From an early age, Christ has revealed Himself to me, through encouraging and instructive grandparents and parents and churches who have led me in the right direction. This isn't to say that they presented "The Way" to me without having me explore it with my mind, my heart, and my other faculties. They challenged me to find out for myself. And I have.
Probably my first exposure to the Lord was prayer. I'm sure my parents and grandparents prayed in front of me and over me.
The first thing I remember about faith-based activity was church in Titusville. I also know I went to Merritt Island Christian School, and we had Abeka books. My grandma may even have supplemented our education with some Abeka books at home. I remember always liking them. I also remember that God always seemed to fit. Though I had a difficult childhood, He made things better. He supported me when I had nothing and no one else could or did.
Personally, I remember sitting in a kind of shadowy hallway, and a teacher, probably a Sunday school teacher, came out and asked if anyone wanted to get saved. I was about four. I did pray the sinner's prayer of salvation at that point, but I'm not really sure how much I understood. I told my grandma about it, and she, knowing that I could write, had me write a letter to Jesus about what had happened and what I understood. There was enough there, I think, to make it real, but God didn't leave it at that anyway.
I went through more and more trials (most of which had nothing to do with what I chose or how I acted), but He stayed right with me, with the help of my family. Prayer and reading His word were a big part of my life, and we continued at different churches, including where I got baptized at nine years of age, at the Baptist church. At that time, I do feel like I did understand what enough of it meant to really have that water baptism count, so I haven't done it again.
We went to Benny Hinn's Orlando Christian Center, and I, believing in in-filling of the Holy Spirit, believe I was baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, in a heavenly language.
The Holy Spirit has continued to work in me in that way. In middle school, we followed Pastor Richard Perinchief to a church plant in Bellview. I learned to make friends better there. I was a little more stable in my living arrangements. The Spirit flowed in that church and changed so many lives, including mine. The presence of God was strong, and we worshipped in Spirit and in truth through music, through tithe (I learned about this back in the Baptist church but also strengthened in this church. It's not just them asking for money. My favorite quote is something like God can use 10 percent better than you can use 100. The tithe is for you and for God's people. I digress.), through the Gospel.
When we started going to Assembly of God in Eustis, (Branden got Mom going there in high school), I learned even more, and I still felt the presence of God in a personal way in my own life. That church also encouraged us to pursue every aspect of God ourselves, and not to rely on our parents' faith or what the church said or any of those other things.
TBC
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