Church

I was in the process of writing another blog post when I decided it would probably make more sense to post this one before that one. I want to talk about my church experience and why I always say, "...before I got back into church..." so people understand what I actually mean. It sounds self-explanatory, but I just want to make sure no one is confused.

When I was a little girl, there were like 6 of us girls who would always play together in the neighborhood. 2 of the girls were sisters, and their aunt went to church. I don't remember when, but she started taking all of us girls to church with her. When were were in 3rd grade (I think), those 2 sisters moved to a different city, far away. That meant their aunt couldn't come pick us up anymore. Since my parents don't attend church, they didn't like the idea of driving me to a building full of strangers (to them) and leaving me there. So, that's when I stopped going to church.

There were random times, though, when some other friends and I (once we were older) would get on a church bus and go to Awana. I don't remember that too much, and it wasn't very consistent (I know we went quite a bit, but I think it was less than a year). We also got on that bus and went to church camp every day for a week (now that I think about it, I'm sure it was VBS...and I think it was only once).

Fast forward to the beginning-ish of 10th grade. I had moved to Florida the summer before my freshman year of high school. I met a girl, Amanda, on the bus, and we instantly clicked and became best friends. One random day, she asked me if I wanted to go to church with her. I never had anything against church people-I just didn't go. I decided to attend the Wednesday night youth service and I instantly fell in love. To be 100% completely honest, it was the music that got me hooked. The worship team was so good, and I loved the vibe there.

Shortly after, I was on the worship team and loving church so much. I can't recall one bad thing I thought about anything church related. I was also very active in another church, where some other friends belonged. For the rest of 10th and all of 11th grades, and in the summer, I was at church on Sunday for morning service, Monday or Tuesday for worship team practice, Wednesday for youth service, and Friday for a hangout (this was at the other church). The time I spent with all of those wonderful, wonderful people is forever dear to me.

The summer after 11th grade, I moved back to Michigan. I instantly knew which church I wanted to attend-the same church I went to as a little girl. Thankfully, we moved only a short distance from the church. I have looked the exact same since elementary school, so some of the people kinda recognized me, but others were so new that they had no clue who I was. Since I had spent so much time there as a little girl, it was so nice to return and know my surroundings.

Within the first year (or year and a half), there were 3 of us girls who were the "worship team" kinda. None of us played any instruments, so we just had the entire youth group stand in a circle and we lead the worship songs. After that, we got a new youth pastor, and his wife was the worship leader. I wasn't on the worship team at this point, but it was nice to be in the crowd for some time :) After they moved, we got another youth pastor, and there was a different worship leader. I think that may have been when I joined the worship team again. But I also think that may have been around the time I went off to college, so I don't think I was there for too long. Although, every summer (until the summer of 2012 I think), I would come back and be on the worship team while I was home. Before I went off to university (while I was in community college), my best friend had another church that she went to, which was held on Thursday nights. We attended quite frequently-until they closed down.

I went to a Christian University, so I sometimes attended the church across the street from campus. I wasn't too involved with that church until my final semester there, which is when I started working with the 4 and 5 year old children before Sunday service.

Now, here I am. I have only been a member of 2 different churches, but I have been to at least one service at about 11 different churches (not counting church camp). It's crazy to me to think that 9 of those have been in the past 11 years. It's also crazy to think that I have been back in church for 11 years. This has been quite a ride, and I am blessed. :)

If you have any more questions (I feel like this is still confusing...ha), feel free to ask!

XOXO

Jen