One Day

To begin, here is a little background. I was raised in church, my grandfather is a retired minister, and my family was always very involved with our church when I was growing up. If I wasn't at church at least 3 days a week, we were doing something with/for someone from church. I feel that those times were some of the happiest of my life and I look back on them fondly. After my parent's divorce, everything changed and we stopped going. I was only 8 or 9 and accepted it for what it was, a change I had no control of. Life went on and I got into other activities and forgot all about church until middle school. I woke up one day with a desire to seek out God. Ironically enough our neighbor and long time family friend had been inviting us to go to his church for weeks. I came, I loved, I reconnected, and I devoted my life to this church and it's ministry and when I was old enough I went through the long confirmation process. I was dedicated and motivated and all about Jesus Christ. That is until our youth pastors were ousted because they were a lesbian couple and our pastor was accused of 2 counts of child molestation against little boys in our church. I wish I could say it wasn't, but that was like a boulder dropping on my faith, it was squashed. I had finally found somewhere I was comfortable and I loved God, I lived for God. All of a sudden my church is in shambles, and I was back on my way to being far from God. I won't go into detail about the ten years since, because they don't matter, but I was far from God. I still BELIEVED in God, but I did not accept Him, and I did not live my life according to word of God. After my mother's suicide, all hope was lost. I completely gave up any belief, faith, or desire to be close to God. I know that my family has been praying for my return to life in Christ for years. And that leads us to this one day, 4 weeks ago.

For the past several months I have felt that something was missing in my life, but I hadn't been able to pinpoint what it was. On a whim, I decided to take up an offer from a couple of my friends' to attend their new church which they had been raving about for weeks. This church was Freedom Church. For whatever reason, I felt compelled to go. It may have been because I sensed I was coming up to a crossroads in my life, or I wanted my children to enjoy the same wholesome childhood memories I had. I have been to church with family or friends over the years, and yes it felt normal because that is what I was raised doing. From the moment we walked in the doors, this did not felt normal. It felt exhilarating. It felt right. I was dumbfounded by the hospitality they showed me and my children. Everyone we came in contact with showed genuine interest and desire to have us there. Everyone there went above and beyond the norms. I was intrigued before I even got to my seat and experienced the worship service and Pastor JR's sermon. The service itself has to be seen for yourself, there are just no words, but I was hooked. I left there a changed woman. I did not leave having accepted Christ, but I left a whole lot closer to doing so.

The next week I couldn't get there fast enough. I couldn't  experience enough worship. I couldn't get enough of the Pastor's sermon. I couldn't get enough of the word of God. I went home and spent I don't know how many hours contemplating my life and my place in this world. I prayed, and prayed, and prayed and then some. And then I wept. And I became increasingly aware that God led me here, to this church, on that one day, to meet these people, and begin my journey back to redemption.

If you know me, you know I am shy and can't stand putting myself in a social setting where I don't know anyone. But I remembered Pastor JR's words..."The right time, to do the right thing, is right now."

At that moment I went FAR outside myself and extended a hand to get involved.  I decided to go forward and never look back to question or doubt myself. Sure, I have made bad decisions. I have cast God aside and turned my back. But I couldn't ignore the magnetic draw I had to this Church and this vision. The past doesn't matter, all that matters is RIGHT now I was ready to do the RIGHT thing and that could not be ignored. So, I faced my fears and joined a small group of people I have never met, and I loved it. And I decided I needed to be a part of this church, for myself and for other people who have been where I was.

I am now a partner, and had the pleasure of attending the partner's party on my very first day of partnership. There was a guest pastor from NC who was there to speak to us about the importance of what we are doing and why we are doing it. He spoke of how many of us are living just another day, day in and day out. And he asked us to think of the person closest to us who was furthest from God, and to pray that one day they would accept Jesus Christ as their savior. Then he gave an example of a first time visitor to the church, and how she could have been someone's daughter or sister or friend that had been prayed for that one day, God would speak to her heart and spirit and transform her life. And that our every smile, handshake, and conversation could make this her one day. I felt like a finger was being pressed into my heart while I was listening to this because that was me just WEEKS before. I was brought to tears. I was someone's prayer and a prodigal daughter of God. I had been in and out of churches I never felt right in and around Christians I never felt comfortable with. But on that one day I walked into Freedom Church, I walked out a changed person. And that was God moving through each and every person at this Church who volunteers their time and lives to reaching people far from God.

I am overjoyed to say I am a part of that now, and I hope to play a part in giving someone else their one day that changes it all. Praise God.