I love my church.
It took a long time to find a church to call home, but we finally found a place that offers all the warm, cozy caring comforts of what my Father’s home should be.
I was raised Catholic, married in the Catholic church and baptized my babies in the Catholic faith, but with all these rituals and customs, I always felt like I was living the law of God, but not, living for God. As a result, I felt a spiritual void in my life for many years.
Once we moved to our new neighborhood, I longed to find a church to fill my spiritual needs, but a Catholic church was no longer a necessity. I wanted my children to know God and worship Him, not rituals or repetitive prayers.
Several of my friends told me about a wonderful church, but despite all their praise and encouragement it took me about a year to summon the courage to visit a non-Catholic church. My Catholic guilt caused me to believe I would betray my upbringing if attended a church of a different faith. Then during one Lenten season, I decided to test the waters at my friends’ church and commit to attending it regularly for Lent. (You can take the Catholic girl out of the church, but you can’t take the Catholic practices and guilt out of the girl.)
So, with blind faith, I took a leap. During that first visit, I felt God’s presence and I found exactly the spiritual healing my soul had been craving.
The Senior Pastor, Pastor Matthew, is a remarkable teacher. He teaches about the Word, but doesn’t preach it. He reminds us constantly that God loves us, but doesn’t condemn us. Our Savior walks with us constantly.
Over the past couple of years, I’ve learned so much about the Bible, more than I ever learned during years of religious instruction in the Catholic Church. I’ve discovered real world application to the Word. But more than that, the church is a living example of what our pastor teaches and models in his own life. Everyone we have met there in the past two years has been kind, warm and welcoming and I couldn’t be happier with our decision to join this church.
I am home.
Then one Sunday, as Allan and I slinked into church late and shamefully snuck into a seat in a back row pew, the band began playing Voice of a Savior. For me, it was a divine affirmation about our decision to switch faiths and join a new church.
Then Jesus said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.”
– Luke 9:48
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdGiKqkx1Kg]
Repititive prayers – exactly one of the reasons why I have backslidden from my mother’s church and she’s not even Catholic (Papa was). Reminding people of God’s love but never condemning them is very important.
I have noticed Mandisa is popular among christian music bloggers. I enjoy listening to her songs. And I love your post!
I LOVED this post! I am so glad you found a “home” church because it is so hard. When I got married and moved away, it was hard for me to find a church in which I felt at home. After almost 6 years of being married, we finally found that church and became members (as a family) last April. I had to step out of my comfort zone since I had always been raised in the traditional Baptist church. The church we attend now is Baptist affiliated but it is a contemporary church and I just get filled up every Sunday. Thanks for sharing your story!
What a wonderful post. I’m glad that you got the divine affirmation you were looking for. I have never heard of Mandisa and I listened to the whole video and it was very heart warming. I really enjoyed this. Have a great week ahead 🙂
a most fantastic post!!!! <3
Hail Yeah. Let’s hear it for all the recovering Catholics out there!!!!!!
I too, was raised in a half-ass Catholic home – where my father was instructed to STFU since he was *gasp* Methodist. SO, I spent many a year in CCD and then got out on my own …… and was all WTF???
I knew nothing about what it’s all about.
It took a LONG time, and some hard experiences, to find the right place.
GLAD you have too!!!!!!
keep running!
Nothing better than spiritual enlightenment. So happy that you found a place to be at peace.
I know exactly what you mean – born and raised in the Catholic church myself – now I go to a Baptist Church – what’ s funny – I had no idea what kind of church it was until later… There is something about getting into His word and that relationship we can have with Him.. It’s personal.. and it can change your life… Loved this real and transparent post..
Love to you
kelly
WOW.. great post! Never heard of her but great song.. thank you for introducing her.
Sorry that I am late in my visits and comments.
Have you a great week!
Mine is here
hugs
shakira
I was born and raised Catholic and am still a practicing Catholic. But I understand where you are coming from. Glad to hear that you found a church that you feel welcome in and feel at home. I hope you had a wonderful Easter.
Good post.
wonderful post!!! Glad to hear you found a church home!!!It is so good to know we can have a personal relationship with God thru Jesus!I love that song too!!please stoop by again my commenter was broke!!LOL
I am totally with you, D.
It’s hard to take the Catholic out of a girl– I walk your walk:) Even if I switched churches after having my second child, I still baptized him in the Catholic church recently, just to placate my mom. It’ll be 2 years soon since I started going to a Christian church and I learn and “try to apply” so much every week. I hope people around me see the change, as that would be the best testimony…
xox0
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