Lost In the Prairies.....Found by God

So we went to spend Christmas Eve with Leroy's family. While we were opening our presents, every time I opened a gift, my future Sister-in-law kept screaming “IT'S A RING!”. It didn't matter if the box was large (a VCR) or weirdly shaped (a spatula, a joke between Leroy and I). No I didn't get the ring that Christmas. Was I expecting it - NO not really. I knew that when Leroy was ready that I would get one.

Just after Christmas the Pastor of our Church mentioned a new Christian class called "ALPHA." It sounded intriguing and right up my alley. There was going to be a dinner that Friday for those interested. I thought this might explain this whole Church thing to me, as well as show my mother-in-law that I was serious. However, I wasn't going alone. Leroy wasn't really interested in attending, so I "buttered up" my room mate up by saying it would be a free meal.

That Friday we went. We sat. We didn't know anyone. We ate the free meal. Then the Pastor stood up and introduced the video. We watched. Christianity: Boring, Untrue, and Irrelevant? The video spoke to me - What was the point of Life? Where was I headed? What am I doing? Christianity was it true and not the fairytale story that I had been led to believe. I decided then and there that even if my room mate didn't sign up, that I would.

Two weeks later we started meeting at the Pastor's house. Of course I had to get lost the first meeting. Luckily some nice people let me use their phone. I was the last person to arrive so I was hastily introduced to my co-patriots – Debbie, Darin, Rose, Karen, Joanne, Becca, Reuben, Janine, and Shane. The Pastor's wife made a lovely meal, then we went down to watch the next speech – Who Is Jesus? I continued to be engrossed. I went home that night and started to really read my Bible (Luke!). I wanted to learn more.

Leroy and I kept seeing each other. I asked questions and he answered. I attended Church with Leroy ever Sunday – now willingly, if not enthusiastically.

At the beginning of March, Leroy called me at work, asking what my plans were for one weekend and saying his work was sending him on a trip. I told him nothing (I can't believe how gullible I was). Then he said that wouldn't work.

Later that month the spiritual retreat of Alpha was booked. I noticed that it was the weekend before I had row 19 tickets to see Ricky Martin (OK you can all laugh at me now, but remember he was the bomb then). My room mate and I looked forward to that weekend.

We drove to the retreat location. That night everyone played charades (a game I really don't like). So I started talking to Debbie and Darin of our group. Debbie was visually impaired so charades wasn't really a game she could enjoy. Little did I know that Debbie would become my “Evil Twin.”

We watched the movies on the Holy Spirit, the part I really didn't get. I learned that God forgives over and over if we ask – there is no condemnation. I learned that we must be spiritually born to enter into God's family. The Spirit gives us access to the Father and enables us to understand God's word.

When the retreat was finished I must have looked overwhelmed, because the Pastor came up to me. He asked me what was wrong? I can't remember what I said, but it most likely had to do with my unbelief that God would want me and would forgive me. That's when I knew that I wanted Jesus in my life. The Pastor and I prayed and I accepted Jesus right there and then. I was crying and laughing. The joy I felt was indescribable. I felt relief and freedom.

I went home from the retreat that night beaming. I couldn't wait to see Leroy and talk to him about what had happened. Once I was home I called Leroy and told him a little about the weekend. I told him I wanted to see him to talk to him about it, but he said he was busy that night. He asked if I wanted to go hiking the next day. We ended by saying we would meet at Church the next day. I felt a little deflated. I couldn't talk to my family. None of them would have understood. My roommate had gone out to see her friends, so she wasn't there to talk to.

The next day we all went to Church early. We were all excited. We were laughing and joking about getting “slapped” by God. It felt great. After Church, we went out for Pannekoek, a Dutch pancake that is really yummy. All through brunch, Leroy looked preoccupied. I wasn't sure what was going on. He kept looking at his watch and he seemed eager to go hiking. I said good bye to the group and we drove towards the mountains.........

Tune in next week to see our Heroines trek through a beaver dam......