Avalon - Everything To Me

I was driving to preschool the other day and this song came on the radio. It stopped me dead in my tracks because I LOVE this song-it is an older song and it has always been one of my top ten favorite songs of all time. I love Avalon and I just love this song.

Why it is so special to me is because it pretty much sums up my walk with Jesus. I grew up in Sunday school, youth group, childrens' choir, VBS, youth Sundays, potluck suppers, the whole nine yards. We were faithfully in church growing up. I had great church friends and we had a small but strong youth group. I got baptized around age 12 and got the monogrammed bible to prove it.

Then during college I was sitting in Sunday evening services at church and it all made sense. The stories about Jesus finally sunk in this thick skull and it all became very personal. I remember what I was even wearing (brown pants and a cream sweater) when I realized that the Jesus I had been reading about loved ME and wanted a relationship with ME. I cried and cried in the pew that night. I think my parents thought I was upset over a recent boyfriend break-up but that was not the case.

This song speaks to this heart of mine. That was me. The girl who walked the walked beautifully but did not grasp Him in my heart until adulthood. Sadly I did not realize how wonderful my baptism was until I was 20 sitting in that church pew on a hot summer night.

See at age 20 God already knew that I was going to need a Savior desperately. He knew that I was going to marry Mike and that David was in our future. I have said a million times that I have never felt closer to God than the day that David was born. He knew that I would need Him that day desperately and of course he wiped our tears that day. He knew that 6 years later we would all huddle around my Pawpaw's bedside and cry as we watched him struggle with his last breaths on that blasted ventilator. Again we needed Him desperately and He was there with his comfort. His love does change your life.

I am not the perfect christian. I yell at my kiddos, I roll my eyes at my husband, I gossiped just today but I can tell you that my Jesus is perfect. He loves this sinner and he loves you. I may disappoint Him often in my lack of faithfulness but He is everything to me. Enjoy this beautiful, wonderful song:)