I am Tom Raines; when alcoholism took me to my knees I found God and His voice in a real and personal way. I am a treasure seeker of affirmation in God’s Word. I have found that not only does the Word of God define who God is but also who I AM.
My greatest hope is to share what I have found as the light of God shone into my darkest places. I know for a fact that affirmations can change and create the lives we live. I have personally experienced how stating affirmations with our mouths and believing them in our hearts can create a life for us. However, I have also found we must be careful as to the life we affirm. I once affirmed what the world around me defined as successful and prosperous. Seeking those things I found myself lost in a life I was not intended. Although I had trappings of success I was trapped in a life not mine. Unfulfilled and broken by alcoholism I was brought to my knees.
Being brought to my knees by alcoholism was THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME! It was there, on my knees, seeking my higher power, that I found God and His affirmations. Since that day, I have come to know the prosperity of my soul. God’s Word in Isaiah 45:3(New Living Translation) has proven true to me:
“And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness–secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.”
One quiet morning while on my knees I had these unmistakable words spoken into my soul, “Tom, every affirmation you will ever need is found in My Word.” Since January 9th, 2008 I have been a treasure seeker of affirmations in God’s Word as provided in the Bible. In these secret places God has rewarded me with a prosperity of my soul I had never known. Over 25,000 affirmations and 1500 blog posts matured into this website today so I can share with you the treasures of joy, hope, peace and love I have found in the words of God we can affirm as our own.
After years of knowing about God I had come to know Him in a real and personal way and knew He was calling my name and calling me to share these treasures with you.
I have not found a perfect life but I have found how my life in God is perfect. Out of my darkest places God has shone His light so brightly that my darkness has become light itself. I believe your greatest light also comes out of your darkest places. We find hope in the light of God and we give hope by sharing our light.
This is my purpose and the purpose of Affirmations of God to encourage all of us to live from the light that was shone in our darkest places. As we share this light with others we create the lives we were intended to live; full, prosperous and loving lives.