I didn't grow up a Christian, I grew up Catholic. I went to Catholic Church Christmas and Easter and some random Sundays, and Catholic school. When that ended, public school and CCD on Wednesday it was. I learned about Jesus through the text books in class and the homily portion of church. (To be fair, I was young, and the only part of mass that wasn't a foreign language to me was the homily, but I'm sure the grownups caught the rest just fine!) I memorized prayers, and received sacraments dutifully, but it was in the hymns and songs of worship I truly got to know God personally.
How I was taught to pray seemed a little, um- forced? But just talking with God at night; telling him about my day, what made me sad or happy, seemed so... easy! Fast forward so my teenage years and 20's. I graduated Cosmetology school and began building a career in a very secular industry. I wasn't going to church or sincerely praying, but when I was feeling guilty or needed something, I'd pray.
I continued to live in the world I was in, each day morphing into what I thought I needed to be to fit in and be accepted. My hair and makeup changed, my style changed, shoot- my personality even changed with certain people! (Not proud of that, but it is what it is.) In my late 20s, I was tired of running that rat race, and decided it was time for my husband and I to start going to church. I searched Catholic Churches in the area, and the only ones within a reasonable distance had a terrible parking situation and I'd be fighting downtown traffic. *NEW SEARCH*
I found one closer to my house, but it seemed to be one of those "new" churches. I DIDN'T want to fight for a parking spot MORE than I didn't want to try something new, so I told my husband I'd go check it out, and get back to him. So I went.
I don't think I knew it at the time, but I got saved that day. Until that day, I never felt the Holy Spirit move in me like that. (It's moved in me since, just never like that before that day!) I joined that church a blonde; totally unsure of who or what I was. And as my relationship with Jesus grew, my hair went blue and my identity was in Christ. I had grown (with lots of room to go) by leaps and bounds, but overall was the same girl I was before, I just looked a little different. The coolest thing about it- aside having my favorite color on my head- was discovering that my hair was prompting people I didn't even know to come up to me; opening the door to being able to encourage and support them!
My eyes were opened that day I tried a new church. In that room were people who were all very different: ethnicities, jobs, sport team affiliations, music preferences, political views, health/fitness levels, YOU NAME IT- we could break off into lots of different groups. CHRIST was the single thing that had us all united in that building, and it was Awesome. It didn't matter how "put together" you were, or how "rough" you looked, we were all Christ-following, worship-singing, hands-however-you-worship, Jesus-lovers. How I viewed church changed that day. And I realized that I was on fire for bringing people who felt like I did- a black sheep- closer to the Lord.
Background full of addiction, but you wanna know Jesus? You're welcome here!!
Battling anxiety or depression and you're ready to break the chains with God? You're in the right spot.
Make a few (or a lot of) bad choices that have resulted in a lot of burned bridges and hard consequences, but you're ready to be set free? Pull up a chair.
It doesn't matter what your past is, how you dress, what job you have. What matters is your heart changing, and the fruits of the Spirit are EVIDENT & TAKING OVER. You're ready for the OLD YOU to die and the NEW YOU be reborn and set free (no literal dying if you're new to this Christianity thing).
The One Society is a flock of people lovin' Jesus who know we're not perfect, and never will be. Who know we have let people down, and unfortunately will do it again. We know despite our best efforts, we're going to fall short. Sounds encouraging right??
Well HERE is the encouraging part.
Your debt was paid with Jesus dying on the cross for you- so you can STOP trying to earn any grace, forgiveness, or whatever else you may be trying to earn! And as for falling short, ask for God's help! He's got you!!
*Insert sigh of relief here*
ALSO encouraging, you're not the only one who feels they're the "only one" fighting "that" battle. Like the verse above in John 14:16-- the ONLY way to the Father is through Jesus... so you inevitably fall into 1 of 2 categories: you're IN, or you're OUT. When God's got a grip on your heart like a toddler holding something they shouldn't (it's way stronger, that's just a very relevant analogy for me right now), you don't have to worry about your shortcomings, your baggage, what makes you a "black sheep". You're HIS SHEEP. So, what's it going to be? You in? Or out?
Listen, I'm fighting anxiety and depression, pregnancy loss, loss of loved ones, mom-guilt, just to name a few. (I'm actively working on these things with Jesus every day, but I'm not perfect.) Without His help, I'm a mess. I share MY experiences to give you hope, because when there's hope, the enemy gets a little scared. The goal is to make you so encouraged and fired up for the Lord, the enemy is shakin'. And honestly, I hope this helps me gain accountability to be doing better in MY OWN WALK!
You've got your struggles, you know your past. But here in The One Society, we aren't looking back. You're a part of a flock with THE MOST AWESOME SHEPHERD! So the past, YOUR PAST, is history. He's made you new. Time to look forward.
(if you haven't given your life to the Lord yet but have ?s, em)
If you stray or see something shiny (from the enemy) and walk off by yourself, know this:
He will leave. us. all. to. find. YOU.
So congratulations. You've found some people, this side of Heaven, who need you as much as you need them.
Welcome to the flock. I'm honored you're here