I grew up in a large loving family, my mum took me to our local Catholic church every Sunday and I went to the Catholic school. I had a wonderful childhood surrounded by Jesus. I always knew about Jesus, but I did not know him. As I grew into a teenager, church became a chore. Every time I went, I would zone out and leave feeling that I had just wasted an hour of my life. Eventually I stopped going.
Find a church
In 2018, now at the age of 33, I was sat outside my daughter’s gym class waiting for her to finish and I felt this massive pull, telling me to find a church. I could not understand this. I thought to myself, ‘I have a church, the Catholic church I grew up in.’ As I questioned myself the pull became more intense.
I am a professional singer, I run my own school and perform at many concerts and functions, so Sunday church services were out of the question. I went on to Facebook and asked if anyone knew of any churches open during the week and many of my friends (who are not Christians) replied, ‘Noddfa Church.’ I was concerned that it was not a Catholic church, but I messaged Pastor John and he invited me to a midweek prayer meeting. I went and I felt so welcome. I knew this is where God was calling me.
Knowing Jesus
I decided to change my working hours and I began to attend the Sunday services. It was so different to what I was used to. Pastor John opened the Bible and explained it so that I could understand. I noticed everyone followed what he was saying in their own Bibles, but I thought, ‘I am not a reader, I will just sit and listen.’ But the pull continued until I bought a Bible for myself and now I can’t put it down! Through my daily reading I began to know Jesus. I could see that I was a sinner who needed to repent and accept God’s love in Christ for me.
Being baptised
We then had some baptisms in the church. I thought to myself that I would never do that. It would be so embarrassing and it wasn’t me. I spoke to Pastor John asking if baptism is something that I must do? He did not put any pressure on me whatsoever, but explained that baptism is a symbol to publicly declare the truth of what God has done for me. Jesus was baptised and we should follow him. I prayed about it, went back to the Bible and felt God challenging me. I joined the baptism classes and in 2019 I passed through the waters of baptism. I have not looked back.
A changed life
I cannot tell you enough how much my life has changed for the better. There is a massive difference in my life when I put God first. Little things that used to worry me, I now know really don’t matter. Jesus is in control. Church has given me and my children a wider family and I can’t get enough of it, because Jesus is at the very centre of everything we do at Noddfa. I never leave church not knowing what the sermon is about, I learn something every week.
I now serve the church in a number of ways, helping out wherever I can and have begun a choir where a number of the congregation come to sing.
I now know that ‘the pull’ was God guiding me to Noddfa where I met with Jesus. I am now a better wife, mother and friend with him in my life.