So to really tell the whole story about my discovery of Park Community Church would take far too much time than I have to sit here and write – after all, this girl still has a TON of work to do around here – SO here’s the CliffsNotes:

I think city life was far more difficult than I ever anticipated, and although I was blessed to have a roommate who put up with my shenanigans, I think I was searching for something to fill the hole in my heart. I mean, I grew up in a Christian home, and I went to a Baptist university, but I was angry at God and had just decided that my way was best and I was going to do what I wanted to do. My dear friend Scott and I would spend hours on the phone (pre-marriage of course) and he continued to encourage me to find a church community…but I was convinced that I would never find any Christians that were “cool”. I was working as a cocktail waitress at the time and making the most money I’ve ever made in my life (seriously) and didn’t want to give up my Sunday night shift (usually pulled in between $200-$300) to attend church.

Long story short, Scott led me to Willow Creek, which led me to Park, which led me to visit there one Sunday morning. It was as if God had orchestrated the whole thing. It was home, and my heart was stirred to make the changes I needed to. The rest, as they say, is history. At the time, Park had no building and moved locations twice a year. Germania Place, on Clark and North, was Park’s summer home and it’s where I met all of my dear friends from Park and eventually, the sweet man who is now my husband and the father of my girls.