What was your "moment"?

[MaryRita85]

I was thinking this morning about the very moment I was changed. I had been Agnostic for years, due to my turbulent lifestyle, I agreed to my husband that I would sign up for RCIA, though expected nothing from it. I knew exactly what I was doing and I didn’t need church or anything of the sort. I went to class every single week from September to February, for the most part still thinking and doing as I pleased. I thought the classes were interesting and it made sense but that was pretty much it. I attended Mass here and there but that was all.
Then on one Saturday evening in February, I decided to go to Mass. I always enjoyed going, listening to the Homilies and what not. This particular Mass, one of the hymns we were to sing was “Softly and Tenderly”. I was singing this and all of a sudden tears came running down my cheek. I felt the push, I realized that I didn’t know everything and that I needed God’s love and mercy. My husband didn’t know what to think It was from that day, I have attended Mass at least once weekly, have gone to confession frequently (since being received into the Church) have started praying daily (multiple times). It was right after Lent began, when I made the decision to pray the Rosary every day. I think that made a huge difference and that song just pulled me to the Lord and opened my eyes.
That is my story, I would love to hear yours, whether you were a convert who had gone astray or whether you were raised Catholic and your moment happened when you were much younger.

 

[AnneTeresa]

I was thinking this morning about the very moment I was changed. I had been Agnostic for years, due to my turbulent lifestyle, I agreed to my husband that I would sign up for RCIA, though expected nothing from it. I knew exactly what I was doing and I didn’t need church or anything of the sort. I went to class every single week from September to February, for the most part still thinking and doing as I pleased. I thought the classes were interesting and it made sense but that was pretty much it. I attended Mass here and there but that was all.
Then on one Saturday evening in February, I decided to go to Mass. I always enjoyed going, listening to the Homilies and what not. This particular Mass, one of the hymns we were to sing was “Softly and Tenderly”. I was singing this and all of a sudden tears came running down my cheek. I felt the push, I realized that I didn’t know everything and that I needed God’s love and mercy. My husband didn’t know what to think It was from that day, I have attended Mass at least once weekly, have gone to confession frequently (since being received into the Church) have started praying daily (multiple times). It was right after Lent began, when I made the decision to pray the Rosary every day. I think that made a huge difference and that song just pulled me to the Lord and opened my eyes.
That is my story, I would love to hear yours, whether you were a convert who had gone astray or whether you were raised Catholic and your moment happened when you were much younger.

awesome

 

[MaryRita85]

Thanks

 

[merytheriver]

I was thinking this morning about the very moment I was changed. I had been Agnostic for years, due to my turbulent lifestyle, I agreed to my husband that I would sign up for RCIA, though expected nothing from it. I knew exactly what I was doing and I didn’t need church or anything of the sort. I went to class every single week from September to February, for the most part still thinking and doing as I pleased. I thought the classes were interesting and it made sense but that was pretty much it. I attended Mass here and there but that was all.
Then on one Saturday evening in February, I decided to go to Mass. I always enjoyed going, listening to the Homilies and what not. This particular Mass, one of the hymns we were to sing was “Softly and Tenderly”. I was singing this and all of a sudden tears came running down my cheek. I felt the push, I realized that I didn’t know everything and that I needed God’s love and mercy. My husband didn’t know what to think It was from that day, I have attended Mass at least once weekly, have gone to confession frequently (since being received into the Church) have started praying daily (multiple times). It was right after Lent began, when I made the decision to pray the Rosary every day. I think that made a huge difference and that song just pulled me to the Lord and opened my eyes.
That is my story, I would love to hear yours, whether you were a convert who had gone astray or whether you were raised Catholic and your moment happened when you were much younger.

That’s an awesome story of yours!

My moment, I can’t really define it… I have been catholic all my life, but one thing is to be Catholic and another is to really feel a Catholic person.

Well, God knows every single detail of my life. He has been there always. But I didn’t realised untill some years ago. Still sometimes I am unfaithful, because I have to think everything, Everything has to have an explanation, and that’s my problem with God : He doesn´t have an explanation.

Well, after all this things that I have said, that doesn’t answer the topic…(sorry…)

I have had a turbulent life, when I was at my teens I couldn’t understand whay was going on in my life. I refused to believe in one God who could allow that suffering,so when I was 16 I left the church, I stopped going to Mass. I had lots of troubles, but when I was 18 and I had to be one month in the hospital because I was sick, and one sunday, a nurse ask for people to go to the Mass. I don’t know why, but I said yes, why not?
when I went there I complained to God for everything, all my friends left me alone, my siblings hated me because all the suffering I was causing, my sickness, my suffering… and well, nothing really happened, He didn’t show or anything…

But after that I had something in my heart, I knew God existed, God was my father (in that moment for me,He wasn’t a really good one…)

when I was 20 I decided to go again to church, but that wasn’t my moment yet, I felt like everything were rules, and I needed to keep calm about my decisions, I didn’t want to rush anything. But as I told you, I knew God was part of my life.

so, when everything was calmed, when I recovered totally from my sickness, I went again, and I felt there like I was at home. It wasn’t really a moment, It was 4 years of waiting to go to church, to find Him. to know that he was the only one who was going to love me as who I am!

