I BELIEVE!
Before I Was Born Nick Girgis
For many, their journey of faith begins in a Sunday School class, in the aftermath of a crazy life experience or simply by picking up a Bible. These elements exist in my story, but ultimately, I believe my testimony began well before I was born. I am the grandson of Joseph and Niemat Girgis. Both my grandparents were born and raised in Egypt and both had the incredible blessing of being born into Christian families. Both also experienced great pain early in life that God would use to change their hearts.
Growing up, I went to a church where I regularly attended its AWANA program. AWANA is a Bible-based youth program where kids memorize verses, play games and hear Bible lessons. When I was in third grade, I remember the Bible teacher talking about the horror of hell and how we would end up there because of our sin and the punishment that it deserves. He explained that by believing in Jesus and his death and resurrection on the cross, we could be saved from this fate. That night, I prayed to accept Christ as Savior.
My grandfather had pneumonia at age 17 that was so severe his physicians thought he would die. In response, my grandfather prayed earnestly to God, saying that he would fully commit his life to Christ if the Lord spared him. The Lord answered this prayer, and my grandfather followed through with his promise. Anyone who knew my grandfather knew that he was a faithful follower of Christ. He was a man of noble character, who regularly shared the gospel and showed love towards all he encountered. My grandmother, on the other hand, lost her father at a very young age and embraced her Heavenly Father as a result. Her life was defined by constant prayer and the embodiment of a tender love that is only a result from a life spent walking with Jesus.
From that point on, my faith was expressed in church attendance on Sundays, participation in other church programs, and from time to time, Bible reading. I had not yet made my faith my own. Unfortunately, my story occurs all too frequently with those who grow up in the church. For many, Christianity is something you do rather than a relationship in which you engage, and this was the case for me until my high school years. Thankfully, God changed this by transforming my relationship with him through two specific chapters of my life.
My grandparents married in 1951 and spent a large portion of their married life in Egypt running a car dealership while raising four sons. At the time, Egypt was a corrupt nation, where dishonesty was rewarded and the freedom to follow Christianity hindered. My grandparents saw this and made the incredibly difficult decision to leave everything and move to the United States. Not only did they face the typical hardships that are characteristic of immigrant families trying to find stability and success in a new country, but they also endured the devastating death of their son Peter who lost his life to Lupus at the age of 21. Despite this, they stayed committed to the Lord. When I have asked my grandparents about these times, it is not the sadness they recall, but the many ways in which God remained faithful. The history of my dad’s family is one characterized by pursuing the Lord and appreciating his goodness. By God’s grace, my mom’s family has a similar story that has been defined by a commitment to Christ despite many challenges. As a result of all this, I had the invaluable privilege of being born to parents who sincerely loved Christ and encouraged me to do the same.
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The first chapter occurred during my freshman year of high school when I attended a two-week service leadership program at my church camp. The program focused on helping students see the importance of imitating Christ’s example of service in their lives and making their faith their own. These two weeks of teachings challenged me to walk daily with the Lord and serve him by serving others. As a result, I went back home and started living a new life. My renewed relationship with Christ had an impact on the extracurricular activities that I participated in during high school, how I woke up every day and how I viewed my purpose in life. Eventually, it also inspired me to attend Wheaton College for its faith-based education and to pursue a service-oriented career of dentistry. Toward the end of college, a staleness set in once again, where my faith felt like a series of necessary disciplines. I knew all the right things, but there was something missing. This brings me to the current chapter of my life where I have really seen God work. I started dental school back in the fall of 2019. If you are familiar with the dental school process, you would know that the first year is notorious for long days and little sleep because of the amount of studying and lab work required. At my school, the first-year students can be quickly identified by
