Faith journey

by Barbara P.

When I look back on my life so far to determine where and when I started my faith journey, I go back to a small country church. I am an eight-year old sitting in the pew with my grandmother and mother. It is revival time..a hot summer evening. There is an altar call and I am filled with an overwhelming urge to go forward—to declare my need for a savior and to commit my life to Him. I slip out of the pew and head down the aisle followed by my grandmother. You see, she was raised Baptist and this is a Methodist church….she is finally relenting and joining the church my grandfather’s ancestor founded back in the early 1800’s!

That was the beginning—not really—I know God had claimed me before I was even born—that was the beginning of my faith walk. I remember attending VBS on the church lawn, revival after revival, Young Life meetings and Young Life camp, attending Methodist and Baptist churches, and finally, attending a Lutheran church with my aunt and uncle and, once again, being drawn in by the message of love and forgiveness and hope.

I needed the message of hope. Like many other children, I am the product of a broken family. Throughout my childhood and adulthood, I have been touched by the life crises of various family members. I have experienced the sadness, hopelessness, anger, fear, and betrayal stemming from divorce, alcoholism, sickness, death, unemployment, and near poverty. My faith journey has sometimes been a roller coaster ride because of these experiences.

What got me through it all? It has to be my God and your God. Through my times of doubt and frustration, He has always been there and I felt His presence even when I wanted to be far away from Him. Why, I asked, was this happening to me? Hadn’t I been good enough? Where had I gone wrong? Finally, through many such experiences, the Holy Spirit finally got through to me…..God had not forsaken me. God had not betrayed me. God had not forgotten me. God loved and loves me!

I could get really carried away and tell you how much I feel the Holy Spirit’s presence now in those times of crisis that come to us all. But, I know it’s a very personal thing and your faith journey is not my faith journey. I only know that, more every day, through His presence in YOU comforting me, encouraging me, loving me that I see God more clearly. I feel His love in me and working through me and, thank God, I am learning to love you and His children—whenever they cross my path—more and more. God truly loves us and calls us to love God and love one another.

God bless you in your own faith journey. The way is not always easy but our God travels it with us.