One year ago, May 2015, I made the most important decision of my life: I decided to become a theologically and intellectually better Christian. For the longest time I was a very lukewarm Christian. Indeed, I knew very little solid Christian theology and believed more in alternative spirituality like the New Age Movement, and listened to plenty of prosperity gospel from Joel Osteen. What was I doing all the years I proclaimed to be a Christian? Absolutely nothing. It wasn’t until junior year in high school that I actually began to become intellectually and spiritually stimulated. I remember in Art where my friends and I were having metaphysical conversations like time, worldviews and religion. It wasn’t until that summer when I watched God’s Not Dead and started wondering if there was a connection between God and science. Lo and behold, I came across Godandscience.org, yet that was only the start to my long one year journey. I went everywhere from science to philosophy to apologetics to theology to spirituality, never sticking in one “spot” for long; I was unprepared and unorganized, but I was definitely determined. I knew there was no going back. A few times I witnessed the Bible speak out loud right in front of my eyes, yet I also managed to evangelize to five people last year (it’s not as easy as it seems to genuinely bring someone into the kingdom of God).

Eventually, I came upon a highly valuable resource: ReasonableFaith.org. I’ve honestly never seen anything like it; in my opinion Dr. William Lane Craig is virtually the role model of what it means to be a seriously thinking, doctrinally sound Christian philosopher, theologian and apologist. Trite answers don’t exist within the mindset of ReasonableFaith Ministries. Coupled with the fact that in my senior year of high school, I had a teacher who was my mentor (and still is as I’ve only recently graduated), I was essentially on the spiritual bullet train. In that one year alone, I became a much better thinker, have witnessed some of my friends’ overt disbelief to the Gospel, some of them leaving my life completely (or me realizing what a real friendship consists of); have witnessed one Christian friend of mine walk out of my life without explanation (only to eventually meet four more friends, later); from the first and last time I tried to make a relationship work (and realizing how much I didn’t trust God at the time), learned to guard my heart, “for out of it spring the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23); occasionally called out called out so called “Christians” for their hypocrisy, apostasy, and other times stood up for God (Psalm 94:16). Reflecting on Scripture, talking to my mentor, studying philosophy, and learning from my past mistakes all did wonders for the “renewing of my mind” (Romans 12:2). I became more organized in my thoughts, more secure of my heart, and more secure of my beliefs.

As I sit at this desk right now typing away my laptop, one year later on August 2016, I’m proud to say that I’ve come farther, faster in one year, then I ever would have going slow for four years. I’ve ridden the spiritual bullet train!