Why do you believe what you believe? Is it because of proofs and theorems, white papers and historical data?
Ultimately, my answer to that question is “no.” Of course, when I go beyond the bedrock reason for my personal belief system it is nice to know that the historical and archeological data support Christianity, but at the core of what I believe is an inability to account for the empirical data of my life in any other way than a Supreme Being who personally relates to His creation.
This idea has been bouncing around my mind for a week or two in an unformed manner, but then I read a quote by Rudolf Bultmann that caused my thoughts to take solid shape.
If a man must say that he cannot find God in the reality of his own present life, and if he would compensate for this by the thought that God is nevertheless the final cause of all that happens, then his belief in God will be a theoretical speculation or a dogma; and however great the force with which he clings to this belief, it will not be true faith, for faith can be only recognition of the activity of God in his own life.*
This is the reality of my existence. Whatever others may write, say, or do, the evidence of my life is incontrovertible; there is a God and I know Him.
* R. Bultmann, Jesus and the Word. ET Fontana 1958, p 113
Long-ing For Life 
You have been my friend. That in itself is a tremendous thing. I wove my webs for you because I liked you. After all, what’s a life, anyway? We’re born, we live a little while, we die. A spider’s life can’t help being something of a mess, with all this trapping and eating flies. By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a trifle. Heaven knows anyone’s life can stand a little of that.
-E.B. (Elwyn Brooks) White, Charlotte, in “Charlotte’s Web”
More appropriately:
“But Oh! The blessing it is to have a friend to whom one can speak fearless on any subject; with whom one’s deepest as well as one’s most foolish thoughts come out simply and safely. Oh, the comfort – the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person – having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then with the breath of kindness blow the rest away.”
-Dinah Maria Mulock Craik, A Life for a Life, 1866
Indeed, Jamie! And I say “in-deed” in more than one way; meaning both, “truly” and “it has been evidenced in deeds”
We may have had to re-affirm our reality lately, but I find that testing has only confirmed the reality of the truth of that quote.
And as you know well (laughing at myself there), far be it from me to carelessly assume over much upon the confidence of friendship.
You’re valued, my friend, you’re valued.
Welcome back! At least I think the fact that you’re on my blog, indicates you must be in the States.
And it is clear that you grasp what I’m trying to say.
I am back, Nate. Thanks for the warm welcome back. I enjoyed your post. It took me a long time to get to that point. I could have reduced it to the last paragraph, huh?
I enjoyed the personal insight. TR Forum should be back up in a day or two, and I’ll look forward to hearing all about your trip.