Adult-Onset-Christianity Part 1

There's one thing you should know about me going into this...ok, there are several things, but the most important is that I have Adult-Onset-Christianity (AOC).

Never heard of AOC?  Nothing coming up on the Google search?

I'll break it down for you:

I wasn't raised in a Christian home.  I didn't go to church except for Christmas and Easter if we were at Grandma's.  I had a basic working knowledge of the Bible and knew all the "most popular" stories: Creation, Noah's Ark, David and Goliath, the crucifixion and resurrection, etc but had never heard of having a personal relationship with Christ.

In my mid-twenties life kicked me in the backside and I found myself searching.  I knew that there had to be more to life than just making myself happy...but what was it?

I'd spent most of my life trying to avoid the "Christians" going around spatting hate at those who didn't share their views.  Something you might not know about the area I grew up in...it's the Northwest Bible Belt.  But most of the "Christians" I encountered didn't embody the qualities I knew Jesus taught and lived out.  These "Christians" frequently told me I was going to hell when I passed them in the halls at the community college I attended.  I didn't know much about Christianity but I knew that this certainly was not the love and grace message Jesus lived and died for.

Lake Coeur d'Alene...where I came to the end of me.

When I'd finally had enough of life handing me lemons...or more aptly put: when God had had enough of my blatant disregard for Him; He showed me that I couldn't do this by myself, I had reached the end of me and I needed Him.

God, as always, set things up perfectly.  I was surrounded by strong Christian women at work, was dating a Christian man and had a life-long Christian as a best friend.  And so it began...my pursuit of Christ.  What I didn't realize at the time was that I wasn't the one pursuing...I was the one being pursued.

Check back for Part 2 on Monday...