英语演讲(刘诗秋What-is-faith)

第十六届中国日报社“21世纪杯”全国英语演讲比赛季军刘诗秋Whatisfaith?Honorablejudges,ladiesandgentleman,goodmorning.Iwantyoutotellmesomething.What’sthefirstthingthatpopsintoyourmindwhenyouhearthewordfaith,asacredandheart-warmingwordthat’ssupposedtoremindyouofallthebeautiesandgoodnessoflife,thekeythatusedtokeepusgoingwhenconfrontedwithallsortsofhardshipsandobstacles.However,whenIhearthewordfaith,thethingitremindsmeofissoremoteandintangible.Inthisrichandpeacefulera,therearen’tasmanydisastersorwars,especiallyforusyoungpeoplewhoselivesaremucheasierandwealthierthanourfathers’.Soisfaithgraduallylosingitssignificanceinthehumanworldnowadays?Likemanyofothers,Iusedtothinkoffaithasofnoimportanceatall,andIdeemedmyselfasafaithlessperson.IthoughtIcanlivemylifeperfectlyfinewithoutintentionallygraspingsomethingasmyfaith.UntilonedayImetanAmericanChristiannamedJohn,wholaterbecameaverygoodfriendofmine.JohnisanextremelyfaithfulChristian,andhethinksofJesusChristashislord.He,asapastor,triedtoconvertmeintoaChristianwhenwefirstmet.Sohelecturedmewithhisextensiveknowledgeofhistoryandphilosophyeverytimewehungout.InspiteofhisamazinglydetaileddescriptionofthehistoryofJesus,whatreallygotmeintriguedisnotthestoryhetold,instead,isJohnhimselfasprobablythefirstandmostfaithfulpersonI’vemetinmyentirelife.Icanfeelthesparksinhiseyeswhenhetalksaboutbiblicalthings,andIamsotouchedbytheintegrityofhimwhenhesays:”JesusChrististheultimatepursuitofmylife”withoutanyhesitationordoubt.Themorewegotalong,themoreIbecamejealousofhim,becausehealwaysseemstobejoyfulandoptimistic.WhenIaskhimhowhemanagesit,hesaid:”I’vehadbaddaystoo,butIalsoknowthatGodiswithme.SoIknowthatit’llallbeokay.”Suddenlyitoccurredtomehowluckyitistohavesomethingyoucancompletelyputyourtrustinto,somethingthatwillbringyoustrengthwhenyourmindisweak,somethingthatremindsyou“it’snotsobad”whenyou’refilledwithsorrow,somethingthatgivesyourexistencesignificanceandbringituptoahigherlevel.SoIwasliterallyconverted,notintoaChristian,notintosomeonefaithfuleither,butintosomeonewhowantstobeasfaithfulatleast.ThatwasthefirsttimeIamexposedtothepoweroffaith.Toputitsimple,yourlifeiscompleteonlyifyouhavefaith.Youmustfindsomethingimportantandsignificantinyourlife,yourpurpose,yourpursuit,whateveryoucallit.I’mnotsayingfaithmustrelatetoreligionorGod.Itcouldbeanything.Itcouldbeyourcareergoal,yourchildren,yourlover,fellowship,oracertainkindoflifestyle,anything,aslongasyoudaretotrustyourlifeinitwithyourheartofhearts.NowI’mstillfaithless.Ihaven’tbecomeaChristianorfindwhatmatterstomemostyet.ButwhatJohngavemeiswholenewperspectivetoseelife.SoI’llstrivetoreallyfeelandtouchthebeautyinlifeandwon’ttakeitforgranted.Andthat’salsowhatIencourageallofustodo.Keeplookingforthefaithofyourown,andwhenyoudo,you’llknowit’sallworthit.