When I was very young, I was part of 9th Horley Scout group, this led to attending Horley Methodist Church once a month, which I enjoyed and then went on to become part of the youth of St Bart’s, Horley Baptist Church and also part of the youth group of Lee Street Church. So clearly denomination certainly didn’t bother me.
As a teenager, I spent most of my spare time during the week at St Bart’s, I felt so at home there. I felt that I was exploring Christianity, participating in the youth Alpha, experiencing fellowship with those around me, I believed that I had a relationship with God and that he loved me. Throughout that time, I built a few friendships which I know will last my whole lifetime. One in particular recently gave me the massive privilege of being a bridesmaid at her wedding.
However, in 2003 my eldest brother David was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. He passed away on August 10th 2006.
During his illness, I spent a lot of time at church praying, begging God to save him. I was so angry with God when he took my brother from me. I truly felt that I hated him, that he couldn’t love me if he could take someone so precious away from me. So I turned my back and walked away.
I proceeded to look for other ways to find happiness, turning to paganism, alcohol, intimate relationships, even self-harming. I know now, these are all ways that would never bring me the true happiness I go desperately craved.
In 2008, I met someone who taught me that I could love myself again and on Christmas Day 2015 we even got engaged, but unfortunately it was not meant to be. We decided to end the relationship in August 2016 and it was then that I finally realised who was truly missing in my life!
The wedding of Lizzie Sadd and Elliot Ashley brought me to Reigate Baptist Church and as I took my turn to walk down the aisle, I just felt such peace and that I was coming home for the first time in many years. During the wedding reception I got to meet Mike and after one too many glasses of wine and having been nagged for the best part of 10 years, I finally gave in and agreed to go to Alpha with Lizzie.
During Alpha, I found myself wrestling with ideas that I had refused to acknowledge, but they encouraged me to come to terms and also understand that God does love me and always has. On the Alpha away day, Linz asked if she could pray with me and it was then that I recommitted my life to God. I felt God showing me the image of the Prodigal Son, I could see myself running home to him and he picked me up and holding so tight, joyously swinging me around. I was also told about 2 Corinthians 5:17 ‘Therefore if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come, the old has gone and the new is here.’ So this is what today is all about, leaving my old life behind and beginning my new life with Christ and his family.
As a teenager, I spent most of my spare time during the week at St Bart’s, I felt so at home there. I felt that I was exploring Christianity, participating in the youth Alpha, experiencing fellowship with those around me, I believed that I had a relationship with God and that he loved me. Throughout that time, I built a few friendships which I know will last my whole lifetime. One in particular recently gave me the massive privilege of being a bridesmaid at her wedding.
However, in 2003 my eldest brother David was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. He passed away on August 10th 2006.
During his illness, I spent a lot of time at church praying, begging God to save him. I was so angry with God when he took my brother from me. I truly felt that I hated him, that he couldn’t love me if he could take someone so precious away from me. So I turned my back and walked away.
I proceeded to look for other ways to find happiness, turning to paganism, alcohol, intimate relationships, even self-harming. I know now, these are all ways that would never bring me the true happiness I go desperately craved.
In 2008, I met someone who taught me that I could love myself again and on Christmas Day 2015 we even got engaged, but unfortunately it was not meant to be. We decided to end the relationship in August 2016 and it was then that I finally realised who was truly missing in my life!
The wedding of Lizzie Sadd and Elliot Ashley brought me to Reigate Baptist Church and as I took my turn to walk down the aisle, I just felt such peace and that I was coming home for the first time in many years. During the wedding reception I got to meet Mike and after one too many glasses of wine and having been nagged for the best part of 10 years, I finally gave in and agreed to go to Alpha with Lizzie.
During Alpha, I found myself wrestling with ideas that I had refused to acknowledge, but they encouraged me to come to terms and also understand that God does love me and always has. On the Alpha away day, Linz asked if she could pray with me and it was then that I recommitted my life to God. I felt God showing me the image of the Prodigal Son, I could see myself running home to him and he picked me up and holding so tight, joyously swinging me around. I was also told about 2 Corinthians 5:17 ‘Therefore if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come, the old has gone and the new is here.’ So this is what today is all about, leaving my old life behind and beginning my new life with Christ and his family.
