I grew up in a very Christian home, my mother was a strong Christian who was very involved in a local Baptist church. I grew up learning Bible stories, attending Sunday church, celebrating traditional "Christian holiday's" etc... The very ideal of the American Christian life. And although I have always been somewhat of a rebel in regard to authority I embraced my Christianity at a young age. I was baptised at age 8 and never really turned fully away from God even if I did stray a bit in my teen and early college years. But, after attending Junior college for 2 years I decided to enroll at a Christian college, Biola University, for the remainder of my education. I spent 2 years at Biola graduating in 99' after a 3 week trip touring Israel, which I believe was a life changing event! When I came back from Israel I was on fire for God, I was excited to have started learning the Hebrew Roots of my faith and wanted to share with others. Unfortunately my excitement was not met with the same excitement in return from those around me and I kind of just pushed Hebrew Roots to the back burner and returned to the daily grind of being a "good Christian", if only on the outside, yet God was not done with me!
So the years went by and I became interested in studying other religions, Mormonism became one that I wanted to learn everything about, I was very intrigued by the religion and have had many friends over the years that are part of that religion. So I researched it in depth. I found out that it was not the religion for me as it did not line up with Scripture and had some major historical problems as well. Yet, I back burnered this knowledge as well, not wanting to offend others and too busy being young and having fun.
This is around the time I met my husband. I began working at a Christian company in San Luis Obispo, Ca called The Parable Group. Of course being surrounded by Christians, Christian material etc... all day everyday I could act like a Christian as well as anyone else. But on the inside something always felt off in the Christian Church, like something was missing, like there was so much more to this God thing then just going to church and loving your neighbor. But, it would be a few more years until I figured out what that something was. So my husband and I married and began to build the American dream. In the next 8 years we bought 2 houses, had 3 beautiful daughters, my husband got a great job in Lompoc, Ca and began to climb the corporate ladder. We started attending a Baptist church in Lompoc and were very involved in children's ministry, Bible study etc...
Then one day we had some Mormon missionaries knock on our door, so knowing quite a bit about Mormonism I decided we should invite them in. We began to meet with them regularly trying to show them in a Spirit filled way the error of their doctrine. I also started spending time online debating Mormons at the same time. I sort of made it my mission to use my knowledge of Scripture and study to make a difference in these Mormons lives. During this time I was also talking to a Christian friend a lot who had a lot of questions regarding the Christian faith and the Hebrew roots of the Christian faith. We would have friendly debates regarding the Law and it's place in our lives. I had grown up learning the standard mainstream doctrine taught in most Evangelical churches. That the Law of the Old Testament was done away with and we were now under the New Covenant. I was taught that the Law was nailed to the cross with Jesus and we no longer needed to follow it. Well while having these debates with my Messianic friend my husband and I were also meeting with the Mormon missionaries. In one of our last meetings with them I posed a question and even as I said it I could feel the Spirit just opening my eyes to God's Truth. I proceeded to tell the missionaries that God is unchanging that if we worship an unchanging God how can the Mormon evolving doctrine be true? It was at that moment when those words were out of my mouth and the blinders fell off my eyes that the missionaries, who I am sure had no idea what was being revealed to me by the Spirit, asked a simple question. They asked, well didn't God change from the Old Testament to the New Testament? All of a sudden in that moment I can actually say I experienced the Spirit of God moving in me like I never have before. All of my study and all of my debating flooded back to me and I could see the Truth. God does not change! He is the same yesterday, today and forever. The Old Testament is as relevant today as it was to those that lived during it's events. God's Laws are eternal. Well, the missionaries went on their way that night, but I was changed. The next visit I began to speak from a completely different mindset of an unchanging God. The missionaries made one last attempt to ask my husband and I to set aside the Bible and our knowledge of it and pray for a feeling that Mormonism was right. Yeah, like I could do that. Hmmm, set aside all that God gave us and pray for a feeling that something that contradicts itself is true. No way! After that visit they did not return, I still pray that I made a difference in those young men's lives and that a seed was planted that will someday grow into the realization of God's Truth in their lives.
Now that I had had this experience I needed to study and study I did. I began to look at the Scriptures in a new light. I began to read the New Testament with the understanding that the Torah was it's foundation. I revisited that Hebrew Roots excitement that I had when I returned from the Holy Land. Did I have all the answers? No way, but I understood that they were out there for me to study and find. I spent all of my extra time reading and studying the historical culture of the time of Yeshua. I started looking into church history, the canonization of the Bible etc... I read all sides of the issues. I searched mainstream Christianity for answers and I searched Messianic scholars works for answers, I even read Catholic commentary, Seventh Day Adventist commentary, Jehovah Witness commentary etc... I wanted to study all views. I found the best answers in Messianic/Hebrew roots commentary and explanations.
So, where am I now? Do I have all the questions answered? No way! The more I learn the more I realize I need to study further! The more I learn that I need to be constantly praying and asking for God to impart His Spirit to guide me in finding the answers to my questions. But, my life has taken a huge turn. I am now living the life that I believe God wants me to live. I am learning as I go, but I am willing to follow where God leads no matter where that might be. I plan on using this blog to share some of my questions and answers as I have studied and will study. So I hope in some way I am able to help other's and myself come to find more and more of God's Truth everyday.
Shalom in Yeshua HaMashiach
