Finding my "Home Church"

While still in school I found a job in a workout facility. A few nights a week I was in charge of leading somewhat of a “step aerobics class”. Two fairly new members walked in the door for an appointment to learn how to use the equipment. My boss asked me to show them how our aerobics/weightlifting circuit worked. You spend one minute on a machine and then one minute doing an aerobic step then on to the next machine and so on. This was the pattern for 30 minutes, then the workout is over. I promise this is leading somewhere. Little did I know these two members, who happen to be sisters, would become close friends of mine. With one I became her photography partner, (I forgot to mention I had been taking photography classes) and she asked me to help her with an upcoming wedding. What a great opportunity I thought. Perfect timing too because I had just finished up with my classes. Anyways in the midst of budding friendships with them I expressed my feelings for wanting to find a “home church”. They invited me to visit their church and said I was more than welcome to come. Why not, I thought. Except for, she then told me they meet in a school gym. Ok, I thought, a little odd but it must just be a small church. So two Sunday’s later I went to Gateway. Sat with my new found friends, and felt a sense of belonging, as though I had always been there. The members of Gateway never made me feel like a guest. I belonged there, I was home, found what I had been looking for. The pastor was great and could really see God using him to talk to us. He spoke with such passion and joy. He talked of accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior. I wanted this. Wanted to know this Jesus. So I asked, I prayed Jesus would come into my heart and be my Lord and Savior. I have to be honest, I was a little disappointed when I didn’t feel any different, nothing. I’m not sure what I expected.

Anyway I started living my life for Christ, doing the right things, living by good morals and values, I even bought a new Bible so I could read His word. I knew Christ was the one I wanted to live for. The next February I was baptized. It felt good to claim Christ as my savior.It was perfect I now had Him in my pie chart of life. He had this portion, I had this, my friends had some over here, my family had some, and my boyfriend (whoever that was at the time) had most of it to be truthful. Perhaps that’s why I’d always feel so empty when the relationship didn’t work out. Most of the pie was gone.

I remember one day talking to God about how awesome I thought He was and how He can do really cool things but I just didn’t feel like He could meet my emotional needs. That I needed to be with a man in order to feel emotionally satisfied. Little did I know you don't tell God what He can and can't do.

My First "God Encounter"

I hadn’t really thought too much about it but was thankful and knew it was God who lifted the burden. My first “God encounter” I guess you could say. This left wonder inside me and I wanted to know more about God. Church seemed like the first place to start. I felt a pull to find a “home church” and started shopping. I went to several churches over the next two years, small churches, big churches, and an even really big churches thinking surely God was there.