A Church Girl's Story

I never thought of myself as having a church story but being raised in "the church" all my formative years, I've witnessed a lot some good and some bad. I don't feel that I have the hurt church syndrome but I don't attend church on a regular basis I barely go at all. And I think that has something to do with my upbringing, all of the revivals, bible studies, musicals I attended I was never forced to go but it was just life at the time and I feel that's where my parents went wrong it caused me too have a sheltered life every activity that I participated in was basically church affiliated I would sing in the school choir. Other than that I went to church and that was life. When I became an adult and began to branch out and think more independently I kind of felt like I'd been living in the four walls of "the church" and that isn't living. I've seen God do an awesome work in people's lives. I don't regret my foundation and the word that I've been taught but I do not want that life for my children I want them to know and love God but also realize you don't have to get that from being in a building 3 out of 7 days a week. Buying clothes and shoes just for church all of that is so far out of my life I can't even sum this up really in one post, it would be a book. I'm also a survivor of what started off as a church turn into somewhat of a cult, and once the person took over things fell apart and were never the same. And I saw lives destroyed by that. But I can say even with all that I still love God and thank Him for His son Jesus sacrificing his life for my life.- Abigail Lyons