Becoming (Be)Loved :: Claiming Christ

I remember the first time I claimed my faith. I was probably 6 or 7. 

My family had gone to a magic show at one of the local high schools and the performer was a Christian. At the end of the night, he made an "invitation" for anyone who wanted to know more about Christ. We had gone with some family friends and the kids were sitting apart from the parents.
Attendants were passing out info cards with several boxes we could check:

 - Uninterested

 - Would like more information

 - Already a Christian.

(or something like that... this is a 20 year old memory, ha ha)

I remember not really knowing what to do with it. My parents were not close enough to know what to do. So I checked the "Already a Christian" box. Not thinking much about it at the time. I went to church, I knew who Jesus was. So I guessed I was a Christian.

We passed the cards down the row, he finished his act and we went home.

 
A week or so later, I returned home from school to a piece of mail

(Which was already a BIG deal to me - oh how I LOVE snail mail!)

I'd received follow up letter from the magician.
It read:

 "So glad that you know Christ"

… or something like that. Again, 20ish year old memory

What I do remember is my mom reading that letter and being surprised. She didn't know.
I wasn't the kid who said the "Prayer of Salvation" right before bed at her parents prompting. God was a part of my parents life, so he was a part of my life.

I guess it was natural for me  - and I didn't understand at the time why my mom was so surprised.. Or even the mix of excitement and disappointment that I remember being in her voice.

Surprise because she didn't know I claimed the title

at that age you don't really understand the meaning of community and sharing your faith with others.

Excitement because I suddenly went from being a daughter to a sister in Christ.

Disappointment…

 maybe disappointment because she didn't get to share that "moment" with me. She might have felt like she missed out on the beginning of my relationship with God.

She hugged me and asked me when I had asked Jesus into my heart - when I couldn't tell her, she just smiled and said she was happy no matter if I could remember the moment or not.

No bedside prayers, confessions before the alter or instant moment of change...

My faith started out as much of a given as it was going to church every Sunday with my mom.