Looking Back...

So on Monday we'll have been going to youth group at C3 for one year. It got me thinking, of when we first met some of our friends. I remember the first two people I met, after Jane Figueras. She told me I'd be on the blue team for the summer thing they were doing, and a guy named Matt would be the leader of them team. I so expected someone...older than the guy she introduce me to as her son. His name tag said Fatt Matt, he was like my age (a year older) and he was standing beside a girl they introduced me to, her name was Kathryn. I still talk to both of them, although I wish I talked to Kathryn more because we don't talk much anymore. I ended up missing the next week or two and then I met this crazy girl called Micky. I remember meeting her and a few other people, another Matt included, this one was Matt M. I remember meeting Mickey very clearly because she had me and my brother sitting in one of the front rows, where as I (being shy and all) had intended to sit in the back, unnoticeable.

A few weeks later, I can't remember how much longer, I noticed this guy who was serving me in the Cafe, wearing an apron that said Sarah Crawford on it. Of course I knew it couldn't be his (at least I hoped not), but mostly I remember that he looked a whole lot like Fatt Matt. My sister thought they must be twins and I think she asked one of them. Whoever it was that she asked said he had two brothers (although there is another little fig boy now (:) It turns out that the guy was Matt's older brother Mitch, also the brother of a kid Ashley met her first week, Marc. But we didn't learn that until later when we officially met Mitch in October, when he walked past me and Ashley. It was funny, because at first he just walked by and said Hey. But he stopped and looked back at us and said "Hey! I'm Mitch!" Ashley and I said our names and he explained that he knew us from Facebook, a site we had recently joined.

One of the first things I noticed about C3 when I started REALLY going, was that the students were a big part of the church. I've been to churches where they aren't real involved and a lot don't even go to the main service, let alone youth group. So it was really great to see that kids my age were actually doing something here. The student band blew me away. That was probably one of my favorite parts. See, I can't live without music, but I don't have much skill when it comes to actually playing it. Then I saw what these teens were doing and....well, I was shocked. But it was really cool, and they were really good. And now you see the teens actually playing in the praise team on Saturday nights and Sunday mornings. Not only are they involved in music, but they go out in the community and serve! And my favorite: the bible study. Connect groups are what I miss during Summer. I remember when Jordan and I first went to Connect Group at Joe Roy's house (same last name made us laugh) and Andrew kind of brought us into the group and had us talking to the others. I'd never been to anything like it, but it was awesome so I kept coming back, and then went to two for a while when we lived in Clayton.

The strongest thing that had me coming to church, not just youth (although I've had some powerful experiences there too) was the feeling that God was just there. I've never quite experienced the power of God and I could actually feel Him working in me. I'm not a new believer either. I was saved when I was like four and then again at 7 when I wasn't sure if I really was. And I've renewed my faith since then. I've been baptized and went to church all my life, so it wasn't new. But this was new. I knew right away I needed to be here, once I opened myself to it. I don't remember ever crying in church, but I've been on my knees in tears at the altar there. I haven't really put my hands up, but that's just not something I do.

I really like that the church is welcoming to anyone and everyone, that it's outstretched to the community, that they genuinlely care about everyone. I feel like I belong there, and it's comfortable. I can walk in there and just everything I worried about all week just kind of melts away. I can sing out and smile, and know I'm where I'm supposed to be.

So...I've just explained my history at C3. Haha! I love it, can ya tell?

Peace.Love.God Bless
- Lauren <3>