Long ago and far away back in 1972, Palm Sunday to be exact, I began my journey with Jesus Christ.

One of my high school girlfriends was going to a bible study in a home that evening. She invited me to come. I was very laid back and ready to try most anything in those days. Off we went.

I found myself in a living room of someone’s house in Toms River, New Jersey. Chairs were set up in a circle and a jolly rotund young man began reading from one the Gospels in his Bible. As he read he began to cry. That touched me deeply that night. Not only the emotions of this man but the words he read to the group.

After reading he told us it was time to take communion. I knew what that was. After all, I took communion as a young girl in the Catholic Church, once. My friend jumped up and hurried over to the leader of the group and whispered to him as the communion elements began passing around the circle. She quickly came back to me and whispered to me to just sit and watch, don’t take communion. Ok, I thought, cool.

As the elements came closer and closer I got very antsy and leaned over and asked her why I couldn’t take communion. She simply said that I have to believe what Jesus did on the cross was for me. The room went into slow motion mode and my thoughts swirled all around my head and with my heart I blurted out to her, “I do believe! I do!”

She jumped up again and ran across the room and ran back and said I could take communion! Haha. So I did and my heart soared that night.

Here’s the clincher, for all the religious folks. I did not say “The Sinners Prayer”. I did not “repeat after me” with anyone. It was the right moment and I grabbed it because I just knew. That night began a life long journey of getting to know Jesus and God the Father and Holy Spirit. It has never been dull. I will never forget that night. When I think of it the image is clear in my mind. The room, the man, my friend. Decades later I saw her and asked whose house we were in. She had no idea. It was a set up, by God, and I never regretted it.

Today is Good Friday. Today we remember the Cross and all that was sacrificed. It’s personal. It was for me and you and you. It is pure LOVE. LOVE.

Enjoy!

Cate B