For most of his adult life, Tom Smith never gave much thought to faith. Raised in a military family that moved every three years, Tom adapted to frequent change.
He built a successful career in retail leadership and, yet, maintained a deep sense of independence. Church wasn’t part of the plan.
Religion, he believed, was a realm of hypocrisy and performance. To him, religion was dominated by televangelists in expensive suits, preaching prosperity while getting rich in the process.
That all changed when Tom was 60. Now in his 70s, Tom describes his life as anything but random.
He used to believe that coincidences ruled the universe, but now he understands everything unfolds according to a divine plan. And in his case, that plan came into focus through a series of subtle nudges, powerful encounters and unmistakable moments that revealed God’s presence in his life.
“I used to think things just happened by chance,” Tom said. “But the older I got, the more I began to realize there are no coincidences. God was trying to get my attention, and once I finally listened, then everything changed.”
Detoured dreams and a redirected life
Tom’s early ambitions had nothing to do with ministry, writing or public speaking.
Like many young men in the 1970s, he was drawn to law enforcement. He earned a degree in police administration and was on track to join the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Out of 2,000 applicants, Tom made it to the final 60 before being disqualified due to an old back injury.
What felt like a setback at the time turned out to be a blessing. A close friend convinced Tom to try selling waterbeds. At first, he resisted, thinking that sales as a profession was built on pressure and manipulation.
But, he took to it naturally and soon discovered a talent for connecting with people. Over the next 17 years, Tom rose through the ranks to oversee 25% of the company’s retail stores nationwide.
Later, he transitioned into sales training and leadership development for Sleep Number by helping other professionals grow in confidence and to improve their communication.
Ironically, the shy, introverted man who once imagined himself working alone as a forest ranger became a seasoned trainer and mentor, teaching others how to build relationships and achieve inspiring results.
“I would never have guessed I’d end up leading teams and speaking in front of people,” Tom said. “But God was shaping me for something bigger. I just didn’t know it yet.”
A divine neighborhood
Several years before his retirement, Tom and his wife, Karen, left California and moved back to Arizona. The move made little sense at the time.
They left their children behind and didn’t have a clear reason for returning, but Tom said he felt a strong, almost inexplicable urge to go. He sold his business and followed the prompting, not knowing where it would lead.
What he found was far more than a new home.
He landed in a neighborhood where his next-door neighbor, Brad, just happened to be the pastor of Copper Hills Church. On the other side of Tom’s home lived another couple who had attended the same church for years.
Before long, Tom found himself literally surrounded by believers who welcomed him without pressure.
“Jesus put me in a Copper Hills Church sandwich,” Tom joked. “I couldn’t ignore it. He was working on me even before I knew what was happening.”
From small talk to sacred conversations
Tom started attending church, but he remained a skeptic at heart. The rituals and routines didn’t move him. He volunteered, joined a small group and went through the motions of “going to church.” But, he still didn’t grasp the idea of having a relationship with Jesus.
Then one Sunday, Pastor Brad gave a message that shifted everything. He challenged listeners to stop treating faith as a checklist and to start treating Jesus as a friend. His suggestion was simple – to have lunch with Jesus sometime that week. Find a quiet place and talk to him, even out loud.
Tom couldn’t break away during lunch, but he had a 45-minute commute every morning. So he started talking to Jesus in the car in a way that was like a conversation with someone in the passenger’s seat.
“I realized that’s how relationships begin,” Tom explained. “You talk, you listen and you share what’s on your heart.”
At first, Tom did all the talking. One morning, in the middle of a long monologue, he heard a voice say, “Be quiet.” The interruption startled him, but the message was clear.
“That was the first time I really heard Jesus speak to me,” Tom said. “He was telling me that relationships are a two-way street, and I needed to start listening.”
Jacob on the cardboard
Not long after, Tom had another encounter that deepened his faith. One morning, after a particularly reflective commute, he arrived at work and found a homeless man sitting on a pile of cardboard near the dumpster. A voice in Tom’s head prompted him to put the man to work.
Tom offered the man a few dollars to help break down cardboard for recycling. When he handed the man a cup of coffee, the man reached out, shook Tom’s hand, and said, “My name is Jacob.”
The name struck Tom like a lightning bolt. Just hours earlier, he had been asking Jesus questions about the biblical story of Jacob. Now, standing in the alley behind his store, he met a man of the same name, who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
“That was not a coincidence,” Tom said. “It was Jesus showing me that he hears me, he is always with me and that I’m not alone.”
The book Tom never planned to write
Over the next few years, Tom experienced even more spiritual encounters. Some were moments of clarity or provision, while others were divine prompting that he could no longer ignore.
Tom started writing down his thoughts, unsure what he’d do with the stories. He had no intention of becoming an author, and the manuscript sat untouched in a drawer for nearly two years.
Then he met Phillis, a cancer patient he served through Joy Bus, which is a nonprofit that delivers meals to people with cancer.
During one of their visits, Tom mentioned his journal of spiritual encounters. First Phillis asked to read it, then she asked to edit it. Finally, she asked Tom to promise that the stories would be shared with other people
“She said, ‘Promise me you’ll publish this after I die,’” Tom recalled. “That was a heavy ask. But I wanted to honor her.”
Instead of waiting, Tom accelerated the publishing process. With help and encouragement from Phillis, he shaped the manuscript into a book titled “From Skeptic to Salvation.” Just before Phillis passed away, the book was published by Trilogy Christian Publishing, a division of the Trinity Broadcasting Network.
“God used Phillis to push me forward,” Tom said. “She was part of the plan, just like Brad and just like Jacob. It was interesting how every person who came into my life arrived at just the right time.”
Living with purpose after 50
Today, Tom views retirement not as a time to slow down, but as an opportunity to serve with intention. He volunteers regularly, remains active in his church and Bible study, and speaks to groups about his spiritual journey.
He’s also building a website and dipping his toes into social media, determined to reach others who may be where he once was – curious, skeptical and quietly yearning for more.
“My goal isn’t to sell books,” Tom said. “It’s to help one person discover that it’s never too late to find a relationship with Jesus.”
For people over 50 who may be wondering what comes next, Tom advises them to stay engaged, build relationships and don’t allow themselves to become isolated.
“Make sure you’re always relevant,” he said. “When you wake up, have a reason to get out of bed. Do something that matters to someone else. That’s where the meaning comes from.”
For Tom, the meaning comes from obedience. He doesn’t see himself as the author of his story, but rather as someone willing to write it down.
For more information
To connect with Tom and learn more about his ministry, visit:
- Website = www.fromskeptictosalvation.com
- Email = tom @ fromskeptictosalvation.com
- Facebook = www.facebook.com/tom.fromskeptictosalvation
- Instagram = www.instagram.com/tom_26763
- X = www.x.com/tom26763
- LinkedIn = www.linkedin.com/in/tom-smith-4696b819
Tom’s book, “From Skeptic to Salvation,” is available on Amazon and in other bookstores.
