Wednesday, February 29, 2012

My Story - Part 2

I was raised in a christian home my entire life. We went to church every Sunday, morning and evening, as well as Wednesdays.

My mother spent most of her time on the piano bench and my father was the interim music minister for what ended up being years of my childhood.

We attended a small church that was beginning to die when I was just entering Junior High School. We started visiting other churches around that time and ended up becoming members at the church that we are at to this day.

I remember when we were in the beginning stages of visiting churches, my brother and I started attending the youth services on Wednesday evenings at another church in town. We went to a few retreats before we were actually members.

It's funny to me the random things that you remember, but I can recall a particular night when I had just gotten back from a retreat with this church. I went to the Sunday Evening service at my church and... I closed my eyes when I was worshipping.

Apparently I had never seen that at my dying church. It was new to me and I wanted to be a part of it. Whatever it was; the eye closing, raising your hand thing.

The church we were visiting was full of people, young people in their teens, who would raise their hands and close their eyes when they were focusing on worshipping Jesus.

So I stood there in my church, full of all the gray-haired mature members, and worshipped with my eyes closed. For the first time.

A sign to this day of the longing in my heart... to truly know Him and not just be safe.

...

Saturday, February 18, 2012

My Story - Part 1

When I was growing up we had family devotionals once a week. In my mind, I recall it being on Tuesday nights, but who even knows if that is correct or not. Nevertheless, family devotionals.

There is a specific evening that I remember to this day. I can't tell you what the study was about, but I do remember standing up when we were closing and asking my parents about Jesus.

The question was something to the effect of - how to know Him and what that really meant.

I remember talking to my pastor on the phone and answering all the typical questions that you ask a person when they are wishing to accept Christ.

And I remember following that up by walking the aisle, and then baptism, at church.

I was around 7 years old.

We had the typical revivals and invitations where the pastor would ask you to raise your hand if you knew you would go to Heaven if you died tonight. Oh, how I raised my hand high after that night.

I can still see myself, sitting on the floor against the old wood paneling in the tiny side room off of the fellowship hall, as a leader asked us the same question. Our eyes were closed, but my hand was high.

And yet another evening.... We were leaving the church one night and my family was having a conversation about people actually not believing in Jesus.

"How completely absurd!!!" Thought my young, innocent, child-like-faith mind.

It seemed to me that it would be to your benefit to simply believe in Jesus. If perhaps it's not a lie and this Savior is indeed real, atleast you are safe...

Friday, February 17, 2012

Telling My Story

I've decided to start telling my story. My story of how I came to know Jesus.

It's not your typical story. It's not short.

It involves many seasons and even years of my life.

But it's my story... and i'd love for you to read along.

Have Your way Jesus. Be in every word I type.