But I have to tell you I am still really stubborn, and unfaithful to Him, and I forget Him sometimes, but He knows me, he loves me and he keeps giving me new moments, telling me “Hey! you! come back! I am the only one! If you ask for help I am going to be here!”

 

[Edawg]

I raised “Catholic” as in, I went to CCD, Christmas Mass, and Easter Mass. My dad said prayers with me at night, we said a Protestant grace (my mom was a convert to Catholicism), and I knew there was a very loving God. Starting when I was six, I attended a Presbyterian summer camp for 10 years. By the sixth year, faith really became something I wanted to pursue but I didn’t know how. So, I opened my Bible periodically and tried to pray more. When I was 14, I spent the year researching various Protestant denominations before concluding I was supposed to be Catholic. Everything just fell into place after that moment. I can’t say that there has ever been one “aha” moment but I do think there was a gradual build up. What I needed was revealed on the Lord’s time and it was always perfect. Throughout my life, God always blessed me with little gifts such as strong outpourings of His love at particular moments or the right people saying the right things. I turn 19 next month, I’m currently studying history & theology at a wonderful Catholic college, and am discerning what God wants me to do with my life.

I really enjoyed reading your story. As St. Therese of Lisieux said, “how different are the ways through which the Lord leads souls!” I would like to add “how beautiful are the ways through which the Lord leads souls!”

 

[MaryRita85]

That’s an awesome story of yours!

My moment, I can’t really define it… I have been catholic all my life, but one thing is to be Catholic and another is to really feel a Catholic person.

Well, God knows every single detail of my life. He has been there always. But I didn’t realised untill some years ago. Still sometimes I am unfaithful, because I have to think everything, Everything has to have an explanation, and that’s my problem with God : He doesn´t have an explanation.

Well, after all this things that I have said, that doesn’t answer the topic…(sorry…)

I have had a turbulent life, when I was at my teens I couldn’t understand whay was going on in my life. I refused to believe in one God who could allow that suffering,so when I was 16 I left the church, I stopped going to Mass. I had lots of troubles, but when I was 18 and I had to be one month in the hospital because I was sick, and one sunday, a nurse ask for people to go to the Mass. I don’t know why, but I said yes, why not?
when I went there I complained to God for everything, all my friends left me alone, my siblings hated me because all the suffering I was causing, my sickness, my suffering… and well, nothing really happened, He didn’t show or anything…

But after that I had something in my heart, I knew God existed, God was my father (in that moment for me,He wasn’t a really good one…)

when I was 20 I decided to go again to church, but that wasn’t my moment yet, I felt like everything were rules, and I needed to keep calm about my decisions, I didn’t want to rush anything. But as I told you, I knew God was part of my life.

so, when everything was calmed, when I recovered totally from my sickness, I went again, and I felt there like I was at home. It wasn’t really a moment, It was 4 years of waiting to go to church, to find Him. to know that he was the only one who was going to love me as who I am!

But I have to tell you I am still really stubborn, and unfaithful to Him, and I forget Him sometimes, but He knows me, he loves me and he keeps giving me new moments, telling me “Hey! you! come back! I am the only one! If you ask for help I am going to be here!”

Wow, I love hearing your journey. I too had the issue with how could God let someone suffer so much but it truly is a change of heart!

 

[MaryRita85]

I raised “Catholic” as in, I went to CCD, Christmas Mass, and Easter Mass. My dad said prayers with me at night, we said a Protestant grace (my mom was a convert to Catholicism), and I knew there was a very loving God. Starting when I was six, I attended a Presbyterian summer camp for 10 years. By the sixth year, faith really became something I wanted to pursue but I didn’t know how. So, I opened my Bible periodically and tried to pray more. When I was 14, I spent the year researching various Protestant denominations before concluding I was supposed to be Catholic. Everything just fell into place after that moment. I can’t say that there has ever been one “aha” moment but I do think there was a gradual build up. What I needed was revealed on the Lord’s time and it was always perfect. Throughout my life, God always blessed me with little gifts such as strong outpourings of His love at particular moments or the right people saying the right things. I turn 19 next month, I’m currently studying history & theology at a wonderful Catholic college, and am discerning what God wants me to do with my life.

