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By Joe Stone
Before coming to faith, I would have described myself as a hopeful agnostic. I wanted to believe in God, but was unsure of how to proceed.
Deep down, I think that everyone wants to believe in God and life everlasting. Even atheists have been known to utter a prayer in a crisis. My crisis came when my sister died three years ago, and my Dad a year later. I wanted to believe they are with God, and that I would see them again some day.
My mother asked me if I wanted to attend something called Alpha. She said it was about Christian spirituality, and at the very least I would get a good meal.
I attended the first meeting and watched the first video with Nicky Gumbel. I was hooked. I found it very interesting and wanted to hear more. So I signed up and returned week after week.
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I found the course to be interesting and enlightening. Nicky presented the material in a way I've never heard. After listening to the case he presented, I came to the same conclusion he did that the Gospels are true. If the Gospels are true, then what Jesus is saying in them is also true. I am a Christian because I believe in Jesus and His message.
I came to faith before the Holy Spirit weekend. I really looked forward to the weekend away, but didn't really feel anything at that time. But during the next week or two, I began to change.
Now that the course is finished I would describe myself differently. I am no longer a hopeful agnostic. I am now a Christian. I have become more excited about expressing my faith. I pray more openly. I have become more compassionate and tolerant of people. I have more confidence and feel more at peace with myself.
Alpha is the first letter or beginning of the Greek alphabet. In many ways the Alpha course has become my new beginning. I view the world differently now. I look for ways that God speaks to us, and to my amazement I find them. God speaks to us everyday. We have only to listen.
This testimony was contributed by our friends at Alpha Canada.
April 18/2008
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