What a mind-blowing discovery!

I wasn't always appreciative of my childhood and upbringing, but I can say without any hesitancy that my parents are amazing and I am SO grateful for how they raised me and my siblings. They were(are) loving and present and taught us good morals and about the love of Jesus. They were intentional with the music we listened to and the shows we watched and took great care in keeping us innocent in a dark and scary world. It wasn't until I became a mom that I could finally see, "Wow, I totally understand why they did this or that" and felt true gratitude for their choices.

My dad was a pastor so we were weekly church goers and Bible readers, though I managed to not actually read the Bible much at all. Kind of like reading assignments in school, I would do my best to 'Cliff Notes' any questions I may have been asked and just go about my business.

Never in my whole life have I ever questioned IF God was real. I know He is. What I WAS missing, and I will get into that deeper shortly, was actually knowing Him. It might seem small, but it's really one of my biggest questions, "How did I miss that, especially as a pastor's daughter?" There could be a lot of answers to that, but I believe God allowed me to be in my own world so that He could use me in a mighty way when I was ready. Or really, just at His perfect appointed time because who is ever ready for that calling??

.........

After high school I spent the next however many years doing things my way. Didn't choose church. Didn't choose to read my Bible. Just lived for me and my desires. I went about my business how I wanted to and He let me.

Something crazy happened in 2020. We all remember. And to be very honest, I couldn't be more grateful for those years because God used them to WAKE me up, as I know He did to a lot of other people. Something didn't feel right about what was going on and I couldn't rest in that. God used a specific situation and a friend sharing her testimony to shake me hard. Long story short, once your eyes are opened in such a way, there's no going back. And the question I was asking was, "How do I go forward? How do I keep living now seeing things completely differently?" A total 180. I was no longer in my own little world. It was like a cold bucket of ice got poured over my head and then left a cloud hovering over me. The cloud was fear. I just felt so afraid.

It was a few days later on a Saturday, we were having a cozy, lazy day and everyone was napping, except me. And I continued to ask "What do I do?" Now I wasn't necessarily praying or asking God because I still didn't know Him, but He gave me the answer anyway.

God said "Read your Bible." I heard that loud and clear and I didn't hesitate for a second. I got up, grabbed my childhood Odyssey Children's Bible that I had held on to all these years, even though I never read it, and I started reading.

The thing I had avoided my whole life was now the answer I was seeking? I learned very quickly how important it really is. I had always felt like it was just too intimidating and I couldn't understand it so why try. That was my excuse. Friends, if you hear that also, that's a straight up lie from the enemy. Is it a deep and complex Word? YES. Absolutely. But there are so many resources and communities available to HELP you, that can no longer be an excuse. And I say this with so much understanding and love.

MY LIFE CHANGED FOREVER because of the Bible. The piece of knowledge I was missing my whole life was the relationship piece. The hey, I want to get to know you and do this life thing along side you, piece. As a Friend, a Partner, a Mentor, a Father... It's not about checking things off your list. It's not about going to church every Sunday. It's not about tithing correctly. The most important thing I could ever share is, Jesus wants a personal relationship with you. START THERE. Forget all the rules and regulations and WHATEVER is holding you back. Read your Bible and pray. MAKE the time to get to know your Heavenly Father. He will lead from there.

It wasn't long after I started reading that He gave me the desire to find a church. Something else I never chose for myself. As an adult, the only reason I ever chose to go to church was for appearance sake. I would go for my dad. I had recently reconnected with an old friend who eventually asked, "Do you have a church?" I said, "No I don't, but I had been thinking about wanting to find one." She invited me to hers and I instantly fell in love. I not only was finding Jesus for the first time, but He also gave me immense joy and excitement to learn and grow through the worship and teachings at this new church.

Can you see how intentional every piece of your story is? Every little detail, God is working and moving and in HIS perfect timing, His will is done. Sometimes we are allowed to go through things for our good and His glory and I am learning to truly love that, as hard as some seasons are. I will never say that I regret my past because each decision led me to where I am today and I would not trade any of it. The good or the bad.

Do you feel a tug? Are you hearing a knock? Do you feel like something is missing? If you are at a cross road and don't know where to go from here, friend, open your Bible. If you don't have one, buy one. And don't feel less than starting with a Children's Bible! That was so intentional on God's part because one of my first thoughts was, "Oh wow, this isn't so hard to understand afterall." And funny thing is, I didn't realize at first it was a Children's version, but giggle at how that worked out. God knows what you need, when you need it.

Check out the 'Quick Links' below for my first Bible and also the Bible reading plan I have been using and I highly recommend checking them out. The reading plan is so good if you want extra insight and resources as you're starting your journey! Even if you're not a Bible newbie, it's a great resource to have in your pocket. It might offer you a fresh new perspective, plus a community to get involved with if you wish.

I would love to hear from you! If you resonated with anything I shared today, please send me a message and connect! Tell me your story!

The story doesn't end here. Follow along for more amazing God stories! And as my friend Tara Leigh-Cobble says, "He's where the joy is!"

I love you friend and Jesus loves you more!!