Will DeJong Exploratory Essay Draft #1 There are few things in my life that I could say I am so passionate about

they could not be ignored. However, there is something in my life that would be impossible to ignore. My faith is the thing in my life that I am so passionate about it cannot be ignored. While my things in life are important to me, such as school and programming, faith is the only thing for me that will carry from this life onto the next. School and programming are important for me as they help further my career. However, at some point I will not be programming any longer. And, within a few years my schooling will be done. It is also plausible for me to take a break from schooling or programming and be fine. While not ideal, taking a year break from school would not damage me whatsoever, it would just put me a year behind on track to graduate. With programming, I can choose to ignore it. If I wanted I could change my major and choose a different profession and just flat out not program. I feel a responsibility to keep my faith. We are all mortal, and with everyday risks in our lives any day could be our last. Faith is not something to me that could be put down and picked back up without second thought. Knowing that we are mortal, giving up my faith would mean possibly leaving this Earth without it. Which all things considered would be the worst thing to ever happen to me. Growing up religion and faith meant very different things than they do to me now. As a child I did attend a Roman Catholic Church with my family on a regular basis. I did not understand the readings and ceremonies in church at any level. I have very limited thoughts on what faith was and how it would ever help you. My general idea of Christianity was two main beliefs. One, I thought you had to believe

that there was a God and that he existed. Two, I thought that you believed that you would go to Heaven if you did more good deeds than bad, and if not you went to hell. My interpretation of Heaven was being with my family and my pets and being in the clouds. My idea of Hell was being tortured in a burning inferno. My idea of Hell was influenced by the Hell that was displayed on television. The little faith at the time was motivation to be what I thought was a better person, the same way I would act prior to Christmas to please Santa. I believe I also knew Jesus was the Son of God, but I did not know why that was important or what it meant. Growing up I was also curious about how true what I had been taught was. The idea that Heaven isnt real bothered me very much growing up. I worried what would happen if at any moment I died and wasnt with my family Starting in March I began attending the Church nearest my house. Prior to March the last time I had done this willingly was 2008. For many years I identified myself as agnostic or atheist. After learning the corruptions of the Catholic Church from my school I lost my trust in the church. Learning about science and general disproved my faith to me. I thought that because of what science said that the Bible must have been wrong. I believed I was smarter or better informed because of switching my stance on God; I looked down in my mind at people of faith. There was nothing in my mind that could change my stance either; I thought any new information coming my way would reinforce my thoughts. The years in which I had not faith had to have been the worst time of my life. Without my faith I did not have a moral compass other than my conscious. While believing nothing happened to us after we died I also lost much motivation to do

anything and became apathetic. I also became very anxious during this time and lost faith in myself. I didnt know of anything that could cause eternal or permanent satisfaction in my life, and decided to pursue almost nothing. [EXPAND ON PARAGRAPH] What finally got me back into the church was very simple. In the back of my mind I knew the right thing was to become a believer again. The action that helped set this forth was the death of my dog that my family had owned for 14 years. While in scope it was an insignificant death compared to the death of a family member, it made me think about mortality. One second my dog was alive and breathing, and the next he was gone. This made no sense to me. I knew there was more than that when it came to death. This forced me to go to church to find answers.

[PARAGRAPH ON FAITH AT SCHOOL, CAMPUS OUTREACH] -changed faith -helped faith -bible study [CONCLUSION] -take more about faith rekindled -change in person from being having no faith to having faith -restate mortality and how having constant faith is important