The first time I ever went to church I was 11 years old, I went with my friend. I didn't dress nice nor did I feel anything. I didn't feel that presence. The presence of God that everyone says you feel. Eleven year old little me had no belief in God, in fact I didn't even worship a God. The next time I went to Church was with my other friend to a very hateful, rude, what should feel like family at a Church; it felt completely opposite. No one said a word to me. I felt left out, out of place. It was as if everyone was staring at me and judging me. At this point in my life I had been through the lowest of lows, a friend mentioned trying to go to Church. In which I did with her. Lets just say after that incident I did not go to another Church till I was 15 years old, going into my Sophomore year of High School. I have moved to a completely different place. Along this journey I made a very loving friend. This friend of mine I could give the world to her if I could. Me and this friend grew our friendship closer practically every day. So it came as no surprise that during the summer we obviously went to each other's houses. The weekend of July 4th, I went over to her house. We did several things, but Sunday morning came and the question she asked me, “Do you want to come to revival with us at Church?” She did not force me to if I didn't want to. Considering what had happened prior to, trying to grow my relationship with God or practically to see if he was even real, I wasn't sure. At first I was hesitant but something in my head just kept telling me, “just go, you should go, it'll be okay, just go,” over, and over and over again. It only stopped when she asked me again, and of course I  said yes. That morning as we were getting ready, I couldn't even imagine what was going to happen. I threw on one of her new green church dresses, brushed my hair and wore a pair of her shoes. Nearly almost everything I had on was hers. To be completely honest on the way to that Church I didn't even know what you did at revival. As we parked the car and walked into this beautiful white church, stained windows in the front and a long entrance, we sat down in the 5th row from the back. As I watched and also talked with my friend. Seeing everyone come in, being greeted by several people, I couldn't even remember half of their names; there were so many. Then the service started. At this moment my mind was silent and all I could hear was the pastor talking. Then they asked “for all the lost souls we invite you to come up and get saved this night,” it was the last night of revival. My friend turned to me and asked “do you want to go?” At first I said no. But there again there was that little voice in the back of my head that came out of nowhere. My friend said “if you go I will go with you and will  be right behind you.” This made me feel so much better, considering I was in a room of people I barely knew. I walked down the middle, and bent onto my knees in front of that altar. I started praying like never before. I asked for forgiveness, I begged and begged that he forgave me. I was crying, I didn't know why but I was crying, tears were flowing down my cheeks. There were people all around me and others praying for us. I officially felt like I belonged somewhere. These strangers were no longer, they were my brother and sisters by my side. I laid my head down once more praying to God, words were flowing out my mouth like I have prayed 1000 times before. And there it was, I felt him. I heard him. He was there in that moment with me. He was with me, the same little girl that didnt believe in the Holy Spirit before. He was there, I heard him. I did exactly what he said. That was  when I turned around, stood up and hugged my best friend. I was saved that night on July 7th, all because of her. Without her, and the others, and their prayers to The Lord, who knows if I myself would have got saved that night. But because of them, my relationship now with God is the strongest it has ever been. And I am the happiest I have ever been. For him being with me, I am myself again. 

-k