Jahrell P.

Gardner
September 7, 2016
Writing & Inquiry
Connie Douglas
This I Believe Proclamation ROUGH DRAFT
God Is Real
My name is Jahrell Gardner. The belief that I have and strongly hold is that God
is real and that it was God that kept me here on this Earth. I know the existence of God
is a controversial issue as many people tend to question his existence because of the
sole fact that they cannot physically see or touch God. Overall, despite major opposition
to his existence, I still believe in God. God is real and he kept me here on this Earth.
God is real and he kept me here on this Earth. This. I. Believe.
The main reason I hold the belief that God is real is because of one particular
event in my life. That event is my birth and the circumstances and challenges I faced. I
was born twenty-eight weeks early (prematurely) and weighed exactly a pound and nine
ounces. I was so small that I could fit in the palm of someones hand. I was born with a
collapsed lung and a level four brain bleed which was the result of a popped blood
vessels in my brain and caused major swelling. The doctors in addition to this, also
diagnosed me with retinopathy of prematurity which caused me to lose all vision in my
right eye. The doctors then proclaimed that Id only live for two days and that if I did, I
would be on life support, unable to function on my own for my entire life. I was in an

incubator for about six months to help me breathe and ultimately, I was able to live
despite the insurmountable odds I faced and the doctors doing everything humanly
possible through the power of God. Another reason as to why I believe in the existence
of God is that his anointed son, Jesus Christ existed in history as well as the Holy Bible
being a record of the relationship between God and people. In addition to this, I also
believe in God because I know I am not alone in having this belief. In an interview with
Fox News, 22-year old college student Morgan Lake explained that it was God who
turned her situation around. Morgan Lake was trapped in her car feeling like she was
about to drown after she was rear-ended by a truck that sent her car off of the
Chesapeake Bay Bridge into the water beneath it. Morgan in that moment of cheating
death, with her mouth filling with water and her seat belt unable to open, says that she
reached out to God and that it was divine intervention that allowed her to unlock her
seat belt and pull herself out of the car, then swim to the shore where help arrived.
Morgan stated that As long as you have God with you, he will be there to support you
through everything; even going over a bridge. In addition to this story, the Bible itself
has also shown me or taught me that there is a God, one notable quote in the Bible that
may show Gods existence is God that made the world and all things therein, seeing
that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands (King
James Bible Cambridge Edition, Acts. 17:24). Another example from the Bible is
Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the
Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and mans device (King
James Bible 1611 Edition, Acts 17:29).

In addition to my birth and the world around me shaping my belief, there have
also been some people in my life to help me keep the belief strong at all costs. The
people who have influenced my belief in the existence of God are primarily my
grandmother, mother, and aunt. They have emphasized and stressed the importance of
having faith and believing in God at all times, even in the trials and tribulations of life.
As theyve told me time and time again, God may not be there physically, but hes
always there and he works in mysterious ways. Ever since my birth and my family
stressing the importance of believing in God, I have undying faith that God is real.
Overall, as a whole, my family has had a strong influence on my faith in God.
As with everything in life, having this belief brings many daily challenges. My
belief that God is real has been tested many times throughout life. For instance, the
trend of people coming up with conspiracy theories and ideas to prove that God is not
real and that he didnt create this world as well as people choosing to not believe in any
deity or supernatural being, choosing to be atheists. People tend to question the
existence of God due to the sole fact that they cannot physically see or touch God.
Another challenge to this belief, is the fact there is no real way to prove Gods
existence, but as with all forms of religion, thats where faith comes into play. I know the
idea of having an all-seeing, all-knowing, all-powerful being who we cannot see who
controls everything in our universe may sound crazy and or absurd, but he is real. Every
day, when I wake up and before I go to sleep, I pray to God and thank him for all that he
has given me in my life and for allowing me to live each day.
In conclusion, at the end of the day I will always believe that God is real no
matter what. If I do say so myself, I am living proof that God is real. I consider myself to

be living proof of Gods existence because of the insurmountable odds I faced and the
fact that I was supposed to die and not live for longer than two days. Ultimately, I was
able to live despite the circumstances and the doctors doing everything humanly
possible through the power of God. I can only thank God that I am still here on Earth.
With his gift of life he has given to me, I have accomplished more than most people
thought I would in life. Despite people constantly questioning and doubting the
existence of a higher being or God, I will always remain faithful and undying in my faith
in God. I recognize God as my creator and my lord and savior because without him, I
would not be here today. In conclusion, God is real and it was he who kept me here on
Earth. This. I. Believe.

WORKS CITED
1. Adams, Molly. Caldwell, Kim. Gardner, Johnni. Personal Interview. 3 Apr. 2016.
2. Luke, Morgan. Morgan Lakes story dramatic reminder that God is real, miracles
happen. Fox News, Kelly Wright, 24 Jul. 2013.
www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/07/24/morgan-lake-story-dramatic-reminderthat-god-is-real-miracles-happen. Accessed 9 Sep. 2016