I was raised in a Catholic family and I attended mass regularly at our local church. Even though I occupied a seat in the pews, mentally I was not present.  Most Sundays I would look most forward to one part of the Catholic service, when the Priest would say, “mass has ended, let us go in peace.”  I would hit the door faster than you could say “Amen”.   Religion and a personal relationship with God was not a concept that seemed applicable in my life.   I faked it for many years, going through the motions every Sunday but never feeling like I knew who God was.  It was not surprising that once I was old enough to make my own decisions, I was out of church and God was the furthest thing from my mind.  I was blind for many years about the importance of knowing God and admittedly I was very naive when it came to knowing how much I needed Him.

As a result, an emptiness grew that neither I nor anyone else could to fill.  The only way I can describe that feeling was that something literally was missing but I had no idea as to what that something was.  Anxiety and doubt seemed to plague me on a daily basis.  I would worry constantly about anything and everything. I thought that every trial I faced was my burden to carry and sometimes the sheer weight of life would overwhelm me.   I minimized these feelings by telling myself that it was a normal part life.  After all, I was working full time, a newlywed and attending graduate school.  It was not until I started attending church at ENCI that I realized all of the feelings I had were symptomatic of living a life without God.   I didn’t know how far I had gotten from Him until things in my life started to overwhelm me, God used this to grab my attention, and thankfully the message came through loud and clear.

Coming to ENCI was a turning point in my life.  It has been one of the most positive and significant things that has ever happened to me.  This church, the staff and the members of the congregation have encouraged me to have a meaningful relationship with God.   As a result, I finally know who He is and I know who I am in Christ.  The friendships that I have made at ENCI are irreplaceable gifts.  I have formed genuine relationships with people who have encouraged me, prayed with me and have touched my heart deeply.  My life has changed for the better in more ways than words can describe.  God amazes me on a daily basis, I see Him in the tiniest details of my life and am thankful for this revelation.  I cannot say that I never get overwhelmed with life or that I see the world through rose colored glasses but I can say that I have the Lord to guide me through any trial that I face. I truly know now that with God all things are possible.

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