Searching for the Truth: Faithful friendship
I vividly remember the first time I met Sasha Hallock. It was at a charming café in Fort Greene, and the late fall air was quite cold. As soon as I arrived, Sasha handed me a warm cup of coffee and a freshly baked croissant, which made the chilly day feel a little more bearable. Our conversation quickly turned to faith, and I found myself being open about my doubts in God and Jesus. Growing up in the church, I had eventually walked away from my faith, not out of a desire to rebel, but in search of something I felt I had been missing. I wanted to experience the world in its entirety, including things I thought I had been keeping myself from in my pursuit of purity. This led to unhealthy behaviors, from casual relationships to drinking and smoking, but at the heart of it, I was searching for truth.
The pivotal moment in my spiritual journey occurred on my balcony in Greenwich Village. I had been smoking so much that I had lost the ability to feel high. Despite this, I kept going, hoping for some sense of fulfillment, but I couldn’t feel anything. I reached a breaking point, and in that moment, I cried out, “God, I don’t want to do this anymore. Please help me.” In response, I heard a quiet whisper in my mind: “You’re going through this for a reason, and you will make it through.” A month later, I decided to quit smoking cold turkey, and the addiction disappeared as if it had never been there. I knew in that moment that God had answered my prayer. This experience, along with several other spiritual encounters, led me to realize that the spiritual realm was real. And if the spiritual realm was real, then Jesus was real. At that point, I knew I had to surrender my life to Him completely for He had done everything for me. For the first time, I felt a profound sense of purpose — that my path had led me to this moment, to follow Jesus. I didn’t know it at the time, but this was when I became what is called a “born-again Christian.”
After my transformation, Sasha and I reconnected and began studying the Bible together, which became a pivotal part of my spiritual journey. Through our simple yet profound meetings, I felt God’s presence in ways I had never experienced before. We didn’t follow any elaborate structure — we simply shared our lives, read scripture, and reflected on how it spoke to us. In doing so, I discovered the power of true brotherhood in Christ and the strength found in prayer and genuine support for one another. My life, once lost in confusion, was turned upside down — but in the most beautiful way. God became the center of my world, leading me out of darkness and into a place of peace and purpose. I now see that every struggle, every moment of doubt, was a part of His plan to bring me closer to the truth and into His light. While I wouldn’t encourage anyone to follow my exact path, I know that God faithfully guides those who earnestly seek Him. Today, I am deeply grateful to Sasha for his role in my spiritual development, and I am now proud to follow Jesus, the Creator of the Universe. The journey hasn’t been easy, but nothing compares to the peace, love, and joy I’ve found in Him. My heart’s desire is to continue deepening my relationship with Jesus, living out His light in a way that helps others find the same hope and freedom I’ve discovered. That is my prayer and my hope.