Thank you for your interest in this true story, which is one of many concerning the power of the only true living God: Jesus Christ.

I was saved by Jesus in February of 2011. Prior to that I always knew who Jesus was and that I believed he died for me, but unaware I wasn’t truly saved. I would carry the Bible around and people would think that I was this good person. Tutoring younger classmen, respecting others, not judging others, and being very humble. Yet, I was still trying to bring girls back to my dorm, and was a daily practitioner of idolatry and adultery. God’s measuring stick is intensely burdensome to those who live under the law of sin.

The moment I became saved, I gave everything over to Jesus. This came with confirmation of me speaking in tongues; a language I do not myself know but speak it frequently in prayer. Confirmation also came within 20 minutes of me receiving the Holy Ghost from another believer who did not know me confirming that “it was all over me” and that “I had a lot of work to do”. All of my burdens from a two year long depression state at that moment was lifted and removed. The lightness I felt as the weight of that emotional depression lifted enacted the very Words of Christ as: “my yoke is easy; and my burden is light.”

I began learning about Jesus and the character of God by reading the Bible, praying often, and “trying to work out my salvation with fear and trembling”. A good friend invited me to a men’s Bible Study and I have been going for the past three years. The time following after I received salvation, I began praying for my wife who I did not know at the time, but asked God that He would be glorified if I were to have a wife (because at the time I was content with remaining single if that was God’s will). Unknowingly, she was also praying for me and God was developing both of us in our singlehood. We were brought together in marriage on May 30^th, 2015.

Where does Jesus intersect with my research? Well, to put it plainly: Jesus intersects with my entire life. From waking up, to washing a dish, to writing a document, to walking the dog. Jesus Christ is the LORD of my entire life and sets my coming and goings. Please consider the true story below:

2004-2010: Mentors and professors encourage me to pursue a doctorate while I was working on my undergraduate degree. At the time I never wanted to do research. Georgia Tech was a black hole where fun came to die twice over. And I thought a doctorate was a ridiculous pursuit. I wanted to teach, but not go through the humdrum of graduate school again, where I did not enjoy myself. I just want to teach people, not go through a PhD! That sounds crazy to me!

2009-2011: Nevertheless, I thought why not try, I decided to submit applications to the top 5 graduate schools to do a doctorate, and applied to the top 7 fellowships specifically for a doctorate. I applied for 3 years in a row. And was denied from all. I also had this mentality: School is difficult. I hate it. I think research is stupid. I don’t even know what I would research, I tried many different sub-subjects and found none that suited me. Who would want to be with me while I’m getting a doctorate and not having any time for anything? Nevertheless, at this time I prayed to God: “LORD, please allow me, if it be in Your Will, that I get a PhD and a Grammy. I will use those platforms to glorify you.” (did you know I also do music? And did music for a while? (See here for more info.)

2011-2012: I begin working at Lockheed Martin. Find myself twiddling my thumbs most of the time. I also meet my wife (again, See here for more info.) during this time.

Oct. 2012: My wife and I were sitting on my now brother-in-law’s couch on her 27^th birthday. (we were just starting to date at that time). We were discussing the next 5 years and our respective plans. Randomly I just said: I think I’m going to go back to school and start a doctorate program. I began applying for re-admittance to GT that next day. And studying for my qualifying exam.

Jan. 2013: I begin my doctorate program by taking a distance learning class so I can work and start to finish the class credits I need. I also land a fellowship working as a web developer for a department on campus, which helps pay for my school while I work full-time. I also begin looking for an advisor to take me on. (this was actually a very difficult thing for me) I was also studying night and day to take the PhD qualifying exam, which is basically a test covering all undergraduate material in electrical and computer engineering, I had already failed it once back in my Master’s program (rarely do students make the first jump).

March. 2013: I take the exam and pass. I passed. The goodness of God was revealed through answered prayers to deliver me from the burden of the qualifying exam.

