I wasn’t raised “in the church”. To my recollection, my family didn’t attend church on Sundays or holidays. I remember ‘praying’ with my Mama and my Grandma but not having a firm grasp on who these lovely words were being prayed to.
To be honest, I didn’t even realize attending church on Sundays was an option available to me, I didn’t know that for some families, that’s what Sunday mornings were for. I didn’t know what ‘church’ was and I didn’t spend any time at all thinking about it.
But I went to a small-ish school in Montana and in my teen years there were a group of us who kind of did “everything” – we were the athletes, the honor students, the band and choir nerds, and the church-goers. Because I was part of this crowd, I became curious about the youth group they all attended on Wednesday nights. This started my relationship with God.
Soon I was not only attending youth group on Wednesday nights but I was attending bible school and church on Sundays, I played the keyboard in the worship band, I played church softball, I attended our church conferences… I immersed myself in our church’s community.
I still remember the first time I heard a “Christian song”. I didn’t know that’s what it was at the time, I just remember listening to it and thinking, “Wow, this is the most beautiful love song I have ever heard”. I fell in love with those songs and the power they have to uplift and reassure and serve as a reminder that God is good.
It was difficult for me to find a new church when I left my hometown for college, but I managed for a few years and two different cities. At the time I still had friends who would attend with me and this made it easier. Then I moved again, and the thought of finding a new church and attending by myself seemed terrifying. So I didn’t do it. I spent six years knowing that something was missing, and not being able to pinpoint what that something was.
When my life drastically changed this past year, I knew I needed to rekindle my relationship with God. But once again, I didn’t know where to go and the thought of going by myself was daunting. But what is it we know? God is good, He is faithful, and His timing is perfect. So He put someone in my life who would help me find my way back to Him.
And I am ever so grateful.
“Meeting you was like listening to a song for the first time and knowing it would be my favorite.”
