Katie's Story

Wednesday, January 04, 2012 Posted by Katie

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Family legend has it that my grandfather proposed to my grandmother four days after they met. Married about 50 years, they were truly one of those “love at first sight” couples.

Then there’s my husband and me. Friends for seven years, you could say we pulled a “When Harry met Sally” and finally figured things out. We went from friends to married in no time at all.

Some people fall in love all at once and some people fall in love over time. I find this to be true in matters of faith as well. While I know some folks have a moment or a date they can point to which marks their conversion of faith, I do not.

There was the time I was 12 and full of tough questions. No one told the pastor what was on this little Confirmand’s mind, and yet he preached a message that hit home, “Just follow me and you will know.” I’ve never forgotten it.

There was the moment in college when I learned that Helen Keller was aware of God before anyone was even able to communicate His existence to her. My atheist acquaintances didn’t rattle me so much after that.

Then there was the time I was baptized as an adult. Though I have great respect for my infant baptism, I’ll never forget the feeling of full immersion. It was a moment that helped me envision His forgiveness washing over me and solidified my ownership of the decision to follow Christ.

There was the first time I preached. I was a young banker vaguely entertaining the idea of ministry. “I think you missed your calling,“ they said.

Then there was that church in Evanston. They taught me how to dig deeper into the Word. The small groups taught me about love, forgiveness and community. I began to fully understand the gift of fellowship.

There was the priest who prayed over me in tongues and opened my heart and eyes to the mysteries of the Holy Spirit.

There have been the tough years, when I have learned what it means to be carried through suffering.

My story would be incomplete without lovingly sharing that these most significant and transforming moments happened in Lutheran, Episcopal, Baptist, Presbyterian, Catholic, and Methodist churches. I have fallen in love before a variety of backdrops.

This is my unfolding love story. What can I say? I’m a fall-in-love-over-time kind of gal. My love for my Fella has grown deeper slowly. And I am grateful to be assured, there is still room and time to go deeper still.

How ‘bout you? How did you fall in love?


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