I grew up in a family that went to church every Sunday, prayed before meals, and was involved in church activities. But by the time I was a teenager I began to reject the church and felt that it was a waste of time. I believed that Christianity, and all religions, consisted of false beliefs that people followed because they were weak or needed to find comfort. I began to believe that answers in life could only be found in science. I went to college at Penn as an avowed atheist. I was not hostile to Christianity but it did not hold any value to me. I looked for answers in my classes and my education but came away feeling unsatisfied. I learned different theories to explain biological and psychological phenomena, which led to the question of which theory was the ‘right’ one, but these questions were always met with the answer of “They are all right in different ways.” So rather than finding answers I was left with more questions. Next I moved across the country to San Diego for graduate school. I started dating a classmate, and after we had gone out a few times she invited me to go to church. I hesitatingly agreed because I thought that if I didn’t she would not go out with me any more. One Sunday evening we went to her church, which was very different from the one I grew up attending. Rather than the formal rituals and atmosphere I was used to, there was a rock band and an engaging speaker. I was pretty defensive and wondered what was going on, but the experience wasn’t too bad so I agreed to go with her again the following week. After a few weeks I began to really listen to what the speaker had to say and it made a lot of sense to me. While he did not have all the answers either, he continually referred to the truths of the Bible and what it revealed about God and his plan for humanity as revealed in his son Jesus. Finally I began to see that answers to life’s important questions are out there, but they were not to be found in the university but rather in the Bible. In the summer of 1997 I decided to make a commitment to become a Christian, and I now see that was the most important decision I have ever made. While becoming a Christian was a huge step for me, it left me feeling uncertain about my career goals. Christianity and psychology have long been at odds and prominent people in the field have denounced Christianity as reflecting psychological processes rather than actual reality. Also, there has long been conflict between faith in God and science, with many people even believing you can’t be both a scientist and a Christian. I found myself questioning whether to stay in graduate school or change paths. Fortunately, I received some wise counsel that God had probably placed me exactly where I was for a reason. And over time I saw that the conflicts between science and faith were based on cultural biases and preconceptions rather than reality. I no longer see any contradiction in considering myself a Christian, a scientist and a psychologist. This is where I found myself when I finished my PhD in 2003. I ended up back at Penn in a faculty position where I spend my time mostly in research, but also teaching and seeing patients. In the 20 years or so that I’ve been here, I’ve been striving to live as a Christian who happens to be a professor rather than a professor who happens to be a Christian.