"Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen"
-Hebrews 11:1
-Hebrews 11:1
I have always been a believer, I was raised in the best and most loving church and I couldn't imagine what my life would be like if I hadn't been exposed to that at a young age. I always attended Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, summer camps and conferences, I was an active member of Kids Club and Youth Group, and I hardly missed a Sunday unless we were on vacation or I was sick. I learned so much from being in attendance at all of these things, but I have never felt the way that I have felt about church until last May.
When Nathan left for Basic Training in May I felt utterly and completely alone. I went around for days like a zombie and from someone who didn't know me it probably looked like someone I was closed to had just died. I had all my friends and family there for me but that first week of him being gone, it didn't matter because nobody understood. Getting the first few phone calls from him I could tell he felt the exact same way. He was miserable there and when they took his phone away it felt like I lost him all over again. I had to wait for another two weeks before I got my first letter from him. That was supposed to help me, but reading how depressed and lonely he was there only made things worse for me. At that point I knew I had to do something or I was going to be feeling like this all summer.
I talked to my mom, and she suggested that I pray for him and about our situation. I have never been good at praying. I feel very awkward when I pray and usually it turns into more of me just talking and thinking instead of actually talking to God. But, I figured if it would make me feel better then I would give it a shot. From that day on I prayed for Nathan two and three times a day, and in my letters I encouraged him to do the same. I told him that if he ever wanted to talk to me, since he couldn't just pick up the phone, then he should pray for me, and I did the same. As time went on, praying began to feel normal and natural instead of the awkward attempts that it used to be and when school got out and all I had left to keep me going during the day was work, I threw myself into church.
Church became the most important thing in my life, as it should have been all along. I never realized how much peace praying and going to church could bring. I felt like a new person. Since this past summer and going through all of my experiences I have come to realize how much more there is to life when you have something as firm as God and as church to believe in.
I am telling you all of this to help this next part make sense. A few weeks ago when we were home visiting our families, my mom and I were sitting in her living room and she had a book sitting on the table next to her. So, I picked it up and read the back cover to see what it was about. Once I read that, it was game on. I had to read that book and I had to read it right then. I then spent the next 3 hours reading and actually finishing the book, and I have to admit that it has been one of the most inspirational books I have ever read. It really helped to affirm all of the things that I believe in and helped show me that all of my prayers and time put into church would all be worth it one day.
The book is called "Heaven is For Real" by Todd Burpo.
I talked to my mom, and she suggested that I pray for him and about our situation. I have never been good at praying. I feel very awkward when I pray and usually it turns into more of me just talking and thinking instead of actually talking to God. But, I figured if it would make me feel better then I would give it a shot. From that day on I prayed for Nathan two and three times a day, and in my letters I encouraged him to do the same. I told him that if he ever wanted to talk to me, since he couldn't just pick up the phone, then he should pray for me, and I did the same. As time went on, praying began to feel normal and natural instead of the awkward attempts that it used to be and when school got out and all I had left to keep me going during the day was work, I threw myself into church.
Church became the most important thing in my life, as it should have been all along. I never realized how much peace praying and going to church could bring. I felt like a new person. Since this past summer and going through all of my experiences I have come to realize how much more there is to life when you have something as firm as God and as church to believe in.
I am telling you all of this to help this next part make sense. A few weeks ago when we were home visiting our families, my mom and I were sitting in her living room and she had a book sitting on the table next to her. So, I picked it up and read the back cover to see what it was about. Once I read that, it was game on. I had to read that book and I had to read it right then. I then spent the next 3 hours reading and actually finishing the book, and I have to admit that it has been one of the most inspirational books I have ever read. It really helped to affirm all of the things that I believe in and helped show me that all of my prayers and time put into church would all be worth it one day.
The book is called "Heaven is For Real" by Todd Burpo.
I will just give you a short summary about it, because for anyone who plans on reading it I would hate to give it away. Basically it is written by a little boy's (Colton) dad and it tells about how Colton got really sick and had to have surgery and during his surgery he went to Heaven.
I was a little skeptical at first but it was the best book I have ever read. I cried in certain parts, I laughed in certain parts, and when I finished it I felt like I had to tell everyone to read this book. It is so good and if you are a believer it will truly be one of the best faith-based books you ever read, and if you are not a believer it just may convince you to be one.
I hope everyone takes my advice and picks up this book! You won't regret it!
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