Do you go to church?

I was the church kid. Everyone at school knew I went to church. There was no doubt about it. I tried to fit in with everyone else, but I always stood out, I could never quite blend in. I thought it was because I was weird, not normal. I hung out with strange friends (one of my friends was a self proclaimed atheist). Those closest to me did not share any of my beliefs. Though I believed in God and the Bible I was too busy trying to fit in to walk out what I believed. I had non-Christian boyfriends and non-Christian friends. I was not influencing them to seek God; they were influencing me away from God.

Do you go to Church or are you saved?

One of my hardest years in my life was the year I was in 9th grade. I fought with my mom constantly; I disrespected her all the time. I said things that I didn’t mean that kept me awake at night with regret but I was always too prideful to apologize. I lied and skipped school on a regular basis. Then about 4 months before summer vacation my mom announced we were moving to Florida. I told her I wouldn’t come that I would find someone to live with just to stay. Well, you can tell who lost that battle 14 years ago!

When I first came to my current church they were asking all these questions like: When did you get saved? Have you received the Holy Spirit? What are your gifts?

I was so scared. My response (in my head – of course I never said this out loud) was “WHAT? WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? I JUST GO TO CHURCH!” I wanted to run away and run away fast! I was being challenged. I was being held accountable for what I knew.

You see, both my parents were Pastor’s kids. I have literally been in church since I was born. Then my parents stopped going to church and living out their faith and our family was broken by divorce. When I was 12 my mom took all of us to a New Year’s church service. It was about to turn 1990 and right before midnight she went up to the altar to receive Jesus back into her life. We all went up with her at my uncle's insistence ( my siblings and I). But I hadn’t done it by choice but because someone told me to.

So I played church for years until my junior year of high school our church hosted an awesome youth conference and I was so touched by God that I decided that I wanted to live for Jesus with all of heart. That youth conference is something that will stay with me forever. I had had experiences with God before, but this was the 'big one' - the life changing experience that caused me too choose to live for Him. It was not at anyone else’s request. It was God gently reaching out to me asking me if I would choose Him and I did.

So this is especially for all you church kids out there. For anyone who’s ever gone to church or had some type of church background. Your time will come to choose for yourself. Have you given your life to God?