I really enjoyed reading your story. As St. Therese of Lisieux said, “how different are the ways through which the Lord leads souls!” I would like to add “how beautiful are the ways through which the Lord leads souls!”

Love this, when it is happens everything just fits right in. That is just wonderful!

 

[john330]

I grew up Catholic, but fell away in college. Growing up, I really believed in Jesus. When I read in Holy Scripture the call of the apostles, I thought Jesus was talking to me. “Come follow me,” just seemed so personal to me. I suffered from a broken understanding of God’s will, however. I thought God wanted me to become a priest, and I rebelled against this idea. I just love women too much! So I left the Church and began partying and doing drugs recreationally. Pretty soon, my recreational drug habit became an addiction. I tried several times and for years to break this addiction, but was incapable of doing it on my own. I despaired, and even considered ending my life. It was at that moment, when I was at my lowest, that God’s grace was at its peak. I told my family about my problems, and got some help. From that time on, my life changed…but it was not my doing…it was like it changed on its own. God had taken over. I was able to quit drinking and doing drugs, I became disciplined in every area of my life, I began to pray. Somehow, as ungrateful as I had been for 27 years, I began to experience gratitude on a daily basis. Miraculously, my love for God and for His children grew. I cannot even begin to explain how any of this could have happened. The biggest miracle of all is that I am happy now. I have been miserable and depressed my whole life! And God changed all of that! This was two and a half years ago. My eyes are welling up with tears as I type this. To God be the glory! I am so grateful for everything You have done for me Jesus!

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

I think the best way to describe it is to say I was cornered. I had nowhere else to run but turn to God.

I converted exactly 20 years ago when I was a teenager and it was all great. (I was raised without religion). For a year or so I went to Mass and enjoyed being Catholic, but then towards the end of high school and at university I got a bit lost. I never lost my faith and I went to Mass on sundays but I didn’t live a Christian life because I was very confused with secularism and its ideas. I tried to find a balance between secularism and my faith for over 10 years. It was awful, I was miserable but I couldn’t figure out why. I honestly thought that a combination of the worldly and godly was the key to a happy life.

As I was getting more and more miserable I finally realised that the only way to live a Christian life was to give God 100%. And that scared me so much. I have a friend who is a born again Christian and I feared that abandoning myself to God would have made me like her So I still resisted and carried on doing things my way. And then a series of ‘coincidences’ happened. I started meeting people who were devout Catholics and who loved their faith and were full of joy. Brief spiritual direction addressed my fears and pointed me in the right direction. God’s love for me was revealed in a very obvious way after a group of charismatics prayer over me. A book of meditations for Lent addressed my main problem and that hit me like a ton of bricks. All of this happen over a period of 2 months. I just couldn’t take it anymore and decided that I was done with doing things my way and that I will let God take over, come what may (even if I start preaching on street corners and quoting the Bible all the time).

So I went to adoration, knelt and told Jesus that I gave up, that he won and that he could do whatever he wanted with my life. I asked him to help me out because I couldn’t do it by myself. I left the church that day with a certain clarity I never felt before and with a strong sense of purpose.

That was my moment. Very soon things started to change. My faith suddenly became a source of great joy and consolation to me, rather that being a burden that it was in the past. Things finally made sense. It has been about 4 years now that I have been completely committed to God and in love with my faith. I’ve never been happier.

 

[merytheriver]

I grew up Catholic, but fell away in college. Growing up, I really believed in Jesus. When I read in Holy Scripture the call of the apostles, I thought Jesus was talking to me. “Come follow me,” just seemed so personal to me. I suffered from a broken understanding of God’s will, however. I thought God wanted me to become a priest, and I rebelled against this idea. I just love women too much! So I left the Church and began partying and doing drugs recreationally. Pretty soon, my recreational drug habit became an addiction. I tried several times and for years to break this addiction, but was incapable of doing it on my own. I despaired, and even considered ending my life. It was at that moment, when I was at my lowest, that God’s grace was at its peak. I told my family about my problems, and got some help. From that time on, my life changed…but it was not my doing…it was like it changed on its own. God had taken over. I was able to quit drinking and doing drugs, I became disciplined in every area of my life, I began to pray. Somehow, as ungrateful as I had been for 27 years, I began to experience gratitude on a daily basis. Miraculously, my love for God and for His children grew. I cannot even begin to explain how any of this could have happened. The biggest miracle of all is that I am happy now. I have been miserable and depressed my whole life! And God changed all of that! This was two and a half years ago. My eyes are welling up with tears as I type this. To God be the glory! I am so grateful for everything You have done for me Jesus!

I just can say: WOW! The history of your life is precious :clapping: God has done a great job!