Living Waters Fellowship

While growing up, I was raised by a single mother with no father in the picture.  My mother worked a ton of hours just to be able to take care of my brother and me.  I went to a Baptist church pretty much on a regular basis by myself but it was mostly for a social activity.  I never really learned what the Bible said or what it meant to me.  I pretty much understood that Christmas was the day Jesus was born and Easter was the day he died on the cross.

I had a lot of issues growing up.  My step-brother molested me, I was raped by a man who I felt like I trusted, and I drank, did drugs, hung around inappropriate boys, disobeyed my mother and got into trouble at school and with law enforcement.

I wondered if there was a God, why would he let all of that happen to me.

I felt like my life started turning around.  My mother graduated from college and received a job with the state.  We moved to a couple of times until we landed in Altoona where I was doing great in school and I started working at Wal-Mart.  I met someone who eventually became my husband, Brad, shortly after starting there where we became best friends.

Brad and I were best friends for about 4 years and we started dating and were married in June of 2004.  Brad and I have always had a great marriage, but in the last couple of years, we had started arguing more due to stresses with him losing his dad and brother, not being able to have children and us losing his family home due to foreclosure.  We both wanted answers of why everything was happening to us.  It seemed like there was a void that couldn’t be filled.

I always knew there was a God but I only prayed when it was convenient for me.  If there was a job I wanted, I would pray I would get it or just anything that would benefit me.

Shortly after Brad’s father passed away, Brad and I thought it would be nice to start going to church.  So we tried a couple of different churches trying to find the right fit.  I wanted a smaller church but I didn’t want to stick out either because I didn’t want anyone to ask me about my faith because I knew there was a God but that was it.

My coworker, Connie Benton, told me about a church that had recently started up on the south side of Des Moines.  She told me how she went to Lakeside Fellowship and they actually teach what the Bible says.  So after a few weeks, Brad and I finally attended Livingwaters Fellowship.  Our first service, Greg Pollak gave the message.  Brad and I both enjoyed and learned from the service but we went back to a church we had been going to for a couple of months.  One night, Greg showed up at our house and just talked to us and told us his story.  So later that night after talking with Brad, we decided we would start going to Livingwaters and making that our home church.

It was around Easter time and I was learning about Jesus dying on the cross.  I never really knew what Jesus did for me.  On April 5, 2009, Pastor Josh was giving the message.  He was telling the story about Jesus’ last drink.  He read John 20:30 which reads, “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” Something just happened and it all seemed to make sense and clicked.  It felt like a light just turned on.  I now understand that Jesus died on the cross to forgive me for my sins.  He did that because he loves each and every one of us.  He is selfless and just in everything that he does.  I was in awe when I learned that he gave up his life for me. He died so I could live.  I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior at that moment.

Today, I have more joy in my life.  I wake up every morning thankful to be alive and able to serve him.  I know there are going to be tough times but he will guide me through them through his word and through prayer.  I know now that I don’t need to worry about other people judging me.  I only need to impress Him and live for Him.