As a result, over three million copies in fifty languages have been printed and distributed far and wide. And now we also pray that this fifth English edition will bring help to even more readers. The first two chapters will not be equally relevant to every reader. Chapter one was written for those people who may question the existence of God. Although chapter two will be of particular interest to those who have learned to question everything, it is actually vital to all readers, for it encourages each of you to evaluate your own beliefs and attitudes.
These preparatory chapters, however, are essential to the overall theme, for they help establish the trustworthiness of the remaining information. Chapters three to ten contain basic truths that will help you in your quest for God. So, we gladly place this new edition in the hands of God to bless as He deems best.
Both Dorothy and I wish to record our thankfulness to God for the love, prayers and insights of the many special people who have shared their personal experience of God with us. They are far too many to name. To these friends we say: “Thank you.”