I didn't become a Christian until I was 30. I wasn't raised up in church per se. I knew three things about church, or God.
1.
1. Vacation
Bible school has the best lemonade and cookies.
I don’t remember who would take us to VBS, maybe my mamaw, and I don’t
remember any of the lessons. I just
remember the lemonade and cookies.
2. 2. I don’t particularly like going to Catholic
churches. All that sit, stand, kneel,
stand, sit feels more like a gym class than church. Of course, the resentment of having to go was
probably more toward my step mother making me go than the church itself.
3. 3. In sixth grade, a friend in class wanted to a Bible
study with me. She was a pastor’s
daughter after all, so why not. She
started out in Revelations. I spent the
whole summer that year waiting for Jesus to come back and the world to
end. I vividly recall sitting outside by
myself while my mom was at work, wondering is this the day the world ends. It was a great summer, let me tell ya.
So as you can see, I didn't have a good background to grow up as a
Christian. I was not “trained up” in the
ways that I should go. In the 90’s
though, my mom became a Christian. In
’93, the year I graduated, she moved to Indiana and for all I could see was
that she wasn't the same momma I grew up with.
I couldn't relate to her. She had
changed and at times it was hard to be around her. I didn't understand what was happening to
her, but I wasn't about to let it happen to me.
Don’t worry though, I was a good daughter and did the typical CEO thing
(Christmas, Easter Only- well, and Mother’s Day too). Other than that I avoided her church, except
when I got married. I’m not sure why I
wanted a church wedding. I guess I’m old
fashioned like that, but my mom’s pastor agreed to allow us to marry and
performed the ceremony (and for that I am forever grateful, but I will touch on
that at another time).
My mom didn't give up though. She
tried to talk to me about Jesus. She
invited me to church. She always prayed
for me. But most of all, she never gave
up. In the meantime, I began wondering
and watching the change in her life. She
was my mother after all and besides all the Jesus and church talk, she was
still fun. She still laughed and
loved. I wasn't going to church though
until I knew more about the Bible. I’m
kind of stubborn like that.
One morning I was in Wal-Mart checking out the books because I love to
read, especially the Harlequin romance books.
A book on the shelf caught my eye.
“How To Study the Bible for Yourself” I picked
it up and flipped through it, sat it back down, then picked it back up and
marched to the register and bought it. I
took it home and read through the first chapter of it. It didn't have you read the Bible starting in
Genesis or in the New Testament, but you started with 1st John; and
then proceeded to read it seven times.
So I did and then I proceeded to follow the plan it had laid out for me
to read the entire Bible. And I
did. And I love the Old Testament, but I
have to say, when I found out that Samson and Delilah wasn't this great love
story, I was a little crushed. See, I
told you, I knew nothing about the Bible or God. After reading through the Bible, I sat about
finding a church. I visited a couple
until I finally settled on one similar to my mom’s, but big enough for me to
blend in if I needed to bolt out the doors sometime.
That didn't happen and I became immersed in this large church. I attended Sunday school class, taught two
year olds, helped out with VBS, the senior ministry, missions, and even landscaping. My Sunday school teacher was a former wild
child and would tell about coming to church the next morning after partying the
night before and how he eventually changed.
Now he is a great worship minister in a church in Virginia Beach. I related to him though. I didn't relate to the ones that had been
brought up in church, or should I say “trained up in the ways that they should
go”. That was never more noticeable than
when one of them picked up their 2 year olds a little early and informed me that
I was doing the wrong hand gestures in leading a children’s song. I believe it was the “Father Abraham”
song. I left church that morning utterly
defeated. That’s probably why I am a
little mistrustful of those that were trained up in the ways, like the pastor’s
daughter that started off teaching me Revelations in the sixth grade. Thankfully, my mother’s best friend and her
pastor’s wife advised against doing a Bible study with this lady because of her
tendency to be legalistic. I’d say, if
she can pick on me for not doing the right hand gestures during a kid’s song,
imagine what kind of Bible study it could be.
Good call Deanna- thank you!
When I was 30, which I always thought was kind of special because that
is when Jesus fulfilled His calling; I gave my life to Him. I don’t remember the exact day. In fact, I remember not even being in church
when I did so, but I do remember going up in front of my church so I could get
baptized. And I did that also.
Now has it been an easy road…no.
Have I faltered…yes, many, many times.
I was mad at him for 6 months after we had to put our handicapped dog
down (that’s a whole other story too).
Was it hard after the miscarriage when I felt so sure He had spoken that
baby into existence last year….yes. Is it
hard now watching my mom deal with cancer while wondering if she is going to
live long enough to see her grand baby be born…absolutely! Is it the best decision I have ever made in
my life…no doubt about it!
I look at how it turned out now and am thankful that my mom began to
break the curse. My brother is raising
Godly children and I plan to do the same.
I’m very grateful that the curse is being broken in our immediate family.
So, even if you were not trained up in the ways of the Lord, or maybe
you were and turned your back on Him, it is never too late to turn to Him. Just as long as you do. It will be the most difficult, rewarding,
questionable, joyful, oh my gosh Lord what are you doing now thing you will
ever do.
