Growing up, I was never brought up in church really. I went a few times if I stayed at certain friends houses on Saturday nights and when I got in high school I started going and really understanding things a little more. Then life went south in my family and shortly after I moved for college. While in college I spent the first 6-8 months hating being there and just wanting to go home to my mom. I didn’t attend church or anything while in college. After I moved back home, graduated and had Brodie, I actually ran into a pastor who knew me and I frequented his church with an old friend of mine. He also spoke and asked how I was, but this was the final time. I had let him know I’d graduated college and recently had beautiful baby boy. Instead of any sort of congratulatory remark, he questioned if I was married. Which I wasn’t at the time. He then reminded me of how I had sinned and how his church felt about such things. Basically telling me in a not so blunt way that I wasn’t welcome there. So after that I just knew that I was back in my hypocritical home town with all the churches and I wouldn’t be welcomed anywhere. Fast forward a few years, Cameron and I get married in the most perfect way. We have a surprise second pregnancy (and if you know us, all three pregnancies have been surprises). Just over half way through we loss that baby. Several months after that our house floods as well. So we’ve had a whirlwind of events. During the flood there were some things I saved that I didn’t need so I donated them. The donation place was The River Church just down from my house. Little did I know the guy who I spoke to and helped me get the donations out of my car was the pastor. After loosing our baby and our home, I struggled with a lot of things emotionally. A little while later I’d been invited to The River Church several times and just never went. I finally did. I enjoyed every minute that I kept going back. Then I became a realtor. I got busy and started putting work before a lot of things. People needed to see houses on Sunday? I was going!! Or I’d worked most the weekend so I just wanted to rest on Sunday at home. So I stopped going. That went by for over a year for sure. I’d always been torn about religion because of how people have treated me in the past and just not knowing much. I’d also be lying to you if I said I was the most Christianly person out there and that I attended church every Sunday and read the Bible everyday. I don’t. Not because I don’t want to, but because I’m still learning and growing. This is a new experience for me. Just over a month ago something was telling me to go. So I waddled my very large pregnant self into the doors of The River Church. I CRIED. Hard core tears. I felt like the only person in the whole church and that the message was only meant for me. I attend the next few Sundays and then Peyton was born, so I’ve missed the last couple weeks. Today I attended again and felt the message was for me again. I also felt welcomed, as I do every time so that wasn’t new.

I feel like someone’s journey whether in or out of the church is up to them. Just because you go to church every Sunday doesn’t mean you’re better than anyone else. I still have a lot to learn and understand, but the feeling I get at TRC is a great one!! I honestly feel like it’s a great jump start to the week. So find yourself in what works for you. I don’t feel pressured there. I’ve never been harped on for not being there. I’ve never felt guilty for being there. I’ve just felt like me. By no means is this meant to push church on you or anything. It’s to push doing something for yourself. Something good. Do something good for you to find yourself. If an experience like mine is it, then enjoy it. Don’t let people make you feel bad or pressure you into how you feel about something.