The three people that impacted my life the most on my journey would be my grandmother, my best friend Rebecca, and Clyde.

I had people in my life that went to church, but I kind of let them do their thing and was always just kind of like, is it true? Is it not? I don't really know. I'm a really scientific-based person. I guess nobody really sat down and explained it to me in a way that I understood. It was just kind of like information and overload, and I never really understood.

So I think that's what really was confusing. Like how is he always there? How does he hear my prayers? 

My grandma, she always went to church and was always a passionate woman. She was always in the choir when I would go to church. I would just love to see her sing. I never really talked to her about it, but I could just feel it in her--like Christ was in her. 

I've always wanted that but I never honestly knew how. Again, you know, I never had that kind of conversation with her, but she died from Alzheimer's, so when I got to a point that I wanted to have that conversation with her, I really couldn't.

I went through a relationship out of high school and I actually met my best friend who has always had a background with church. She would always ask me if I ever wanted to go to church with her or anything like that, and at the time I just I never went.

What really brought me to church was Clyde, my boyfriend. I met him in December and he brought me to Door Creek and it was like a whole new experience. I never had like a "Door Creek" kind of church that was just like a church for all people, that is engaging and fun and you can feel the passion from the pastor's, the worship group, like everything. It's just a really great environment.

When I got baptized, Marc was talking to me and before he dunked me, I just had this overwhelming feeling of joy and happiness that just came over me. When he dunked me and I came back up, I just truly felt everything that happened in my past and that could happen in my future.

I just know He's always going to be there and I know that I have somebody to lean on no matter what, so it's just a really humbling feeling.  

I knew what a healthy relationship was. And I never had experienced it. Like I truly hadn't. And just knowing that God gave his only son for me and for all of us in general--that's just extremely humbling and you know, not knowing that I could even do that myself--that is something that is so big. I just feel so joyful. Just being able to have a relationship with him and no matter what I had said or I had gone through, I was forgiven.

_____

This story, and all of our stories, are from people who call Door Creek Church their home. As you contemplate this story, may your faith be encouraged and your hope renewed. If you’d like to learn more about sharing your story, start here.