Hello my name is Heidi and I have been going to HVC since July 2013. My daughter and I have been baptized since then. Let me start at the beginning. I am 37 years old and before coming to HVC it had been years since I had been to church, I think I was a teenager. I lost my faith along the way and didn’t know what to believe. My boyfriend of 11 years tried for many years to get me to church, I always found some dumb reason not to go. He started working at Pathways, and taking the Pathway clients to HVC, then came home and told me how much he enjoyed the service. He told me all about HVC and asked me to please think about coming to see for myself how wonderful it was. My fear was that people in the church would judge me. I have a fear of rejection.
I will admit it I was scared of the thought. I had so many questions. If God loved me why does he take the people I love? Why can’t I see him? Why do my prayers never get answered? How do I know what’s in the bible is the truth? So when I was a teenager, after being confirmed in my church, I lost faith and choose not to believe anymore.
After my boyfriend asked me to come check the church out for myself, something came over me and I said I would. He told me about that there was a van that could pick me up and bring me to church and gave me the number. That next Sunday I was at church, I have been attending ever since.
I started in July 2013 and by October 2013 my daughter and I both were baptized. We both were baptized as babies but I will say I enjoyed being baptized the second time around more because I knew what it meant this time around.
I have finally found where I belong, walking in his kingdom. Going to HVC is nothing like I thought it would be. Everyone welcomes you with open arms, it’s come as you are. You don’t have to look a certain way or dress a certain way. Good people like you just the way you are. Plus I like football Sundays where everybody sports their teams!
I now know I am saved. God has talked to me and showed me the way. My faith has been restored and I enjoy church again. I have even made a lot of new friends, no, I mean family because that’s what we are.
God has showed me the direction my life is to take, and I welcome it with open arms. I have become the Van Ministry Coordinator. I love helping people get to church who otherwise couldn’t.
I have found my home and I want to say thank you.
Every service I attend I feel like I am being talked to personally. My heart opens up and I feel free. Thank you for giving my faith back to me.