Sunday mornings were not all that bad for me. I didn’t have to wake up at 6 a.m., didn’t have to put on a nice dress, or curl my hair. I would throw on a pair of jeans or leggings with a clean sweater and head out the door. I would arrive at a church that was comfortable, welcoming and didn’t make me feel as if I wasn’t holy enough to be there.

I say this because every so often when I am talking to my friends who don’t have a strong desire to grow more in their faith, or don’t have the ambition to continue to attend church without their parent’s requirements, it is because they did not enjoy their church atmosphere growing up.

I am a strong believer in the Lord, and I want to give my church credit for this belief. Of course, my parents had a huge impact on why I decided to become a Christian. But, my church made me enjoy being a Christian. My church and the people in it made me want to be a Christian.

I chose to change churches early on in high school because my friends went to a different church than I had originally gone too. My parents believed that I should choose the church I attend and by having an opinion in the matter it would enable me to actually like going to church and the events they put on. The main reason I chose my church was because my friends went to it, with that I admit. However, my friends went to that church because it was fun, encouraging and had a plethora of programs for their youth. This church sang songs that you may actually hear on the radio rather than worship songs you would find on a dusty bookshelf at your grandma’s house.

This major change in my life to switch churches gave me the opportunity to meet some incredible people in ministry. My youth leaders were kind, down to earth and most of all they were human. They made mistakes, had past failures and future ambitions. They were relatable. They did not put themselves up on a religious pedestal that made it impossible to connect with. By being this way, I was able to understand more about my own faith and how to use it in my everyday life.

This change allowed me to become involved because I was actually happy to be there. I became a Sunday School Teacher and a Vacation Bible School Leader. These opportunities were fun and rewarding. I got to have an impact on young children learning more about the word of the Lord and be able to see their progress throughout the year.

This change also allowed me to travel to places I had never been. I got to travel to the largest city in the U.S. to serve at soup kitchens and gain a new perspective on life. I got to hike the mountains and see even more of the beauty God created. I visited a city with a high poverty and crime rate that allowed me to realize how truly blessed I am.

I would never partake in any of these activities if I did not enjoy the church and the people within the community. I am at the age where my parents no longer have the ability to force me to go to church, or make sure I am involved in my congregation. But that doesn’t matter because I have a desire to learn more about the Lord, to want to attend Sunday morning services and to continue to participate in activities within my church. These things would never have happened if I would have dreaded church growing up. If in high school church didn’t mean friends, fun and fellowship.

So, thank you so much church for making me feel welcome, for feeling like I could be a human who sinned and was still loved in the church/by God. Thank you for singing songs that weren’t from the 1800s and finally, thank you for being a place of worship I actually look forward to attending.