Andrea

Andrea

Redding, CA

When was the moment? You know, the moment of ultimate surrender - all of you for all of Him. It’s a common question asked amongst believers. “Tell me your story. How did you come to know Jesus?”

Well for me, I don’t know if there ever was ‘a moment’ when I gave my heart to Him… He’s had it for as long as I can remember. Growing up in a Catholic church, there wasn’t a massive question of salvation. According to Catholic theology, you’re considered “saved” after baptism, an event commonly occurring during infancy. Then you proceed to go through various religious rites throughout childhood, further confirming your commitment.

Though I participated in all of these religious activities, there was something true at the core of it - Someone true and tangible. And somehow, I knew I wasn’t just believing a dead religious doctrine; it was real to me - He was real to me. By some mystery, I knew there had to be more. More to a relationship with God. More than just rules and rites. It’s as if the love of the Father transcended through the religious pageantry surrounding me. He lit a fire in my spirit and a curiosity in my soul to know Him, to befriend Him.

Who is God and what is He like? Discovering the answer to those two questions will take all of my life and all of my eternity. It’s what I burn for, knowing Him - His face and eyes, His heart and hands, His likes and dislikes, His character and personality. Whether in a rapturous worship moment or a mundane part of my day, opportunities to know more of Him are everywhere. Discovering Him unveils a depth of joy and satisfaction that most of humanity only dreams of. Even in the midst of hardship and failure, I’ve never seen Him inconsistent in His love and pursuit of me.

Friendship. Intimacy. Covenant. It’s what we were made for, and it’s more simple than you might think. Jesus made it that way for us. Whether it’s the religious doctrine of the day or our own human desire to perform, we have a tendency to overcomplicate friendship with God. I spent my childhood, and a good part of my adulthood, jumping through hoops to please God. I was mistaken in believing a relationship with God looked pressured and rigid. When all along, He just wanted to walk with me in the garden during the cool of the day.