I’m crying, Katie. It’s so interesting because I was baptized Catholic as a child but raised evangelical. Never grew up in the Catholic Church, and never felt particularly drawn to it. However, in the last 18 months, the Holy Spirit has been gently nudging me to connect with the Father in more orthodox spaces rather than the flashy, nondenominational ones that feel so familiar. I keep lingering on the word “sacrament” and feel this urge to understand and celebrate how the Catholic tradition embodies their faith physically through sacramental practices in ways which the evangelical church has lost. I am one who definitely embraces the priesthood of all believers, and I simply feel so grateful for stories like yours and the variety of Christian traditions that offer us space to connect with Him wherever we are at in life. Thank you so much for sharing! What a precious and timely story for me personally. (PS I don’t know if you read my post about encountering God in an old Saxon church, but the peace you describe in a Catholic Church felt so similar to what I experienced there! I wonder if there’s something to that? If the sense of the Spirit is thicker sometimes in these orthodox spaces? Just something I’m chewing on!). ♥️♥️♥️
Thank you sooo much Christina. I'm so glad you could connect to this piece. Truthfully, I was a little afraid to share it because of the strong opinions against the Catholic church! And yes, I did read that piece of yours and related to it so much! Sometimes I think about how those old churches or catholic churches used to put so much effort into the architecture and design of their church, like art used to be a way to glorify God and there used to be so much intentionality and creativity in making a building for others to gather and experience Him. And God Himself is the creator and builder of all things. So I too wonder if there's something to that. It's like these spaces where there is deep reverence for Him and where we can be in awe of Him creates that space for His presence to be so thick. Thank you so much reading :))
Stumbled across your blog on notes, and I gotta admit - this was really heartwarming. I do my best to be the best Catholic I can, and if it's something that I've learned over the past few months, it's this: God allows us and deeply desires that we journey through life with Him. This transcends the prayers we used to halfheartedly repeat as children, because the journey is so essential to the true means - relationship with God. I'll pray for your journey as well. Such a beautiful post.
Thanks for sharing this journey of faith. It's rare to hear a story of moving between Catholic and Protestant worlds and being able to value both. So often, conversion from one church to the other involves renunciation and condemnation of one's past church, and I love how you hold space for God to speak to you in both non-denominational and Catholic churches.
I've found God in both spaces as well. I grew up non-denominational and became a Catholic as an adult. The gift of faith and the presence of God transcend the labels we place on ourselves and on the churches we attend.
Hi Kathleen, I agree completely. And wow your story is unique as well. I've so rarely heard of someone moving from the nondenominational church to Catholicism. And so well said, God transcends the labels we place on how we practice our faith. Thank you so much for reading! :)
This brought back to the tender and divine memories I have growing up in the Catholic Church. The stained glass, the communion, the display of Christ on the cross, the eucharist, the altar, the pews, all of it. Although I'm not a practicing Catholic anymore I always appreciated the reverence the Catholic Church had and how God was unmistakably present in that beautiful building. Thank you for sharing this Katie ❤️
Hi Kathy, I didn't know you grew up Catholic too! I look forward to hearing more about that and how you ended up at the church you're at now :). And I'm so glad you could relate to this post in that way. Thank you for reading and commenting as always :)
This is so beautiful Katie. Thank you for sharing your experiences with the Catholic Church and how you experienced the Lord intimately in those spaces. I’ve heard it said that all the different denominations represent various aspects of the revealed word of God. We’re not meant to be aloof from each other, but to know that each denomination is a revelation of God’s revealed word. Even the Word of Faith type reflects scriptures’ revelation on certain aspects of faith… The church isn’t perfect or necessarily representing God perfectly but there is value and glory and revelation in the diversity of Christian’s out there. Even when we don’t agree on certain aspects of other denominations we can walk in love with each other and simply do as you did (do) and follow Holy Spirit! You were lead right where you needed to be. I don’t agree with certain doctrines etc with some denominations but I hope that I recognise the fragrance of Jesus enough to know where and when to get involved or not. He directs our steps.
