God's Other Ways

View Original

INTERSTATE BATTERY SYSTEM OF AMERICA

Norm Miller is Chairman of the Board for Interstate Battery.  He is also a believer in God’s power to change lives, because he has experienced that.

Norm started out as a salesman for Interstate Battery.  He had a bad drinking habit, and drank as hard as he worked.  He remembers how for twenty years he got drunk at least once a week, often drinking so heavily that he would black out.  One night in 1974 he was driving home after drinking and was pulled over by a policeman. 

This had happened before, as he already had two DWIs.  Somehow he talked his way out of this one.  When he woke up the next morning he had a terrible hangover and called in sick to work.  It was that morning that the realization hit him—he was an alcoholic like his father had been.  He was losing control of his life.

In desperation he blurted out, “God, help me!  I can’t handle it!”  The Lord answered his plea and removed his desire to drink completely.  Norm Miller realizes that it doesn’t happen quickly and completely for everyone, but he is eternally thankful that it did for him. 

Before that morning he wouldn’t have been able to tell you if he believed in God, because he had never thought about it.  Religion meant nothing to him, and he never attended church.

A friend tried to share with Norm about the Bible and what it had to say.  Norm just cut him off and told him that unless he could be convinced the Bible was the TRUTH, he couldn’t accept it as anything but just another old book.  His friend took the challenge and provided Norm with books and information that provided conclusive proof of the validity of the Bible and Jesus Christ as Savior.  The books contained articles that described archaeological discoveries that proved facts in the Bible, as well as articles that told of historical discoveries which verified the authenticity of ancient Bible manuscripts.  

Norm was especially impressed with the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy in the New Testament.  He began reading the Bible and started attending a Bible study.  Norm Miller finally accepted the Lord realizing he was described in the verse “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).   He understood the Good News and now knew “you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:32).  He has said, "I learned that when you receive Christ as your Savior as repayment for your sins through confession that God would put His Spirit in your heart and help you live the rest of your life here and then eternally. So I prayed one night. That was in 1974. I’ve been trying to honor Him and walk with Him ever since."

Today Norm Miller thanks God for giving him the power to change his ruined life.  It also changed the way he operated and treated people in the business world.  He has made Christian business principles part of Interstate Batteries’ corporate culture.  Interstate maintains a full-time chaplain, and Norm Miller practices Christian values and evangelizes to others so they, too, can be free. 

Norm is a board member for Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas Seminary Foundation, the Overseas Council and BEE World.  He is cofounder of the Great American Race, America’s premier vintage car event. He and his wife, Anne, have two children, Tracey and Scott, and five grandchildren.

Norm Miller is also a strong supporter of the video series called "I Am Second".  Its purpose is to inspire people in all walks of life to live for God and for others.  The stories and interviews in the video are genuine and depict people struggling in their everyday lives. Most tried to do it on their own and failed completely. They then discover the way to find hope, peace and fulfillment by being second--living for God and thinking of others first. See: http:///www.iamsecond.com           

This is the philosophy statement of Interstate Batteries: "To treat others as we want to be treated; treating all our business associates with respect, fairness, and integrity; caring for and listening to them; professionally serving them; always being a model of working hard and striving toward excellence.” 

You can learn more about this extraordinary man's life in his autobiography, "Beyond the Norm" by Norm Miller.