Everyone Has A Story

My journey back to faith and relationship with Jesus

  • Before becoming a member of Woodland Community Church, I hadn’t been in a church in over 25 years, I’d had enough of religion, I lived my life the way I wanted, it was all about me and getting my needs met anyway I could. There was no room for God. God, for me, was an entity that was impersonal; uninterested in me or my life. My view of God as a loving Father was non existent. I had no hope, no purpose; my life was meaningless, just existing from day to day. Then a fellow employee, where I was working at the time, asked me a question one day. “You do believe in God don’t you?” I’m sure, at that time, I gave my usual sarcastic response, but I couldn’t shake that question. I kept asking myself, “What do you believe?”. About that time there was a movie out called, “God’s Not Dead”, but being a reader, I decided to read the book instead of watch the movie. The take home message for me was, Jesus came, not to start a religion but that I might have a relationship with God. Wow! I remember texting a friend of mine at that time and saying, this is it, this is what I’ve been missing, how do I get this? And so started my journey to come to know the Lord. I started reading the Bible, listened to Joyce Meyer, even tried a few devotionals. I felt a draw to get back into church, but where? I asked Jesus to guide me, because I just didn’t know where to begin. I tried a few different churches and listened to Pastor Tim online a couple of times. I remember thinking, I like him, I could relate to him, maybe I’ll try Woodland. That was 8 years ago. In that time I have found a way to serve at our Food Pantry and several other opportunities, I’ve joined a women’s group, Minnie King’s to be exact, and found more love, acceptance, encouragement and support than I’ve ever known, Woodland has not only become family, Woodland has become my home where I have come to know, love  and serve the Lord. 

    And now you know a little more about the person behind the blog:)

Comments

  1. KateApril 7, 2024 at 1:57 PM

    Our paths to Woodland are the same in many ways, Mary.

    ReplyDelete

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