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This is my truth:
Although I attended church throughout my childhood, I never felt close to God. I felt further away from God as an adult, even though I periodically sought out a church to make friends and have socialization. I did the same when I moved to Asheville, visiting multiple churches. I spent three years at the most recent church, and found myself detaching from God even further. During all those years I had many dark periods feeling totally alone.
Then I started watching First Presbyterian streaming on Sunday. Slowly, over a period of some months, I began feeling the presence of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. I welcomed them. By late summer I knew this would be my spiritual home, and attended for the first time. From the moment I walked in the door, and for the length of my stay, I felt God everywhere. Every interaction with the congregation, in the sanctuary, via the music and choir, throughout the service, and in every word of the sermon I experienced God. I was weeping tears of gratitude.
After the first week I began seeking more opportunities through First Presbyterian to move closer to God. So much of my experience of God now cannot be put into words. I begin and end my day with Him. I am changed in uncountable ways, my relationships and interactions with people I encounter are love based. I have put aside the myriad ways I wasted my time with mindless and meaningless activity. I am focused on "passing the peace" to everyone I encounter. Rather than my old ways of "my will be done, and in my time", I wait for guidance.
I am just in the beginning stages of moving closer to God. There have been stops and starts as this relationship progresses in God's time. I know First Presbyterian will continue to be a vehicle for my growth and learning.
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