Bless you and thank you for sharing your journey on overcoming shame. May you continue to soar in grace ❤️
Such a beautiful piece. The Lord met you where you were and you listened to the call of the Spirit. I completely understand the part about feeling the shame even knowing we are forgiven. My favorite verse is Romans 8:1-“There is therefore now NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Our pastor says it this way-there is no condemnation left over, Jesus bore all it for us. What a wonderful Savior!
Hi Debi, yes I love that verse too! :) It is one that I repeated to myself over and over again as the enemy tried to shame me. And one that I still repeat over and over again when I am forgiving someone who has hurt me. Thank you so much for reading and commenting :)
“My husband told me that he thinks I was given the gift of faith as a child because I would need the Lord in order to survive the decades ahead”. Wow, this line spoke to me, just wow. I really felt this and this is a beautiful way to see how life has panned out within my own life. Thank you for writing and sharing 💗
Hi Mackenzie, I'm so glad that line spoke to you. I prayerfully write these pieces in hopes that the Lord uses what is written to speak to another person. Thank you for reading and commenting :)
This is so beautiful Katie. There are so many similarities between our stories and the love I have for the Catholic Church never fades. Thank you for sharing and allowing God to use you.
Hi Uchechukwu, thank you so much for reading and commenting :) I'm glad you were able to relate to this piece :) And I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels that way!
Amen! Beautiful. From a Protestant who very much believes that Jesus meant what He prayed in John 17— and I believe sometimes unity starts with truly believing and understanding that God is at work, in various ways, in all of His church. I pray this writing touches someone’s heart and opens another Protestant’s eyes today. Not necessarily to convert to Catholicism – but to stop “othering” their siblings in Christ.
Hi Rebecca, that is my hope as well! That someone stops "othering" their brothers and sisters in Christ who are true followers of Jesus in the Catholic Church. Thank you so much for reading and commenting :)
This line absolutely cut me. Beautiful, resonating, and blunt. I too was baptized and then heavily distraught. I know a lot of it is because I didn’t understand the sacrifice Christ wanted from me and continued choosing the idols of the world. I was suddenly called by God for baptism and was fearful of His power.
In the 18 years before I was a believer I went to a Lutheran church with my dad in the summers. I am so grateful for that church’s small congregation, large service ministry, and stained glass windows. The way the sun filtered through right at 9 am during the start of communion and the organ playing…even as a nonbeliever child I couldn’t deny the power there.
I ventured into other nondenominational churches over the years when that one closed but I attend a Lutheran church again with my family. I find peace in the traditional services and rich lessons in the old hymns. Wherever we go I pray everyone continues to find peace in their house of God and the body of Christ as a whole. Thanks for this reflection.
Hi Chanel, what a journey you've been on as well finding your way to a church where you can experience more of Him. And yes, you remind me of that time when we realize how much God is asking of us when we give our lives to Him. There is a great and powerful, beautiful, glorious, yet painful death we experience when we go all in with Christ, especially for those of us who lived outside of His will in the world for quite some time. Thank you for reading and sharing a piece of your journey :)
This is so beautiful, Katie. I grew up in a nondenominational church, and I'm only 21, but I see a lot of similarities in our stories. Over the past year or two I've been blessed to be exposed to many different Christian traditions besides my own - Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Presbyterianism, Methodism - and all of them have deepened my faith and my appreciation for our broader faith community despite having my own periods of "breaking up" with God or doubting/questioning/challenging His goodness. There's something about these old, beautiful, formal churches that truly do feel like a sanctuary to me. I've found myself safe, comfortable, at peace, and joyful in church buildings for the first time in my life. Heck, I'm excited to go to church for the first time in my life. There's something about these quieter, stained-glass windowed churches that quiets the (or at least my own) soul to better meet with the Lord; and it's because of this experience that I genuinely love these types of churches. It breaks my heart that more people don't have this experience of church, but I thank you for sharing your experience.
