Survivalist Bear Grylls is sharing about how his Christian faith has impacted his life. In an op-ed written for The Times, Grylls stated that the Christian faith “must be tried.” In the op-ed, Grylls shared how a vicar had spoken when he was a teenager, saying, “Jesus Christ came to kill religion and bring life.” Grylls said he was “intrigued.” “It made me want to explore the notion of faith and learn more about what he was about. It wasn’t religion I was after — as a teenager I wasn’t exactly hungry for more rules, restrictions, customs and conventions. But I did like the sound of the freedom and empowerment that seemed to come from being around [Jesus],” he wrote.

He shared a quote from Sir Edmund Hilary, the first person confirmed to climb Mount Everest, saying, “There is no such thing as an atheist in the ‘Death Zone’ on Everest.” While admitting there have probably been atheists who have climbed the mountain, Grylls said the quote is more about the courage that faith can give one. “For me, having a Christian faith can be difficult to articulate. It’s like describing ice cream or swimming — it has to be tried to be felt. In a nutshell, my Christian faith has strengthened me in so many battles I’ve faced in life,” he said.

Not long after the vicar spoke, Grylls prayed to God to help him. “At heart, my Christian faith tells me I will never walk alone, and that I have the light of the Almighty within me. The most beautiful part is that this gift is given to any of us freely when we simply ask. And I’ve witnessed it change so many lives over the years,” he wrote. He said it was a gift that nobody deserves. He expressed his need for a savior while stating that didn’t make him weaker or any less adventurous. “My Christian faith helps me to live more adventurously, be bold and take risks, but also to care and encourage, to love and support those closest to me and hopefully beyond as well.”

He admitted that it’s “easy” to be cynical about faith, but encouraged his readers to explore and seek the truth. “But to choose to have a faith takes courage. All too often it is the tougher path, but life and the wild have taught me that the tougher path often ends up being the most fulfilling one,” he wrote. “So be brave. Bend the knee, close your eyes and ask for help. It’s a beautiful, humble, powerful thing to do. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”