Personal Relationships

My church just finished a study called "Rooted". This was a 10-week study where we worshiped together as a body and then broke off into groups to dig deeper. Mind you, we only started visiting this church in August. This was difficult for both my husband and me to commit to with people we hardly knew. But boy, oh boy, am I SO glad that we did. At the beginning of week 10, we were given a question to think over and answer. "Before rooted I was..... and After rooted I am...". I was asked to actually answer this in front of the whole church. Panic set at the moment I agreed. I absolutely love to be the center of attention but to have to actually publically speak, yeah I don't like that at all. But while preparing to answer this question I was really able to focus on just how much God has done for me over the last 10 weeks. I'm going to answer this question for you guys here as well as give a little bit of a back story about my journey with Christ.

I was saved at a very young age. I was in the church every time the doors were open. Growing up I was very active in Awana, I sang in the Children's choir, and participated in Bible drills. The church really set a foundation for me as a child. I knew more bible verses than most adults did. When I hit my teenage years I moved on to the youth group. While in Jr. High I was really just a "goer". I went every Sunday and Wednesday. Participated in all of the Disciple Nows, the youth service trips, etc. It wasn't until High School that I really took a leadership role in the youth group. I lead a few small groups, and also was the leader of S.A.L.T, an interpretive movement group. During college, I started getting more comfortable with not going to church. This seeped over into my adult life as well.

Before I started rooted I was in a place of "comfortable". I knew I was a Christian, I knew that God loved me, but I was not watering that relationship with Him. I was your typical, show up and sit in the pew on Sunday and Wednesday then go home and go back to normal life. A study like Rooted doesn't allow that. During Rooted 3 major things happened to me that I will remember for the rest of my life.

The first thing was, I was taught how to properly pray. That sounds weird, right? Do you mean there's actually a "right" way to do it? Yep. I asked the same questions. Yes, there is absolutely a correct way to do it. Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield.

I strongly urge you guys to suggest this study to a small group of people! It's amazing! But once I learned to pray my relationship with God became way more intentional. I could literally hear God speak to me in numerous ways! My favorite was when he spoke directly to me. I love to hear his voice!

The second thing was, because of learning how to pray and hear God's voice, I was able to hear him tell me that my son was going to soon be his. And I'm not kidding less than 3 weeks later, my son stood before our church and committed his life to Christ at his own doing! I have never been more proud of him! That's the best thing we can want as a parent, is for our child to know their Heavenly Father.

And last, my testimony. I have actually only given my testimony twice in my life, once to my husband years ago, and now to that small group that are now my close friends. This was the hardest thing for me to do because my testimony is not easy. It is full of God pulling me from guilt and shame. It is easy for me to fear being judged by what is in it. I'm sure one day I will share it with you guys, but today I'm just not ready. But once I was able to say it out loud to fellow believers in Christ, my chains were gone. I felt instant freedom. I could literally feel the weight of the shame and guilt come off of me. That is a feeling that I will never ever forget.

After this experience, I am the closest to God that I have ever been. I have a more personal relationship with him and y'all, I really am learning just how fun and loving of a God he is.

John 15:15- "no longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you."