I would like to take this opportunity to share a little about myself and how I’ve come to this place both physically and spiritually.

Growing up I attended Cooke’s United Church in Pefferlaw. My mom sang in the choir. I went to Sunday School. My Aunt was the Sunday School superintendent and my many cousins and close neighbours were my Sunday School friends. We sang a lot of great songs and even put on some fabulous performances. When I was about 12 years old, at the request of my mom, I attended confirmation classes. What I remember most is the little powdered donuts!

Looking back, I see this as a time when a small seed was planted. See once I became a teenager my perception was that it really wasn’t "cool" to go to Church anymore. We didn’t have much in the way of youth events, it was Pefferlaw afterall. I started living a life on my own will. Making some poor choices perhaps and living quite selfishly. I don’t know that I was much different from many teenagers and certainly no different than any of my friends. God certainly wasn’t important to me at this time in life.

I’m not sure exactly what took me away from the Church and ultimately my relationship with God. I’m sure it was a result of multiple things and even today I find myself searching for that understanding.

So years passed. I got married. In a Church. I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Although at the time I’m not sure if my motivation was to have God’s blessing on our marriage or is it not that every bride should want the large Church doors to open wide and walk down the aisle to the love of her life (sarcasm). I remember taking issue with how badly the red carpet of the Church aisle clashed with my bridesmaids pink dresses. Had I missed the point of the whole experience? Now I’m being hard on myself but I’ve been strongly convicted of these events.

Two years later, Keith and I decided to start a family and along came baby Jack. What an amazing gift. On Mother’s Day 2005 we had Jack baptised at Wilfrid United Church, a Church I would still visit at Christmas time because who doesn’t love a Christmas Eve service.

I shared Jack’s baptism event in an email to a co-worker and close friend, Loreli. Now I knew Lori was "religious" but I had no idea she was a Christian and an evangelical one to boot. Lori’s reply was "Did I know you went to Church?" and then she asked me some very tough questions in her reply. "What did I believe? Did I have a relationship with God". It took me days to respond. She thought she had scared me. What I knew for sure was that I believed in God. But I certainly did not have a relationship with God. What did that mean? Lori and I continued to talk, A LOT.

This is what brought me to this place. A desire to know God. Not only for myself but for my son jack and Keith too. Lori encouraged me to Church shop. I visited KPC about 1 year ago. I then visited a couple of other local churches but came back to where I felt at home.

In December of last year I asked Jesus to come into my life. I guess I had done this before at Confirmation class but had little understand of what that meant at the time. Sitting along in my room I felt this desire to grow closer to God, to finally put aside my own will and learn what it means to live this wonderful life God has given me for his purpose. Over the past year I’ve seen changes in my heart, my outlook on life is more easily redirected when I seek God, I’ve witnessed answers to prayer and my experience through small groups has brought about some amazing relationships. I feel myself being stretched and challenged spiritually every day.

This will be a life long journey. I have lots to learn. I know that by making a commitment to KPC and by professing my faith in Jesus today I have the love and support of a wonderful family to help me along this journey and someone to walk with each day. As I too will support each of you.

I thank God today that a seed was planted many years ago. I thank God for bringing me to this place both spiritually and physically. I pray for my husband Keith and our growing family that they may also know God and meet me here someday.