As I march towards my doctoral graduation, my mind dwells on all those who made my acheivement possible. In the forward of my book, I listed a slew of those people and I want to take some time to elaborate on their influence. 1. I give thanks to the Lord for the immeasurable gifts in my life. I am truly blessed beyond anything I could ever deserve, and I embrace his continual grace upon me.
Faith has always been a central aspect of my identity. Since my childhood, I've known many followers of Jesus who eventually strayed from their beliefs, the result of either decision or general apathy. Even though I continue to develop in my faith, I've never seriously considered departing from it altogether. This is not to say that I haven't grappled with my beliefs; there have been numerous times over the previous decades that I have deeply examined my long-held beliefs. Yet at the end of all those examinations, I always ended up where I began.
I love the Lord.
In the years to come, I suspect that people of faith will be exposed to more scrutiny. It will be important for Christians to articulate well why they believe. Cognitively, I feel there is a sufficient case for my faith. Experientially, I have witnessed the moving of the Lord so often that any doubt is eliminated. I'll admit it's not airtight; that's why they call it faith. But there's more to life than just this.
And I believe I understand who that is.
Without the Lord, I'd be nothing.