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I am a person who was not brought up in any religion. My mother and her side of the family belonged to a United Methodist church in North Carolina and my father's side was Baptist and Unitarian. My father believed that my brother and I should do our own research and make decisions when it came to religion when we got older. I have been coming to a United Methodist Church since 1996 and coming to St. James since 1998. I have taken classes at St. James in my early days in Christiananity, in Jesus, taken Bible study classes on different books of the Bible and come to not just Sunday worship but also the worships of Christmas Eve, Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, Easter Sunday and at each have learned more and more who God is and my relationship with him thru Jesus. Learning more about Jesus and how much is was like us. I have learned that God is with me where ever I go, and what ever I do and he is everywhere. That there is nothing more important in my life than my relationship with him. That he loves me no matter what the circumstance is. He is a good God who doesn't want anything but good things happen to me and to everyone. That he has created the world we live and he has a plan for everyone of us of goodness, love, peace and to serve him by being his disciple. I found that out during my tough times right after 9/11. I was working in the Pentagon at the time and the job I had to do right after I didn't think I could get through without the strength of God's love through my family and friends and more importantly my relationship with him. I prayed all the time and he answered my prayer. But, lately I have found myself not wondering, but trying to answer questions to people who are not so eager to know God. I have found myself discussing more and more with my Christian sisters and brothers (which I think is always a good thing to learn more about my God). I have a couple of people at work who are challenging me with certain issues with God I can not answer, because I'm trying to work on my relationship myself. It does give me time to reflect on what they are asking and I guess that's a good thing, but it's hard answer them when I don't have the answers and lately it's been very frustrating. So frustrating it have me a terrible headache the other day thinking about it. All I know is I love God, I'm glad he's in my life and he's on my side. I'm glad I serve him by being his disciple. By loving all people, by helping others, by treating each other with dignity and respect. By each day with knowing God through Jesus, the one who was just like us. By praying, reading, going to church, learning more and more and living each day knowing he is on my side, to love me, be my rock in times of trouble, be there in celebration and to forgive me when I sin because he is merciful. I am on a journey of faith and it is quite an interesting ride so far! |
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Saint James United Methodist Church
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