I can remember as a child always walking or riding my bike past the Catholic church in town and always wanting to know just what was behind those glass doors. Being raised baptist, I didn't dare go in to find out. There was a mystery behind those doors and little did I know that one day in my later life that I would be behind those doors finding out the mystery and truly find my home in my relationship with God.
I was raised by a baptist preacher, so my whole life was spent in baptist churches. I was raised believing baptist was the only religion and the only way to get to heaven was through the baptist teachings. There was a time when my brother and I went to a Presbyterian church though. As far as I could tell, baptist and Presbyterian were very much alike. We would go in sing a few hymns, prayer, offering, and preaching...always followed of course by the invitation! Sometimes, but not very often in both churches we would get to take the Lord's Supper, but only of course if you were saved.
In 2007, my mother began attending Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church in Henderson. When we would come visit, we would go to church with her! I finally was behind the doors of the mysterious Catholic church! It was nothing at all of what I had imagined or even heard when I was a child! It wasn't this dark scary church and the nuns and priests were some of the funniest people I had ever met! We sang songs, we greeted one another, we prayed, and we did offering! Many people read from the bible and the priest gave the word, just like any other church, but there was something different. That something different...you ask?
The something different was that they did Lord's supper and it wasn't even Christmas or Easter! This was just another Sunday! As I stepped out of the pew to go up for Lord's Supper, I noticed not everyone in the church got it though, of course this sent a wave of questions through me. why not everyone, why only some? What is the priest saying to the people who aren't receiving? As I walked up, my mother told me not to take of the Lord's supper, but get my blessing. Get my blessing, don't take, but I am saved! I am washed in the blood of the Lamb! But I did just as she told me to do. As I stepped forward the priest stretched out his hand and touched my head and said the "Blessing of Christ," he did this for Tim and for my child! My child who had never been to church was being blessed, the feeling I got was amazing! I was ready to dig deeper into this faith!
At Easter 2008, we came up to watch my mother be accepted into Holy Name! What an amazing night this was! To come into this dark church with the only light coming from her RCIA class, it was amazing to watch as each row then got their candles lit. I knew this night, my mother was where she was supposed to be. She knew she was home and I can remember being jealous of not having that feeling! I wanted that feeling so much! Little did I know in 4 short years, that feeling would be mine!
In 2009, God changed our direction away from Catholicism and put us in a baptist church. I couldn't figure out why God had turned us this way, but we went along with God and followed His lead. We started attending First General Baptist and stayed there for quite a while. Kaizer was saved while we attended FGBC, what a blessing! Of course being raised baptist, the next step in baptizing, but he just refused to let Brother Gary dunk him in the water. We left FGBC and started attending Living Grace! What a blessing that church was and still continues to be to our family! Again Kaizer refused to be dunked at Living Grace, he must have known something else was out there for him!
In the time between leaving FGBC and attending Living Grace, Tim had lost his job, having no luck in Campbellsville, he started looking in Evansville. He was hired right away and I too found a job very quickly. So we made the move to Evansville! The first week we were up here, my mom invited me to RCIA with her, as she is now a table leader! As soon as we walked through the door I was greeted with a hug, smile, and the words, "We have been praying for you to join us!" What a feeling to know we were wanted and these people have been praying for us!
We had been coming to RCIA and church for about 2 weeks when Kaizer started asking to be baptized. He asked Father McBride to baptize him by Christmas. I sat in shock as my child who would let no one else do this, that had just asked Father to do this! As I asked Kaizer why Father McBride, he simply said, "This is where God wants us." If my child knows this is where we are meant to be, how could I argue!
On Dec. 17, 2011, Kaizer was baptized! He was so proud of his decision! Of course we got a lot of backlash for letting him be baptized into any other church but baptist, but I knew he had made the right choice. Over Christmas of 2011, we saw some people from our old church, who made the comment right in front of Kaizer, that Catholics won't make it to heaven. I had never been so hurt and angry in my life. For this man who Kaizer loved and adored to say this to him, how wrong.
As RCIA classes have gone on, I have made close friends and learned more about this faith that I now call mine! As we went through Holy week and all the masses we went through, I have felt more and more at home! God called us to Holy Name for a purpose! I know not everyone can understand our choice to become Catholic and that is okay. It may not be for everyone to understand. As I have sat through mass on Sunday, I feel so at home. As I watch my child grow in this faith, I know God called us home!
I am not always the best at listening to God, but He knows how to work in my life. He sends me the answers through my child! "Momma, this is where God wants us." He sends me answers through other people, "We have been praying for you!" What more proof do I need, that this is where God wants us!
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