My Special Place

There's a place located in Whitnall Park that offers a variety of beautiful sights and sounds one can experience on a beautiful day. 10 years ago, I happened upon this place that is located by the Root River Parkway, where I fell in love. It took some time, quite a bit to be honest, but it happened. I'd like to share this place with you all because it might touch home to any number of people. This is a place that I would go in the summer, spring, winter and fall to write, draw, photograph, paint, think, get away, etc. A place I claimed as "my own" never bringing friends with me (which is quite odd because I am always with friends)

It became a place I enjoyed visiting,experiencing the wildlife, breeze, flowers, and small waterfall. This waterfall grew to be an outlet for me when things were stressful.

There's really nothing overly special about this place. It's beautiful yes, but I can admit I've seen much more amazing sights in my day. However, it's special to me for one reason in particular. It's where I first truly started having a dialogue with God. It wasn't necessarily a good one. In fact you could say I was angry with him. My Aunt had been diagnosed with cancer that was inoperable, I had already witnessed numerous friends dying at a young age, my Grandfather passed away, and then ultimately my parents decided to get a divorce all before age 18.

I had grown up going to church. I went through the motions of course. I was confirmed in a Methodist Church, and understood the basics, but really never felt any real connection with God.

When I visited this place, I got into nature, submersed myself in it, and I couldn't help but feel his presence somewhat. In that, I felt comfort, but as I said, also anger, for all the "bad" things going on in my life. "Why would God let this happen?" I cried in this spot a great number of times, was happy, asked God to fix things, heal my heart, heal my families' hearts, and to provide me with a new sense of direction. Did he ever.

Around this time my aunt really started communicating with me about her church, and offering me Christian books, music, etc. I listened to it from time to time, read some of them, but still was feeling some disconnect. I wasn't denying God, I just wasn't feeling connected. I took one book in particular to this place near Root river, "The Purpose Driven Life," and began reading, reflecting, praying...for me. Not for everyone else this time, not to make things better in my life, but to truly know God. I wanted to feel I had a real relationship with him. Around this time, after the divorce, my Father had started attending Elmbrook church, and asked me to come with. I started coming, and enjoyed the services, and found out that a few of my friends also went there.

A good friend of mine asked me to come with to the Ave, a young adult ministry, and it was there, that I really started being pulled even closer to God. During this time, I also started going to my "spot" much more often. I wanted to really focus on what I was reading, what I wanted to say to God, what I wanted to sort out in my own mind. By reading on my own, I felt more confident in knowing who I really was, what I thought I should be, and in having faith that all things would work out for the best.

I then started going to Impact. A place where I could listen to worship music, talk with people, and listen to a message in a much more relaxed setting than your typical "sunday church service." From that point on my life will not ever be the same.

I was blessed to come a few years back to this twenty somethings ministry called Impact when Jason Webb was the pastor. I loved the music, the message, the people, and quickly found myself being connected with some great people. Each of these people has impacted me greatly, and each in their own way. Each one has been unique in the effect they have had on me, and each one equally important. Whether its been learning from their mistakes, mine, giving advice, pulling me in when I've strayed, or allowing me to pull them back in, getting advice, enjoying a coffee, dinner, laugh, cry, or hug...they all mean the world to me. I witnessed what it meant to be a Christian. I was even inspired to be rebaptized on my first Spring Retreat with a few others from Impact. I see on a daily basis from my friends that I have met through Impact, what it meant to be God's children...and that is truly when everything finally clicked.

All of this progression, my step to becoming a solid Christian, rooted from me finding a place where I could be one on one with God. When that first happened, as I said it wasn't friendly. I was angry. But I now see so much greatness from all of this, and from how he brought me close to Him.

Anyways, I wanted to share this place with all of you, and hope that you all have one of your own, and if not that you find one. Thank you for your friendship, and all you have done in my life, ragardless if you were aware of it or not. I Love you all.