Hi Kylie, I'm so glad you can relate to this! And happy that I'm not alone in the solace I find with the Lord in those traditional churches :) Thank you for reading and sharing a piece of your story :)
I’m crying, Katie. It’s so interesting because I was baptized Catholic as a child but raised evangelical. Never grew up in the Catholic Church, and never felt particularly drawn to it. However, in the last 18 months, the Holy Spirit has been gently nudging me to connect with the Father in more orthodox spaces rather than the flashy, nondenominational ones that feel so familiar. I keep lingering on the word “sacrament” and feel this urge to understand and celebrate how the Catholic tradition embodies their faith physically through sacramental practices in ways which the evangelical church has lost. I am one who definitely embraces the priesthood of all believers, and I simply feel so grateful for stories like yours and the variety of Christian traditions that offer us space to connect with Him wherever we are at in life. Thank you so much for sharing! What a precious and timely story for me personally. (PS I don’t know if you read my post about encountering God in an old Saxon church, but the peace you describe in a Catholic Church felt so similar to what I experienced there! I wonder if there’s something to that? If the sense of the Spirit is thicker sometimes in these orthodox spaces? Just something I’m chewing on!). ♥️♥️♥️
Thank you sooo much Christina. I'm so glad you could connect to this piece. Truthfully, I was a little afraid to share it because of the strong opinions against the Catholic church! And yes, I did read that piece of yours and related to it so much! Sometimes I think about how those old churches or catholic churches used to put so much effort into the architecture and design of their church, like art used to be a way to glorify God and there used to be so much intentionality and creativity in making a building for others to gather and experience Him. And God Himself is the creator and builder of all things. So I too wonder if there's something to that. It's like these spaces where there is deep reverence for Him and where we can be in awe of Him creates that space for His presence to be so thick. Thank you so much reading :))
Stumbled across your blog on notes, and I gotta admit - this was really heartwarming. I do my best to be the best Catholic I can, and if it's something that I've learned over the past few months, it's this: God allows us and deeply desires that we journey through life with Him. This transcends the prayers we used to halfheartedly repeat as children, because the journey is so essential to the true means - relationship with God. I'll pray for your journey as well. Such a beautiful post.
So well said Brian. He desires for us so deeply that relationship and intimacy with Him. Thank you so much for reading.
Thanks for sharing this journey of faith. It's rare to hear a story of moving between Catholic and Protestant worlds and being able to value both. So often, conversion from one church to the other involves renunciation and condemnation of one's past church, and I love how you hold space for God to speak to you in both non-denominational and Catholic churches.
I've found God in both spaces as well. I grew up non-denominational and became a Catholic as an adult. The gift of faith and the presence of God transcend the labels we place on ourselves and on the churches we attend.
Hi Kathleen, I agree completely. And wow your story is unique as well. I've so rarely heard of someone moving from the nondenominational church to Catholicism. And so well said, God transcends the labels we place on how we practice our faith. Thank you so much for reading! :)
This brought back to the tender and divine memories I have growing up in the Catholic Church. The stained glass, the communion, the display of Christ on the cross, the eucharist, the altar, the pews, all of it. Although I'm not a practicing Catholic anymore I always appreciated the reverence the Catholic Church had and how God was unmistakably present in that beautiful building. Thank you for sharing this Katie ❤️
Hi Kathy, I didn't know you grew up Catholic too! I look forward to hearing more about that and how you ended up at the church you're at now :). And I'm so glad you could relate to this post in that way. Thank you for reading and commenting as always :)
This is so beautiful Katie. Thank you for sharing your experiences with the Catholic Church and how you experienced the Lord intimately in those spaces. I’ve heard it said that all the different denominations represent various aspects of the revealed word of God. We’re not meant to be aloof from each other, but to know that each denomination is a revelation of God’s revealed word. Even the Word of Faith type reflects scriptures’ revelation on certain aspects of faith… The church isn’t perfect or necessarily representing God perfectly but there is value and glory and revelation in the diversity of Christian’s out there. Even when we don’t agree on certain aspects of other denominations we can walk in love with each other and simply do as you did (do) and follow Holy Spirit! You were lead right where you needed to be. I don’t agree with certain doctrines etc with some denominations but I hope that I recognise the fragrance of Jesus enough to know where and when to get involved or not. He directs our steps.
