I was awakened by the sound of thunder reverberating throughout my entire body; but no, not thunder, rather a Voice calling me, "Arise, it is time for you to walk the last few miles of your life's journey."

Suddenly, I became aware of the utter darkness. Why had I not noticed it before? It was so thick I felt as though I could touch it, feel it, taste it. It was all-consuming. I was filled with a sense of hopelessness and despair. It drained my very soul. The tendrils of sin seemed to coil around me, squeezing the life from me. I knew I lay in the belly of evil.

Did I get there by my own choice? Surly not! This must be a nightmare, for who in their right mind would choose to live in such utter darkness, yet it was in a place of my own making. How long had I been there? I was filled with fear beyond comprehension. Had I died and gone to hell? Why had I slept in the arms of sin while I was alive? I had allowed myself to be lulled into a drug-induced coma where truth and goodness were kept at bay and words of wisdom were spurned. I chose not to follow the path of light and was forever lost in this vast darkness, always groping for the door of hope; yet never free to find it. Was it now too late?

A faint light pierced the darkness. I found myself in what appeared to be a hallway with many doors. The first one was close to me. The Voice spoke again, "This is the door of lost opportunities." Behind the door, I could hear mocking laughter telling me what I could have been and done had I chosen wisely. I was filled with deep despair.

The next room was filled with diplomas and trophies. A well-dressed man stood looking at me. He spoke,
" You could have been me" Instead, I was dressed in tattered clothes, and my heart broke.

I wandered to the next room. There was a picture of a lovely home on the wall and I knew it could have been mine, but because of my choices, my home was a cardboard box in a dirty alley.

In another room stood a beautiful woman and three lovely children who I knew were meant to be mine, but I selfishly chose a life without responsibilities. I became overwhelmed by a sense of loneliness that absorbed me completely.

I turned a corner and there was yet another room. A group of people was gathered, their faces radiant with joy as they praised the Lord. Again I heard the Voice, "This could have been your church family, but you chose to spurn and mock them. Shame filled me and the pain of it was unbearable and I fell to the floor in tears.

At the end of the hallway was a set of double doors. As I wondered what lay behind them, the Voice spoke again, "You have come to the end of your journey, behind those doors lie eternity. I give you one last chance to choose; heaven will be yours for eternity if you repent and allow Jesus into your heart. However, should you choose to remain in your sin, your eternal home will be in hell's fire. The choice is yours. What will it be?