Finding God in Vegas: A Gen X Spiritual Awakening

In Finding God in Vegas, Donald Harold Young chronicles his spiritual odyssey and shares the wonderful, inspiring story of his spiritual awakening. In this book, you will discover the portrait of a pharmaceutical executive, a man living the life that many people envy. He is financially comfortable and healthy, but beneath the seemingly successful life lies an emptiness that eats him from within. Having embraced the false idea that happiness lies in material things, he quickly becomes disillusioned. Don struggles with identity and sexuality, and even having earned a degree in Theology, he doesn’t have a place for God or spirituality in his heart. But in Las Vegas, everything changes. An encounter with Dave leads him to make an honest confession about his sexuality, and instead of experiencing rejection, he is accepted. Thus begins a new page in his life, one that allows him to experience the liberating joy of authentic self-acceptance, love for others, and for God. He writes about his struggles with shame and the thoughts of suicide. But the transformation, engineered by the sense of love, will inspire anyone.

There is a lot to look forward to in this spellbinding memoir. Donald Harold Young writes in an honest tone, offering reflections on love, faith, and life while delivering compelling commentary on human nature. I enjoyed how he writes about shame and guilt, allowing you to understand the impact these experiences can have on the human psyche. His deep and frank conversations with Dave help him to shed years of shame, guilt, and self-hatred. His tears and heartfelt confession symbolize a moment of spiritual renewal and love, both self-love and love rooted in God’s unconditional grace. I also enjoyed Donald’s relationship with his grandfather, which culminates in a heartfelt conversation filled with love and affirmation. The moment that Grandpa Young tells him, “It doesn’t matter who you are. I’m proud of you and I love you,” is another emotional moment that highlights the place of unconditional love in the journey towards healing. Finding God in Vegas taught me one important lesson: true spiritual fulfillment comes from embracing one’s authenticity, recognizing the divine in oneself and others, and understanding that love—divine and human—is the core of life’s purpose. Young's compassionate, clear, and candid voice keeps you turning the pages, and his exploration of the encounter between the mundane and the Divine in love captivated me.