Judge lets Zion man change name to 'In God We Trust'

His name is right on the money.

Take a bill or coin from your pocket and look on the back. There it is.

Steve Kruescher of Zion has legally changed his name to "In God We Trust."

It's true. His first name is now "In God" and his last name is "We Trust."

Lake County Circuit Judge David Hall approved the petition Friday.

"I feel fantastic," We Trust said. "I've been praying for this."

The 57-year-old school bus driver and amateur artist says his new name fully expresses who he is as a person.

"God has brought me through some very hard times," he said. "I feel this is a way to honor God and immortalize that phrase."

We Trust is most excited to sign his artwork with the new moniker. He said it will make his colored pencil drawings stand out in a unique way.

Efforts by atheists to remove any reference to God from U.S. currency also has him worried. He said the words are an "endangered species."

But now he feels he's saved the phrase forever. "You can take it off the money, but you can't take away my name," he has said previously.

We Trust will have to change his driver's license, bank account and Social Security card to reflect his new name. That's going to cost him some money.

He's already had to pay $246 for the legal petition, and about $150 for legal notices in the newspaper.

He figures the total cost will be about $600.

And wouldn't you know it? He just received his government stimulus check in the amount of $600.

"It didn't surprise me," We Trust said. "God is with me."