Over the years, my understanding of faith has changed — not by finding certainty, but by learning to live comfortably without it. This is not a statement of dogma or doctrine, but an honest reflection of how I experience faith today.

My goal isn’t to persuade, but to invite. Whether you see the world through science, tradition, reason, or wonder, I believe the act of seeking — of asking what lies beyond ourselves — is what connects us to each other and the divine. This is how I seek.

My Faith Statement

My faith begins with the radical acknowledgment that God’s existence lies beyond the reach of human proof or disproof. I also accept that any attempt by an imperfect human, myself included, to define God will inherently fall short and be wrong. My commitment is therefore a pure act of faith, unburdened by the need for empirical evidence. This freedom from certainty opens space for awe, humility, and ongoing discovery.

What is Faith?

At its core, faith is the lifelong, continuous pursuit of God—the act of seeking. This pursuit is profoundly universal and personal, and I humbly recognize that I am no better in God’s eyes than any other seeker.

Genuine seeker, whether through established faith traditions, philosophical contemplation, or deep engagement with the mysteries around them, pursues God in the way most natural to them.
True faith is expressed not in display, but in the quiet integrity of sincere seeking.

The Centrality of Grace

I believe that God has clear expectations for right living. However, as finite and inherently imperfect beings, we all inevitably fall short of God’s standards; our human “judgment” is a binary failure.

Therefore, I lean entirely on Grace. Grace is the necessary, divine mechanism that allows us to get up and continue seeking after the inevitable fall.

Grace ensures that our worthiness is never dependent upon our achievement, but on God’s sustaining love.

Grace does not excuse denial or distortion. I cannot affirm any public leader or practice that denies the reality of human failure or redefines sin to accommodate convenience. To live in grace is to live truthfully—about both God’s standards and our human limits. My focus is on the sincere relationship, and that relationship requires honesty about both God’s truth and human limits.

Relationship, Destiny, and Calling

My God desires a dynamic relationship with each person—a bond built on engagement, not religious bureaucracy.This pursuit ultimately defines our eternal destiny. The ultimate fulfillment for those who seek God is eternal connection; for those who reject the pursuit, the natural end is separation—God fulfills the path each chooses.

My calling is to live a life that transparently communicates my understanding of who God is. This daily, lived demonstration of faith—focused on being consistent, persistent, honest, empathetic, and supporting in character, and owning when I fall short—is the most potent form of evangelism.

How I Practice My Faith: A Lived Declaration

1. The Engine of Grace

My entire practice of faith is fueled by the humility of knowing I am no better than any other person, and the certainty that I will fall short. Therefore, my seeking is sustained by Grace: I accept that I fail, and I rely entirely on Grace—not as an excuse, but as the divine power that lifts me up after every stumble.

2. Prayer: A Conversational Practice

I reject a rigid, formal structure for prayer because I believe faith is a dynamic relationship, not a religious bureaucracy.

Genuine Conversation: My prayer life is a casual, honest conversation with God. I share my thanks, my fears for security, and my needs without formality.
Gratitude First: My prayer is primarily driven by deep thankfulness for the undeserved blessings, protection, and stability in my life. This gratitude transforms prayer from obligation into joy, and fuels my desire to serve.

3. Service: Character as Evangelism

My faith dictates that the most potent and effective way to communicate who God is, is through a lived demonstration of character in the world. I find pure joy in this calling.

Faith shines through consistency, not spectacle: My primary goal is to be consistent, persistent, honest, empathetic, and supporting in daily life, rather than focusing on spectacular, occasional deeds.
Sharing My Gifts in God’s Creation: I practice this by investing my leadership and mentorship skills in areas where I have expertise. Mentoring others brings me joy and is a direct expression of my faith. When I provide leadership and share my knowledge, I communicate my faith through action, building a foundation of trust that gives weight to an occasional, genuine conversation about belief.
Sustainable Witness: I am careful to avoid burnout. If service becomes a burden I resent, my life ceases to be an authentic demonstration of faith. Therefore, setting boundaries is an act of self-stewardship, preserving my capacity to offer sustainable, humble service, rooted in the Grace I have received.