Bless you and thank you for sharing your journey on overcoming shame. May you continue to soar in grace ❤️
Thank you Charlie! :) and yes I love what you said about walking in love alongside fellow believers. Thank you for reading 😊
Such a beautiful piece. The Lord met you where you were and you listened to the call of the Spirit. I completely understand the part about feeling the shame even knowing we are forgiven. My favorite verse is Romans 8:1-“There is therefore now NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Our pastor says it this way-there is no condemnation left over, Jesus bore all it for us. What a wonderful Savior!
Hi Debi, yes I love that verse too! :) It is one that I repeated to myself over and over again as the enemy tried to shame me. And one that I still repeat over and over again when I am forgiving someone who has hurt me. Thank you so much for reading and commenting :)
“My husband told me that he thinks I was given the gift of faith as a child because I would need the Lord in order to survive the decades ahead”. Wow, this line spoke to me, just wow. I really felt this and this is a beautiful way to see how life has panned out within my own life. Thank you for writing and sharing 💗
Hi Mackenzie, I'm so glad that line spoke to you. I prayerfully write these pieces in hopes that the Lord uses what is written to speak to another person. Thank you for reading and commenting :)
This is so beautiful Katie. There are so many similarities between our stories and the love I have for the Catholic Church never fades. Thank you for sharing and allowing God to use you.
Hi Uchechukwu, thank you so much for reading and commenting :) I'm glad you were able to relate to this piece :) And I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels that way!
Amen! Beautiful. From a Protestant who very much believes that Jesus meant what He prayed in John 17— and I believe sometimes unity starts with truly believing and understanding that God is at work, in various ways, in all of His church. I pray this writing touches someone’s heart and opens another Protestant’s eyes today. Not necessarily to convert to Catholicism – but to stop “othering” their siblings in Christ.
Hi Rebecca, that is my hope as well! That someone stops "othering" their brothers and sisters in Christ who are true followers of Jesus in the Catholic Church. Thank you so much for reading and commenting :)
“I was recently baptized and heavily distraught.”
This line absolutely cut me. Beautiful, resonating, and blunt. I too was baptized and then heavily distraught. I know a lot of it is because I didn’t understand the sacrifice Christ wanted from me and continued choosing the idols of the world. I was suddenly called by God for baptism and was fearful of His power.
In the 18 years before I was a believer I went to a Lutheran church with my dad in the summers. I am so grateful for that church’s small congregation, large service ministry, and stained glass windows. The way the sun filtered through right at 9 am during the start of communion and the organ playing…even as a nonbeliever child I couldn’t deny the power there.
I ventured into other nondenominational churches over the years when that one closed but I attend a Lutheran church again with my family. I find peace in the traditional services and rich lessons in the old hymns. Wherever we go I pray everyone continues to find peace in their house of God and the body of Christ as a whole. Thanks for this reflection.
Hi Chanel, what a journey you've been on as well finding your way to a church where you can experience more of Him. And yes, you remind me of that time when we realize how much God is asking of us when we give our lives to Him. There is a great and powerful, beautiful, glorious, yet painful death we experience when we go all in with Christ, especially for those of us who lived outside of His will in the world for quite some time. Thank you for reading and sharing a piece of your journey :)
This is so beautiful, Katie. I grew up in a nondenominational church, and I'm only 21, but I see a lot of similarities in our stories. Over the past year or two I've been blessed to be exposed to many different Christian traditions besides my own - Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Presbyterianism, Methodism - and all of them have deepened my faith and my appreciation for our broader faith community despite having my own periods of "breaking up" with God or doubting/questioning/challenging His goodness. There's something about these old, beautiful, formal churches that truly do feel like a sanctuary to me. I've found myself safe, comfortable, at peace, and joyful in church buildings for the first time in my life. Heck, I'm excited to go to church for the first time in my life. There's something about these quieter, stained-glass windowed churches that quiets the (or at least my own) soul to better meet with the Lord; and it's because of this experience that I genuinely love these types of churches. It breaks my heart that more people don't have this experience of church, but I thank you for sharing your experience.
Hi Kylie, I'm so glad you can relate to this! And happy that I'm not alone in the solace I find with the Lord in those traditional churches :) Thank you for reading and sharing a piece of your story :)