I hesitate to begin the tale as it seems to me a long one. I have been a Christian since June 27th 2000. That's 16-17 years to talk about, which is few for some, but to me, it has been a good portion of my life.
I was a child when I first by God's grace "received Jesus in my heart"-- the direct scruffily written recording I myself made in my first proper NIV bible. Many would call that simply following the beliefs of my parents, but I know that since that day it has been an uphill journey in which God walked by me, guided me, loved me and helped me.
Of course I didn't know that then. (I found my first NIV bible eleven years later on a trip back to one of my childhood homes, and it was then that I was blessed to see God's grace in this.)
Where to next then? Much of my childhood was indeed affected by my parent's faith. I remember our family faithfully attending Church every week. I went to Sunday School as a toddler, no more than five, and learning Genesis and Exodus and Leviticus (left-foot-a-kiss) and Deuteronomy (don't-run-on-me), Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians (Go Eat Pop Corn), and so on and so on. I enjoyed these stories and the basic principles that came with many of them. God's morals and values came to me easily.
By eleven I was trying to explain these principles to my then six year old brother. What little I understood anyways. Did I know everything? No. Did I eventually become bored with Sunday School? Yes.
My father was my primary mentor growing up. He was and continues to be very passionate about his walk and work for God. Neither a pastor (though inclined to preach), nor a teacher (though inclined to correct), my father is a businessman, much inclined to using his work to build God's kingdom. He has spent the years since my childhood working on this, and is only beginning to see the glimpses of beginning to fulfill that dream-- and there is still much much more work to do to realize it.
This man didn't and doesn't sugar coat. What he learnt was shared very frankly with his wife and children. When my father was learning about the bride of Christ, he shared it with all of us-- I was then about eleven years old, and I accepted this understanding.
I don't want to say that I blindly followed, as people may like to interpret my acceptance of my parent's beliefs. What I learnt from my parents was the receiving of a heritage of understanding. Instead of starting from ground 0, I have been given much grace and blessing in the way that God allowed me to inherit faith, and gain wisdom and build on these.
In our individualistic society, the young feel a need to separate themselves from their heritage and forge their own new path and journey. This is sometimes a wise choice. But for me, I have everything to gain by receiving the heritage and work that my parents have already begun. By receiving their wisdom and understanding, I am gaining (part of and probably less of) the 30 plus years of walking and learning.
Your walk with Christ is not determined by how long you have been a Christian by any means. Our faith is one based on relationship, and by walking together, you gain!
In this way, I gained more knowledge and understanding than one with my experience at that young age could have grasped alone. I didn't yet fully comprehend, but it was definitely the beginning of these roots. I learnt and worshipped at home, we learnt and worshiped at fellowship, at Church, but the lessons I was learning outside of Sunday services were becoming very fascinating.
One of the more memorable parts of my childhood involved the house of prayer. During our time in Singapore, my father did bring us to the HOP on several nights, which affected then my perspective on worship, prayer and dedication to God. I saw passionate believers, felt the Spirit moving.
Regular life never cuts it after that. Once I was moved by God, saw God's working in other's lives, I could not go back.
tbc: Teenaged: Solitary: An Excerpt:
The next phase of life could be divided into three parts. Hope (SCGS), Wesley (SCGS), and VCAC (EH)...
...In this way, by the time I was a teenager I became skeptical and wary of shallowness. And I saw it all around me. People living to no purpose, God was a vending machine to them, they hoped always and only for life to become easier and better. I felt so so distant from everyone that I judged.
I found it hard to find a kindred spirit.
