OK, Let's see. My daughter (Sammi) and I started @ VBF Bakersfield about a week and a half before 9/11. I was encouraged to go there by my son of all people.{Who wants very little to do with orgainized religion} He had a friend that went to Valley. ( Sam Morris.Who used to be member of the band "Ashes". My son was their roady for awhile.) Now, we had always gone to small churches,(120 members or less) when we went. So needless to say Valley was a culture shock. Sam Morris had told me that Valley wasn't the typical church, and he made me promise I would go at least 2 times before I made a judgement call. I tried to think of just about every excuse you could think of to discourage him from asking me any more. He had a good answer every time.....
That first time------ On a Sunday------ Oh Lord, I was truly shocked.
The place was gynormus. All those people. Help me please Lord!!!!
The worship.... Wow, not like anything I had heard. ( Perry was worship leader @ the time) The faces were happy and warm, the worship was moving and not boring. The chairs were even comfy. But I still had my reservations. But I had promised.... @ least 2 times before I cut and run. So we went back on the following Weds. And my daughter was hooked. She had always been right by my side. Even when I tried to get her to go with other kids her age to class.
She told me that this is where she wanted to be. And if I didn't want to stay that was up to me but she would find a way to keep coming. So we continued. She was saved on 11/29/01 @ the Pacific Theater at a High school movie nite.
So, that's where God had planted us. So we stayed. I rededicated Aug of 02, when I got re- Baptised.
Now it was time to start on the hubby(Bill). He was and still is a workaholic. We would invite him every time we went( every Sunday and Weds). He came a couple of times. (you know the Christmas-Easter time of thing) But we kept praying and it worked.... He was saved 12/4/02.
We have been active every since.
That's the short version of my story !!!!! LOL