From the minute my friend, Chloe, invited me to go to Silver City Elementary School for a church service on Sunday Morning, I felt at home.
Until about fourth grade, I grew up in a megachurch. This church was AMAZING. They had amazing people, great equipment, great pastors, and great church services. I went to all the summer camps, and I always had a blast. But the truth is, I never made one friend. I talked to people, but I never felt at home. I don't think I had much motivation to go to church, I went because the pastor was funny and my parents made me. My parents were not looking for a new church, so I obviously wasn't either.
One day, My friend invited me to go to this church service with about 50 or so people. It seemed weird to me. After coming from a church with thousands of people, I didn't even understand how Church could be so small. When we walked in, there was church set up in the cafeteria of this elementary school. The kid's service was in a second-grade classroom. The kids didn't even have worship music, I just remember hanging out with a bunch of kids and the kid's pastor was so funny.
I left that day with two new friends, that was more than I ever made, after only one church service. After that, I started begging to sleepover at Chloe's on Saturday nights, so that I could go to church with her. After a couple of years, the church moved out of the elementary school and rented a building. It was a small building, but it felt like home. We spent a couple days doing some painting and cleaning, and we spent a lot of time in that sweet building.
I was making so many friends, who were quickly becoming my second family. More than ever, I felt at home.
When Highlands finally bought an AMAZING new building, we spent months renovating and cleaning, when we finally opened up the new campus. It was a magical day. I knew this was where I belonged. And God didn't make a mistake in making me feel this. After the lots of chaos that were thrown at me, God put something in my heart.
He told me that my purpose was bigger than myself, so I joined the worship team. This changed my life. I fell in love with the art, passion, love, joy, and so many other things that came along with being committed to this craft. I started feeling a calling to pursue this service, so I told my worship leader and youth pastors.They didn't care one bit about the fact that I was 13, they gave me the youth worship leader position at my church in a heartbeat.
This place, this church, this family. It didn't matter what building we were in. It didn't matter what was going on at school. All that they saw was a girl who loved Jesus and wanted to use it. Highlands Church believed and still believes, in me more than any other place I know. This family, they love people. And, I promise I am not the only story.
So, Thank You Highlands Church, My Home.
