I grew up Catholic. My grandmother started taking me to church when I was a newborn and I continued to go to church with her most every Sunday. I went through all the steps as a Catholic child- baptism, first communion, and confirmation. When I entered high school and got a job, the time I spent at church was less and less. I guess you could say I was like any other teenager and had "more important things to do".
On and off through my teenage years and early 20s, I would go to church occasionally or start going for several weeks and then stop. When a major hurricane hit my hometown in 2008, things really changed. The diocese decided to tear down the church that I grew up in, despite the efforts of many to keep it open and repair it as a community. There were other things that occurred, but all in all- it completely turned my off to the Catholic faith. I haven't been back in a Catholic church since.
I have tried non-denominational churches, spent some time at a Church of Christ, did some online church services, and much more. I have read through the Bible several times. I have kept my connection to God alive through it all. But I strayed..... I let the devil come in and get inside my head and thoughts. I wasn't sure what the plan for my life was. I let other things become more important. I always prayed and felt I had a connection with God, but it wasn't always deep and as solid as I feel it is today.
Lots of things changed when I met my husband. I truly felt God picked him out just for me. All the years of doubting and feeling hopeless were gone when I met him. I think that was a turning point in my faith. At that moment, I knew God was there, he had always been there, and would always be there. I ventured back to church services, online and eventually we have found a church home at our local Methodist church.
My faith is stronger now than ever. I chose to wake up every day and trust in God. I know the world is not perfect and I don't see how it will ever be. I just chose to believe that in the end, all will be ok and if it's not ok, it's not the end. I chose to wake up every day and look for the good and positive in the world. I am not naive by any means and I know the devil attacks constantly. I have just tried to train my brain to lean on faith, to pray, to devote time to God daily, and to believe that He is greater than anything here on this Earth. Many people out there might call that silly in the world we live in today. I know it's a risk, but I would rather risk everything on God than live for the material world and believe that is as good as it gets. There is better. Heaven is there and I can't wait to see it one day. Faith is a tricky thing. I am not always perfect with it, but I sure try.
How did you journey to faith? Are you a believer? I would love to hear about it.
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