I always longed to connect deeply with others. I began searching for connection in all the wrong places. I jumped from one relationship to the next searching for something that could fill the empty spaces in my life. On top of that, I had no relationship with God at all even though I professed to be a Christian. I had no direction in life and just went with whatever came my way until I got to Morocco in 2011.
I stumbled upon FCIM’s Saturday fellowship choir rehearsal out of boredom. My friends were going to join the choir and I had nothing to do that weekend so I tagged along for the fun of it. When I went for the first time, there was a peace I felt that I’ve never felt before and the empty spaces started to be filled gradually. I did not only find a community, people I could connect with, but also an additional family.
Through the weekly Sunday church services and the Bible College, God worked even more in my life. He began to heal emotional wounds that I have carried for so many years. I have come to a place of understanding who God is and what he has done for me. I now see how precious I am to God even my body and how interested he is in my life. I now know and believe that my body belongs to Christ. I have also come to know him as a father who isn’t only physically present but involved both emotionally and spiritually.
I was fortunate to have participated in the school of ministry called FCIM Bible College. I no longer see the Bible as a book of stories rather I have come to fully understand it as God`s personal letter to me. I didn’t know what God’s grand plan was and every bible story looked like random stories put together. But after going through the Bible College, I finally understood what the bible was about. It was like someone put the light on in a dark room. Through the constant exposure to the word of God, I now see the Bible as a precious gift God has made available to me. It was through his word that I have been healed, and I now have direction in life.
It was through his word that that I heard him calling me to serve him not only with my money and time but with my life. Now I’m an Elder serving God in fulltime ministry by Coordinating the Bible College, worshipping in the choir, being the FCIM National treasurer and being a minister.
LAVINIA JOSEPH – ANTIGUA & BARBUDA