Therefore:

In all things, my faith remains a journey of seeking—a dialogue between the finite and the infinite. I do not claim certainty, only the conviction that sincere pursuit, sustained by Grace, draws me closer to the heart of God.

When I’m outside under clear, dark skies, visual astronomy can become an act of worship as I explore the vast universe that surrounds us in every direction. Astrophotography then becomes a form of evangelism—sharing beauty and wonder with the world, and encouraging others to look up and seek the Creator.

I’ve come to see science not as something apart from faith, but as one of the ways we strive to understand God—by seeking to understand His creation. The deeper we explore, the more we find an elegant simplicity at the foundation of things, and yet from that simplicity arises a breathtaking complexity that sustains all life. To me, that is the mark of true genius—a creation so intricate and balanced that it invites both wonder and study. Each new discovery, rather than diminishing faith, deepens my awe for the mind that set it all in motion.

But…

The Messy Reality of Human Failure

If reading the sections above makes this faith seem simple or easy—a life lived on a foundation of contentment—then I’ve been less than honest. There is a But to this entire declaration, and it is the universal reality of sin. My beautiful calling is constantly undermined by my own nature.

God’s expectations for a life of connection and ethics are simple and radical:

Love God with all your heart, mind, and soul.
Love your neighbor as yourself.

Yet, when I honestly examine myself and the world, I see a devastating distortion of those two rules:

I often love myself with all my heart and mind and soul.
I often love my neighbor only as much as they love me back.
I love God just enough to assuage my guilt.

This pervasive failure is why the world is a mess. Sin is rampant, and, in my experience, it starts with me.

The necessary response is not mere regret, but repentance. This is a transformative change of mind and heart that leads to returning to God. The Greek word for this, metanoia, signifies a “change of mind or purpose,” while the Hebrew word, shuv, means “to return” or “turn back.” It requires a conscious decision to forsake my selfish distortions and realign with God’s will.

But here is the final, inescapable truth: Even my attempts at consistent repentance are imperfect, inconsistent, and often fail.

In the end, there is no other answer. I am wholly dependent on Grace. The cycle of failure, repentance, and return is only possible because of the sustaining power of God’s unearned love.

Faith, Science, and The Integrity of Creation

My conviction that God is honest is a fundamental aspect of my faith, and it governs how I view both science and scripture.

I believe that God does not lie. He would not “plant” false evidence for humanity to discover. Therefore, I accept what diligent study of His creation reveals:

Deep Time and Evolution: Archaeology tells us of dinosaurs, and scientific processes, including carbon and other technologies, accurately date things at millions and billions of years old. I believe in both the long history of the universe and the process of evolution.
Cosmic Vastness: Astronomy shows us the universe is at least 13 billion years old and contains countless other planets. Given this cosmic scale and certain scriptural references to “other tribes,” I believe in the possibility of other intelligence in the universe.

I see no conflict here. Instead, I view science as a genuine quest to understand the mind of the Creator.

Interpreting Scripture

When it comes to ancient writings, I take much of Genesis and other early texts as a way to communicate profound truth to contemporary people—not as a 21st-century scientifically accurate statement from God.

I believe in the infallibility of the word of God. However, I also understand that many men touched these sacred writings over time, creating opportunities for human agendas to be injected. The parable of the mustard seed, which grows into a large tree (the Church) bigger than the plant was naturally supposed to be and shelters birds (a Biblical symbol often associated with harmful influences), serves as a powerful, yet uncomfortable reminder: Even the purest divine message can be corrupted or obscured by human ambition and bureaucracy.

My faith is rooted in the unchanging character of the God revealed through Grace, not in the absolute literal accuracy of every ancient scientific description.