One late summer night in 2015, I was wild camping in the heart of the Lake District below Green Hole Crags, an isolated spot very close to Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in England.  And a friend told me about Jesus. He said, “if you were sick and needed a heart transplant to stay alive, then someone died and gave you their heart – would you not try all you could to live a great life for them?”

When I heard that, something just clicked inside me, something I had never understood before made perfect sense. But there was a problem – did I actually believe in God? Certainly, I had rationalised that ‘something’ must have always existed, and I often talked to the ‘universe’ as non-believers often do – but, was that something God? I decided I needed to know.  Popular belief is that modern science does not account for the existence of God so, as a teacher of Science and biologist, I decided to read a book by the world-renowned biologist Richard Dawkins called the God Delusion.

What I read changed everything. The arguments were poor and I did not like the hardness of heart Richard Dawkins appeared to carry on the inside. I thought his arguments haughty, with a singular perspective that blinded his objectivity. His evidence reframed to suit his own agenda, merely demonstrated a ‘closed’ mind-set approach to his work and other people. History shows us time and time again that innovation and leaps in our understanding come from the creativity of an ‘open’ mind. Even Einstein is famous for quoting “creativity is more important than knowledge”.

After considering the ‘science’, I was convinced that God does exist. Some tell me the Holy Spirit must have spoken to my heart, and yes, I believe God speaks to us all. So in January 2016 I began my Christian journey of faith. I heard the calling of His voice to my heart. I left everything I knew and started on a new path, a new adventure. 

The Bible tells us “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7.

Finding God and learning all about how much Jesus loves each and every one of us, just as we are and not as we should be is the greatest ‘discovery’ of my life, and one for which I will be forever grateful.