I don't speak of this often, and I have really only talked about it with my wife - but, I struggled with this a lot when I was younger.

My whole-hearted belief in God can be attributed to one defining moment that occurred in my life about 7 years ago that has affirmed his existence (at least for me) and really led me back to the Catholic church and my faith.

Several years ago, I took my grandmother to a procedure to put a stent into her heart due to some blockage.

During the procedure, the Cardiothoracic surgeon "nicked" her carotid artery while placing the stent.

Following the procedure as she was being wheeled to recovery, the "nic" opened and began filling her chest cavity with blood. I was pulled aside and told they were attempting to stabilize her, and that they needed a vascular surgeon to come in and repair her damaged artery. I was told to begin preparing her affairs and contact family as the prognosis did not look good.

At this time, I really wasn't into faith and thought along the lines of "God isn't real" but for whatever reason after the nurse left the waiting room, I dropped to my knees and started praying the Hail Mary, Our Father and Glory Be repetitively. Hoping for something, anything, anyone to help my grandmother.

A few minutes later, a nurse came running in to tell me that the leading vascular surgeon stopped by with his wife and newborn to talk to staff. He heard what was going on with my grandmother and immediately prepared to head into emergency surgery on a whim.

He saved her life.

Now, honestly, I'm sure that someone can say that it was all circumstantial, that he was actually called in by staff, or maybe it was serendipity that he arrived at that time while my grandmother was practically bleeding to death internally.

But, he was there, at that time with the appropriate skill-set in that immediate vicinity of the hospital wing we were in and saved her life.

Despite any coincidences, that moment, forever, changed my perspective on faith and my belief in God. The more active that I've become in my faith and belief in God, the more things have turned for the better in my life.

I can't explain it and maybe it seems foolish to others, but I truly and firmly believe in God. It took that moment to open my eyes and realize that maybe there really is something to faith and religion. And the more involved I become, the more I believe, the more my life seems to improve.

That's just my experience anyway. Not sure if it helps, but I felt compelled to share.