August 21^st, 2013: I meet with my academic adviser, and she says: “you have got to get an advisor by this semester, or I can’t let you continue.” This severely troubled me. I was reminding myself of everything I was concerned about at that time: All of my collegiate network is gone. There are no friends left here. I don’t know what professor would take me on after all these years. What am I going to research? How do I get into this thing? I was so troubled that I walked outside of the Van Leer building and sat on a bench across the street. (That bench is still there today). I was so upset at God for bringing me up to this point. I started talking (this is prayer!) to God like we were face-to-face, and telling him how stupid I felt, and how stupid I thought this whole thing was. I blurted some explicative, and felt so frustrated with everything going on. And then I told Him: “I’m just going to walk away, I’m done with this.” At that moment, I immediately shut up. I felt hope enter me. If hope could be formed into a physical substance I felt it enter me from above, it was very directed and it sat in the middle of my body. I began speaking truths that I could not deny: “God is good. Jesus died for me and rose again on the third day. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” As I began speaking these truths, I got up and began walking towards the adjacent building, the CoC. I was supposed to be at a class at that time, but my feet just kept moving one in front of the other, as if they were not under my control. As I arrived into the building, I began reading some of the pamphlets in there, and I suddenly heard a voice. That voice was Mr. Stallworth, a former director of a summer program I was involved with years ago, and he was still working as an instructor for the CS department. I said hello, and we started to catch up. I was so amazed I ran into him, I started to tell him about what I was trying to do and how difficult I felt it was. He brought me up to his office, and he put me on game. He told me exactly what I should be doing, what contacts I should be following up with, what a doctorate is, and what it allows. He basically gave me the pep talk of that part of my life at that moment. I left there filled with a mission to email and contact as many postdocs and professors that I could think of, to just start setting up meetings with them and trying to find their research and hopefully find something interesting about their research. It was frustrating to not knowing anything, but at least I was doing something other than sitting on that bench. Still frustrated I explained to my wife (girlfriend at the time) how upset and frustrated I was at the whole notion of starting a doctorate program. She is a witness to how troubled I was. She saw it all on my face and felt how down I was. After a troubling night of frustration, I took myself to nap to prepare for the grave shift at midnight.

August 22^nd, 2013: The very next morning I came to campus after working grave shift at the plant. I got some breakfast and began reading the Bible for a morning quiet time. I was led to Psalm 27, and the Holy Spirit spoke to me through the last verse. “Wait in faith on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” I had such peace in my heart after reading that, I left the table feeling refreshed and renewed. I go to my morning class, and I run into my good friend Patrick. We had TA’d together back when I was working on my Masters and we had become good friends. I was so happy to see him again, I didn’t know he was still at school working on his doctorate! I was thrilled to see him, I felt encouraged: “maybe I’m not alone over here.”. After that class I had decided to go to the Klaus building to speak to a professor about possibly being their student. While in the elevator I get a text from a good friend about this news article. The article was about some sea monster that washed up on the shore of Spain. I started to read it and got into the elevator and there was a gentleman behind me. I all of a sudden felt such love for this gentleman that I turned around and asked him if he had heard of this news article. We began talking and conversing outside of the elevator. He told me his name was Hamza, and that his advisor was looking for more students. He asked if I knew a certain programing language and I said yes. Then he said, oh well my advisor will be here in an hour, I’ll introduce you to him. I was very excited about this and decided to wait in a chair. Hamza begins telling me more about the research: Cars talking to cars to avoid accidents. Whoa! I never knew there was such a thing! I was so excited about the research and Hamza and I had such a great time talking about research and life, I was very comforted. I then meet Dr. Chang, and he begins telling me about the research, and I tell him I have my own funding from being a web developer on campus, and he became very excited to take me on. Shortly after I ended up meeting Dr. Copeland. I had Dr. Copeland’s class a long time ago in undergrad, and I admitted to him that I was kind of bored in his class, but that I’m excited to be working on this research. He was very humble and understood, he then said: “Well, go ahead and get the form from the academic office for me to sign. I’ll be your advisor, and Dr. Chang your co-advisor. And I’ll give you access to the lab.”

