Vanessa Byham

Vanessa

Byham

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I was overwhelmed by the worship, the teaching and the welcome.

I have been in faith since my mid-teens, though the seed was planted when I was around seven years old, and the local vicar came to our school. “Do you go to church?” he asked. This was in the ‘60s and many people still did. In many ways I was lucky that there was still a spiritual element to my schooling. Prayers were said and spiritual songs were sung in assemblies. It gave a framework to my faith that has stayed with me to this day.

I didn’t go to church. No-one in my family did, though we possessed a family Bible that I sometimes looked at in wonder and bewilderment! But the question stuck and by my mid-teens, I had plucked up enough courage to start attending the local parish church. On and off, until I was in my mid-fifties, I went to church, but looking back I hadn’t yet accepted Jesus as my personal Saviour.

Then serious health issues came along, and a chance invitation from a friend took me to a ladies’ fellowship group at Hockliffe Street Baptist Church. I felt welcomed and encouraged. I picked up my Bible again and started to really study the Lord’s Word. At Easter that year I attended my first service there. In spiritual terms, it blew my mind. I was overwhelmed by the worship, the teaching and the welcome.

I was baptised, and that was a spiritual game-changer. Though I had come back to faith earlier that year, I look back to that moment, coming up out of the water, hearing the prayers, feeling the love from the congregation, feeling closer to God than I had ever done before.

Hockliffe Street Baptist Church describes itself as ‘Knowing, Sharing Jesus’ and I have become aware of the central importance of this on my journey into faith. It’s not always easy. At times, I find myself drifting and letting worldly things take priority in my life. But then I fix my eyes on Jesus, go back to my Bible and find new ways, or rediscover tried and tested ways of being a follower of Christ. Whatever is happening in my life, if I turn to Jesus, I know He will lead me through it.