I was bought up as a Christian, I can’t really ever remember not going as a child. I was always happy to go, as a preteen I had a couple of best friends and I would go to Sunday School and then after church we’d play around and then go to each other’s houses. I’d go to Girls’ Brigade (think girl guides but Christian, and better), a youth bible study, youth group, baby sit for a bible study, and help out at creche.
Being a Christian was just part of who I was, it taught me so much, and I would never trade my Christian upbringing for anything. As I got older I went to camps, state wide camps with amazing bands and amazing atmosphere. Those were the beginning of my personal journey as a Christian. Being a Christian got me through some very tough times, at the end of the day when everything was falling apart (as it always feels like it is when you’re 15) I had somewhere to come home and feel safe and looked after.
Even though I knew it, the thing I hadn’t learnt yet was sometimes Christians make huge mistakes and act totally un-Christian like. I got swept away, and because I was making mistakes with a fellow Christian I didn’t question my moral stand on it. However, I can’t go into much detail. I didn’t do anything illegal, or take drugs, or anything like that.
When everything came out, I was embarrassed, upset and disappointed. Every time I thought about picking up my bible or going to church, I got embarrassed, upset, and disappointed all over again. I ended up stop going. It wasn’t the religion, or the community of the church or the people there. It was the embarrassement and trying to deal with it.
Now, I have sex before marriage, I drink, I swear and live with my boyfriend. Basically, I can’t call myself Christian anymore. I wish I had kept going, made the effort to learn from my mistake and just sucked it up. I still have faith, it’s just not acted on anymore. I might disagree with aspects, like sex before marriage, but I think I should be there arguing my point, disagreeing with it and building my faith back up. The boy is a non-Christian, but he loves my passion and faith. He encourages me to go back and start over again. The point is I actually have to do it. I have to start again, I have to go to a new church, with no friends and just make the choice to do it alone.
This was a part of a little series between some blogger friends and I (Josh and Moose).
Moose’s post is found here
Related posts:
You’ve only ever met me on Twitter so tell me if any of this is out of line. Firstly there are so many people in the Bible that stuffed up royally and God didn’t give up on them. If you have had a Christian upbringing you can probably bring a few of them to mind like David (slept with someone elses wife and then had the husband killed) and don’t get me started on the disciples
God doesn’t give up on people, no exceptions. You do have to start again, just like the prodigal son you have to make that decision to go back but once you do that there is a welcome waiting for you. Jesus told that story for a reason.
So, if you want someone to go to church with I happen to think that the church that my wife and I go to is really approachable and laid back so I’ll make the offer to be someone to help so that you don’t have to do it on your own. Ask those who have met me at ATUB if I’m creepy and DM me if you are interested.