Growing up, I always believed there was a God. But honestly, I never knew much at all. I didn’t grow up in a Christian household. My concept of God was that He was this magical being in the sky looking down on us.

Later in my adulthood, I decided to discover God for myself. I soon learned that I had some pretty hefty opposition from others including my mother. She had grown up in a Catholic boarding school and didn’t see the point of it all. But as fate would have it. I decided to go to church and to a Catholic one at that. Not that I planned that deliberately, this irony. It was just close to my house after all, and it was beautiful! All those stained glass windows! I could sit and look at them during the service when my mind wandered, which it often did. I went there for 3 years. Just near the end of those three years, I had to move from where I was renting to another place. It so happened that God had a plan! I searched and searched many, many rental homes and finally found a place where 2 really wonderful Christian women were living. They interviewed me and called me the next day saying that I was a God send, an answer to their prayers of finding a roommate. I was touched. I had never thought of myself that way. I was IN!

I moved in and because I was searching for the Lord, I listened intently to their conversations about God. I would add to the conversation now and again and they would often personalize it further and talk about Jesus. Jesus was someone I had not really thought of. It was making God more personal. My heart was pricked. When asked by one of my roommates if I wanted to go to a church retreat in the States, I hesitated. I didn’t know. I wouldn’t know anyone! Eeek, Scary! But I prayed and I felt to go, so I did.

August 2, 1997 I gave my heart to the Lord. The beauty of the Lord shone on my face like the beautiful sun that day. Jesus had come to me! To my heart. WOW! I also met my wonderful and loving husband at that retreat that miraculous weekend. God is good!!!!

So what have I learned in the past nine years? I have learned that being a Christian does not end all my problems. In fact, it can create more. But I have also realized this is a good thing. I have learned that choosing love instead of fear is something that I must do in order to grow in the Lord. It means that I choose to be active in my faith, instead of bemoaning things in my life, and expecting things to change. It means letting go and letting God even though I foolishly think I can do better. I have learned that whatever circumstances you are going through God will never let you down. He is there. He doesn’t change. I make things difficult. God still loves me. Amazing!

I want to end with these marvelous verses that bring joy to my heart every time I read them. Psalm 96 verses: 11-13 “Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad, let the sea resound and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy, they will sing before the Lord for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth.”