Update - Jan 13

Hi everyone! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all! I hope you all had beautiful holidays filled with family and love. I am back in Kenya now, but my dear wife stayed in Cairo for a couple more weeks to take care of her grandma. So, since I am alone and have nothing better to do, I decided to write about something that has been on my heart for a while.

I have had many conversations now about what exactly is TRUTH. Yes, the big question. What is truth? When there are many possible answers that all seem right, how do you discern the truth from the false?

Growing up in Canada encouraged me to respect everyone else, to believe that it is enough to be a good person, to believe that if life is going well then I must be on the right track, to believe that all religions are right...to believe that there are several versions of the truth. But now, when I am asked what I believe is true, I say Jesus is the way and the truth, and this shocks and offends some of my friends and family. And I completely understand their reactions because I used to believe what they believe. So what has changed? How can I be so sure that this is the truth? So sure that I am willing to risk offending my loved ones for the sake of His Holy Name? I ask you, what is easier? To please everyone by saying that everyone is correct in what they believe, or to stand up for the truth, knowing that not everyone will agree with it, but also knowing that the truth will save everyone? In my entire life, I have never known the easier option to be the right one. Doing the right thing always takes more. So, if you really knew the truth, would you not stand up for it? So again, the question is, how do you know the truth?

Before I became a Christian, I opted for the first option: to let everyone be happy believing whatever they wished. And I really defended this way when I was challenged by the "religious fanatic" types. Why? Because I thought this was the truth. But how did I know this was the truth? What had I done to search for the truth? Where was it written that this was the truth? Where was the proof? Was I choosing the "nice and easy" option? Had I merely come to this conclusion on my own? Was I deciding for myself what was true and what was false? Did the discernment of truth and false come from me? from my own brain? What had I done to become such a great judge?

Back then, I had no intention to actively search for the truth. Life was busy enough. I was content believing whatever I learned from tv, or from friends, or whatever didn't inconvenience me much. Why would I spend time and energy to search for what I thought I already knew? Truly, ignorance was bliss. Bliss. Bliss. Bliss. But when I met Christine, I found that she defended Jesus, to the point where she was willing to forsake our love! I was so perplexed by this. I asked myself, "How can she be so sure of that truth?" After I repeatedly said No to the idea of Jesus being the way and the truth, she left me. And I was left in tears, scratching my head, wondering what had happened. It was after this that I decided to go and search for the truth. I needed to find the truth for myself. One, or both of us, was wrong. We could not both be right.

I searched for truth with an open heart. It was not easy. I had to do work. I had to read. I had to pray. I had to think with my heart, and not with my mind. I had to spend my precious time to find the truth. Rick Warren wrote that you can give someone money or food, but they can always repay it back to you. He said that to give your time for something is to give your life for it, because time is the one thing you can't get back. So I gave my life to search for the truth, and in my search, Christ actually revealed Himself to me!!! Do you see the irony? I was looking for Him as if He were the lost one! Instead, He came and found me!

After this point in my life, my desire to know Jesus burned in my heart so much that I gave up my life, and came to Africa in the hope that my relationship with Him would grow beyond us being mere acquaintances. And He has not withheld Himself from me. I love Him from my innermost being.

What is my point? Search for the truth. Don't believe what you have been told. Don't be content with what the world has taught you. Don't consider yourself worthy to be the judge of truth and false. Go. Go and find out what the truth is. Do you really believe that if you search for the truth, it will not reveal itself to you?

JC

Update - Jan 1

Hi all. I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Though I have lots to share, I am afraid that we have received some sad/happy news, so I just wanted to send a quick update. Christine's uncle has left us and is with the King Jesus now. On a personal note, I will miss him dearly, for he was so kind and so full of peace. I am happy for him, but sad for the family.

We are leaving for Egypt tonight and will be there until after the other Christmas (Jan 7).

JC