Millions are about to celebrate Christmas without thinking much about its meaning. For years, my family was the same. We decorated our tree, exchanged gifts, and sang familiar songs—but God was nowhere in the picture. Only later, after becoming a Christian at 35, did I stop and ask: What if this story is actually true?
If God really entered human history, that would change everything, wouldn’t it? When I investigated the gospels and came to that conclusion, it left me both humbled and grateful. I had spent decades ignoring the very truth that now gave my life direction, purpose, and hope.
More Than a Cultural Holiday
It’s easy to focus on the traditions of Christmas and forget what they point to. The decorations and carols are wonderful expressions of joy, but they only make sense if the birth of Jesus is true; if God came to us in the form of a human through a seemingly insignificant couple in the most modest conditions. As a detective, I’m trained to look for evidence—but as a believer, I’ve learned to see the wonder behind that evidence.
When I first read through the Gospels, I treated them like cold case files—documents to analyze line by line. I expected to find contradiction and confusion. Instead, I found surprising eyewitness harmony. Witnesses describing the same person from different angles, then either writing about what they saw or reporting it to someone who compiled their observations. When I discovered that level of historical reliability, I couldn’t brush it aside.
The Miracle at the Center
The story of Jesus’ birth is miraculous, yes—but so is everything about our existence. The same God who brought the universe into existence from nothing can easily enter the universe He created. Yet the most profound miracle isn’t the virgin conception; it’s what the birth of Jesus means. God didn’t stay distant or detached. He stepped into our pain and offered Himself for us.
That act of humility still challenges me today. Nearly three decades into my walk with Christ, I continue to wrestle with surrender. I’m reminded daily that real peace doesn’t come from knowing all the answers. It comes from trusting the One who entered the world to save us.
The Legacy of a Changed Life
Faith doesn’t stay contained; it leaves a legacy. My sons remember watching me study and debate the evidence when I first came to Christ. They saw what it looks like when a skeptic becomes convinced. That pursuit of truth shaped them, and now it’s shaping their children.
This Christmas, my prayer is that you’ll see beyond the cultural holiday and encounter the truth it celebrates. The baby in the manger is not a myth or metaphor. He is the living God who entered time and space—and that changes everything.
Listen to my interview with Karl and Crew about the nature and truth of Christmas.
