Eric’s Journey: Hot Dogs to Heaven

• by: Eric Wollan 11/12/07

The Journey became my church because of a Journey Kid’s Club event. My sister used to live in the neighborhood and saw a sign for a party for kids that had the inflatable things that my son loves. She invited me to bring the kids up for hot dogs and fun. I had no idea at the time that it was a church related activity. Jami was working downtown at the time and couldn’t make it up in time for the bbq. The kids and I showed up to find a bunch of people hanging out and talking. We found a place to sit and Michael took off to play with his cousins and other kids that were there. As I was going up to get my 6th hot dog, no, not all of them were for me, this big blond guy started making fun of me for eating so much. I actually thought the guy was pretty funny, but it turns out that he isn’t. We talked for a little bit and hung around there until it was over and Michael got to take home a bright green shirt (he thought that was really cool). Chris had come up to me and invited me to come to church that Sunday and I told him that I would be there. I had been to church with my sister at another place out here before but I just didn’t get a good feel about it. I was born and raised a Lutheran and the differences were astounding. I wasn’t used to people raising their hands, a band playing and not going through a hymnal. The next Sunday, Jami and I brought the kids to The Journey and had a great experience. There weren’t too many people, the guy singing looked pretty familiar, and Chris’s sermon was educational and entertaining. We thought that we could enjoy ourselves if we continued to come. Enjoying ourselves turned out to be a much smaller piece of the rewards that we have gained by coming to The Journey. We have met a lot of great people here but the most important thing is that we have met God. I have always thought of myself as a Christian but since coming here I have been challenged to truly believe it. I was called a convenient Christian but I knew that I wanted more because I felt more. I wanted it all. Now, I have it all. Not all the answers. Not all of the right actions or feelings. Not even close to all the right words. I have it all because I have a belief in and a love for Jesus Christ. I doubt that I would have ever found that without coming to The Journey. I have learned so much in less than a year of coming here that I can’t wait to see what the future holds. I am ready to learn more and become more devoted to Jesus.

Can I? "Yes". Will I? "I am going to try as hard as I can". Will you?