Through the study of many religions and my own self-discovery, I have come to believe that the desire to engage with Church begins within each of us, where a deep, natural love for God resides. It is clear to me why, as a little girl, I yearned to be at church.

While my family would sometimes sleep in on a Sunday, I would be raring to go—to church! So if they didn’t get up in time, I would walk the three miles to get there. I looked forward to the spiritual love and comfort I felt there, which always uplifted me from the sense of wrongdoing or sadness that I sometimes felt.

Being in church felt right, as people came together to joyfully worship, sing, and be peaceful. On my way back home, I would hum and skip, wondering if the rest of the world felt what I was feeling. Gosh, was it possible to live in a perfect place—maybe experience a bit of heaven on earth?