I could not begin to tell you the joy that came over me. I immediately called Liz and told her. We were praising God the whole day. I finally had my appointment to be a Ph.D. student. I literally saw the hand of hand move people around and set my path to be in His will. I was thrilled at how the LORD works. In one night, God had taken me from no way, to His way where all doors are open and under his authority. He heard my plea, and drew close to me as I drew close to Him. The intimacy of God in my life, where I can speak to Him as if face-to-face, makes me love what Jesus did for me even more. It is only because of Jesus, the creator and alpha and omega that I can write this testimony today. Since then, God has done nothing but provide an exciting time in my life filled with learning about Him. Jesus gave me all the ideas, and continues to do so. They are all His. My wife is the most supporting woman I know, giving me the comfort to know that she will stand by me no matter what. I deeply desire to reciprocate and do the same for her. Most people have a difficult time through college and a doctorate. I must say that my undergraduate and masters had ups and downs, but most of it was not filled with life. Since being saved by Jesus, and living for Him, this degree has been amazing. God himself established my research topic, my advisors (remember He gave me TWO!), great lab mates who are so caring, ideas to be published, funding for the degree (everything has been provided for), support from family and friends, and most amazingly is that this entire time Jesus has been teaching me about who He is. He is the way the truth and the life. No one will get to the Father except through Him.

Do you see how it’s not about the degree? It’s not about the research? It’s not even about the people?

Jesus has forgiven me of so much, and set me on a higher ground. He lives with me and shows me his character. I only want to obey His voice, because He is the provider, the healer, the protector, my everything. Praise the LORD!

I invite you, to accept the invitation of Jesus Christ. The only true living God. Don’t believe in imaginations thought up by men, they sound nice but I assure you they do not have the living Spirit who I spoke about in this testimony. I tell you the Word of God is true. Jesus died for your sins that you may be forgiven of much. Consider your current condition. Do you know the LORD? Does He know you? Have you given your life to Him and forsaken all others? Including forsaking friends and family and above all forsaking yourself?

Has no one told you that losing your life for Christ, will actually allow you to gain it?

I pray you will accept the invitation by Christ, to believe that He is the only Son of God. Please repent of your sin, speak to God and ask for forgiveness. Don’t die in your sin. He already died for you, so that your sins would not keep you in judgement. There is a reckoning that is coming. Jesus died a lamb, but was resurrected with power. He will return with a sword to destroy those who have not accepted His invitation and to destory those who have accepted but have not obeyed His commandments to live for Him. This is truth.

Your sins and your sins alone will commit you to eternal damnation. Accepting Christ’s death on the cross and resurrection as truth, will save you from that damnation. Even so as a born-again believer, you will need to continue living for Him and no longer yourself, otherwise you will be in danger of damnation.

Have you stopped commiting adultry with your eyes? Have you stopped commiting murder with your anger? Have you stopped living as a homosexual? Have you stopped living as a womanizer? Have you stopped trusting money over God? Have you forgiven those who have wronged you and love them though you feel they don't deserve it? Have you stopped thinking that you're a good person by your own right and don't need to live for Jesus?

You cannot do any of those things I mentioned unless you repent (admit you are wrong and God is right!), and accept Jesus. It is His power that can keep us saved. Stop relying on your own. Live for Him.

It will not be easy following Jesus, but you will understand why He is who He says He is and why He is love. The love of God for you, to trust Him and follow Jesus is the greatest love you will ever know.

I plead with you that you give your life to Christ. Give Him everything in you. Partake in my joy of being right with God, as so many who love Jesus do every day. Believe He is the Son of God, and live for Him as the LORD of your life.

Thank you for listening to me, but I’m nothing. Please listen to Jesus.