Mount Calvary Caller - January 2019

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faith journey:
Jared Barnes
What is your background of church? Where did
you grow up? Did you go to church? What was
the experience like for you?
I grew up in Arlington, Texas going to Advent
Lutheran Church. My mother brought my older sister
and me to church every Sunday. I was confused by all
the traditions in the church and often laid my head
in my mother's lap for most services, but I felt a safe
home at church.
Was there a time you strayed away from God
or the church? Why? What happened? How did
you get back?
The church was such a confusing place for me when
I was around the age of 10, so I didn't think anyone
had reasons for why they believed in anything. I did
not want to go to church. I would have called myself
an atheist had I known that word. After the events
of my parents' divorce and my aunt Randi's sudden
death, I began having frequent existential thoughts
and questions about life. It wasn't long before I felt
God's presence and saw how He gave purpose
for me.
Jared is the Director of Senior High Youth Ministry,
is currently engaged and is excited to be taking on
his first full year of The Vine.
Tell about a “turning point” in your life and
how God was involved.
The biggest faith turning point came when I was 13.
Like many nights at the time, my sister and mother
were arguing loudly in the late hours of the night.
It was a time of real despair, and I had thoughts of
suicide while in my room pretending to sleep. This
night I prayed for God to save me. I hadn't prayed
that way before, but this time I felt a very real
presence of love. It was clear that God was in the
room. It sounds weird, but it was as though I was
being hugged by Jesus, like a blanket of assurance.
When did you know that Mount Calvary
would be your home?
I knew that Mount Calvary would be my home
after spending a couple of weeks with the high
schoolers. Wanting to help grow their faiths as
well as my own here at Mount Calvary has been
really fulfilling.