Me (I know it's really long, but I hope it catches your attention)

So you've grown up in the church. You've been here all your life. Flying free. No worries. No concerns. You've got it made. Orrrrr.........so you think. See, I've also grown up in the church. For the longest time I just casually sat by, got an awesome touch from God every once and while, but other than that....I really didn't give a rip. K, I know that sounds harsh, but you need to hear me out. Here is my story.

My grandma (Dorothy Smith - most of you know her) came into the church even before I was a gleam in my daddy's eye. In fact, Pastor King gave her his first bible study when he came to Calgary. Then my mom came in the church when she was 19 - which in itself is a totally cool story. Then my dad came to church when he was 25 (nearly 3 years after my mom). Yeah, he came 'cause he thought my mom was hot stuff, and they've been married and in the church ever since. We call the era that he came in the 7-11 revival - ask me about it sometime. I came along 1 year after my parents were married. I was the most beautiful baby (well, my mom thinks so anyway)! I had a brother come along when I was just about two. We had it made! Just the four of us!

When I was really young, like two and three I used to play church with my barbies and babies. And believe you me, they got the Holy Ghost! They used to speak in tounges and get glory spells like crazy. My mom actually used to half to calm me down cause I was getting so riled up and waking my brother from his naps. (Ha ha, go figure, I've been loud prayer since I was a little girl). My mom thinks I was actually this young when I first got the Holy Ghost. Offically, my day came when I was four years old. At that time, we had church in a store front which is now a laundry mat. I was so bad in church that day. Which really was uncommon my mom said. (Personally, I don't believe her, I got so many spankings at church). Anyways, at the end of the service I went right up to the alter, raised my hands and got the Holy Ghost. I still remember peaking out of my eyes and seeing Sis. Bridges (my first pastor's wife) and another lady sitting there watching me with tears pouring down their face. To me it is the most memorable time of my life. The next memorable time was when I got the baptised - in a horse trough.

See, for me, it all came really early. I had a deep hunger for God at a really young age. Intercessory prayer was not uncommon for me. I remember when my "hero" backslid. I would wake up in the middle of the night and intercede for her. However, as I got older I started to want things of the world that looked so appealing. I started to lose touch with God. Like I said before I would get amazing touches from God, but pretty much the next day, I would forget about it.

When I was 18 or 19, I moved out of my parent house, and back in, and back out again. I lived with other people, but, eventually, I got my own place. Wow, I loved it so much! Having my own space, having my own freedom, I was living the good life. It got easier then. Not going to church. See, I didn't drive then and I "felt bad" getting rides to church, so I just stopped calling people.

And, so, stuff like this went on for a while. I'd go to church, pray thru, leave. Finally, I got so lonely. Cause here's the thing, when you don't go to church you no longer have the same kind of relationship with church people, but you also don't fit in the people from the world. You have nothing in common with either worlds. So yeah, I got really lonely, I went back to church. I was doing awesome! I though I had it for myself and everything. I moved in with a couple of girls from my church. We were having a blast! I started to really pray about what God wanted me to do with my life, and I felt Him calling me away from were I was. I was scared to death! I had not lived anywhere else but in Nanaimo.

My aunt and cousin had come to visit shortly after. They were moving to Calgary. I'd been before. Melissa, Leslie-Anne, and I had gone for the Stampede. I loved Calgary. Hmmm, well, at the time, maybe just the cowboys (just kidding). So, I talked to my parents and my pastor and the gave me the okay to move out here.

I love Calgary. Honestly I do. I love the people, I love my pastor, my youth pastor and youth group, my church. God has been so good to me. I've had my problems since I've moved here, a few regrets, but no regrets about moving here and developing the relationship that I have with God. It's taken me a while to get were I am today. I came back for Nanaimo's Avalanche (kind of like YC) a year an a half ago totally changed. Mind you, I've not been a perfect angel, but I'm working on it. I no longer want to look back. I am here to stay. I no longer sit on the pew and "let the rocks cry out for me." God has been too good to let Him go.

So if your a bench warmer, a coat tail rider, I strongly suggest that you get your own relationship with God. You need it. Personalize it. Living for God is fun. A Blast!

Think about it!