the first time i stepped foot in awaken church, i was a miserable broken human. i remember going out to my car after the service and just sobbing on the steering wheel. not because of the service, or something that happened in the church, but because i knew my life was a crossroads and i needed the church more than anything – quite simply because i was at rock bottom and didn’t have anything else.
as a surprise to some, social situations can give me anxiety. i’m not an overly social person; i enjoy it when i feel like it, but when i’m not in the mood to be around people, i will choose not to (for my sake and for theirs HA). this is especially true with new people. despite this social anxiety and not wanting to put in the effort to meet people, i knew in my heart that that’s what i needed. and what better people than people of the church?
i let the church know through an info card that i casually dropped in a basket (easy enough, no human contact in that, can i get an amen from my introverts?) that i was interested in getting plugged in with a group. that next week, i got a call from the sweetest voice – her name was Mary Claire. she said that her and her husband Tyler lead a small group in their house and they would love to have me. but not only that, she asked me about me, my life, my passions, my interests, what i do, and we talked for easily a half hour. i hadn’t had someone pursue me or be interested in my life like that in too long. i felt known and i felt loved…and i hadn’t even met her yet!
the next week i went to this group for the first time. the first couple weeks i was definitely the new person; i didn’t know everyone and no one knew me, but that didn’t stop people from being interested in me and who i was. they wanted to know how i heard of awaken, what i did, what i was interested in, all the things. soon enough, i felt like i was part of the group. in fact, i WAS part of the group.
i through myself into awaken – into the group, into serving, into meeting people, anything and everything i wanted to be involved in. i met some of the best people in my life through this church. this church and these people were put into my life exactly when and how they were for a specific reason, and only a God who loves us with all of his being can orchestrate such a story as this.
now i can’t imagine life without my small group people and all the people i’ve met through awaken. in this season in my life, they’ve provided financial and prayerful support, a place to live, a place to store my things, people to love my sweet dog while i’m on the race, literally anything i needed, the Lord sent one of his people my way through this community and its people.
i am the person i was that first day i walked into awaken, but i am in a much different place in life. i am happy; i am filled; i feel blessed and loved to the core of my being; and i know that i have people in my corner rooting for me and cheering me on.
i always heard stories of people’s lives being changed by a church and its community, and i am so thankful that i now have one of those stories myself.
thank you to awaken, to Pastor Brandon, to Mary Claire for seeking me out, to my Agroup for being obedient in the Lord asking you to support my journey, and to each individual that has supported me, loved me, and cared for me in this process. i love you all and couldn’t have gotten this far without you.
