THIS IS MY STORY ... MARIA Written by Marlis Sabo 28
The road to now. Maria was born in Colombia, on the Caribbean coast. An only child, she came to Canada 12 years ago following her mother, who immigrated before. First arriving in Quebec, they eventually made their way to Calgary. Maria is a dietician, and works for a non-profit that serves immigrants here in Calgary. Maria grew up with a sense of church, often attending various churches in Colombia as an invited guest with someone else. However, it wasn’t until after she arrived in Canada that she became a Christian. She started attending First Alliance within the last year. The power of an invitation. Maria has struggled with mental health concerns including anxiety for a long time, and as spring approached, things got very bad. Throughout, she was praying and looking for God to help. “He did. It was in such a beautiful way. He brought me to this church. This church is very far from where I live.” The same person who guided her in becoming a Christian invited her to come to FAC. Despite the darkness, Maria felt supported by God and those around her. Baptism was always something she wanted to do. In all the churches she had attended, she was never invited to take that step. In the midst of her struggle, she felt God’s invitation. When the upcoming events listed the April baptism dates, she signed up for the prep class. She laughs, “I think I signed up late. The other people had sent in answers to questions.” After the class, she went home and immediately packed up everything the instructions listed. “It was a long week. For me, it felt like my wedding day. I was really, really excited about it.” A greater commitment. In the months since her baptism, Maria speaks of a greater commitment to God. “For me it represented like my wedding. I’m more committed to relationship with God. I feel this need to make a bigger effort. That’s what I wanted – to please Him. So there has been a change there.” She speaks also of the importance of seeking God humbly in prayer every day, and waiting from Him to guide her steps. She reminds us that He will provide the conviction and security to take steps in faith. Maria identifies a passage of scripture that is very important to her – “It’s like a glass of water in the desert,” she says. Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in Him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute! Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the centre of your life. Philippians 4:4-7 [MSG] Anxiety is no longer at her centre. She adds, “God is everything. He gives a kind of life that nothing and nobody else can give.”