Where do I start.....

....first of all let me tell how this all started for me!

I went through life like most people in the world. Living for myself....living for the world! I searched for completeness in things of this world that I, now, know would never satisfy me. There was always something I was searching for, a hole if you will, that I was trying to fill with anything and everything.
January 2007 was a huge turning point in my life. I had just ended a relationship with a guy that I thought I was going to marry and be happy with for the rest of my life. And I was about to turn a certain age that might hit woman harder than men. I went to a counselor in Febuary and by the end of the session we were talking about my relationship with God. That Sunday I attended a service at The Summit Church and have been there ever since. There were so many things in that message that I knew God was talking to me. After attending the Summit for almost a month I knew that there was something that wasn't quite right for me.
The morning of March 4th I was walking through the halls of The Summit and passed the counselor from my session in February! I coudn't believe it! I was shocked. This was confirmation that I was where God wanted me to be. That night I prayed in tha parking lot with a friend of mine and gave my life over to Christ! I was welcomed into this church and into a community of people that showered me with love!
There is so much that I learned throughout my journey of learning to go to Christ first with everything but one thing stood out amongst all things. I learned to forgive myself of the things of my past. God had already forgiven and graced me with His forgiveness so willingly but I couldn't let it go! I was telling a friend the other day that the biggest problem between me and God.....is ME! It looks real good when you use hand gestures.
In July of 2008 I had the opportunity to go on a mission trip to Seattle, WA. We were working with a church called The Commons and helping them facilitate their yearly sports camp for kids. I fell in love with the people and with the city. I was advised by the pastor (best advice ever) to go home and wait two weeks. Pray about it and if God was still calling me to Washington then we would talk. The first Sunday after returning from this trip there was a speaker delivering the message and he is a missionary in Russia. What I took from this message was if God calls you to get up and do it.
I went back to visit on my own to meet with the pastor and his wife and some of the congregation in October. I was able to attend a woman's retreat that was planned for that month. Amy had asked me to share my story with the ladies at the retreat. My first encounter with the church was their small group meeting on Wednesday night. I remember the first questions being.....'are you married?'.....'do you have kids?' I was highly discouraged after this night. I felt like I wasn't going to have anything in common and that my story wouldn't mean a thing to any of these women! The retreat was Friday and Sat. We get there Friday night and get settled and I was nervous. I shared my story and some other woman shared theirs! It was so wonderful! God blessed that whole retreat. I made a connection with each of the woman there that it was hard not to imagine myself there with these women building community based on relationships with God.
One thing I want everyone to know is that for some time now all I have wanted for my life was to glorify God.