An Invite Can Change a Life

Hi, my name is Crystal. I am a part of Hi, my name is Crystal. I am a part of the young adults community here at the young adults community here at the young adults community here at Willow and I was invited by my mom. My early adult life, um, early 20s you My early adult life, um, early 20s you could say. I was not really following could say. I was not really following could say. I was not really following God. I wasn't following anything really. God. I wasn't following anything really. God. I wasn't following anything really. It wasn't until around CO where I was It wasn't until around CO where I was It wasn't until around CO where I was finally like I was alone. I think it was just a random Sunday. It I think it was just a random Sunday. It was just a random Sunday. So my mom's was just a random Sunday. So my mom's was just a random Sunday. So my mom's like, she told me and my brother, she's like, she told me and my brother, she's like, she told me and my brother, she's like, "I'm going to take you guys like, "I'm going to take you guys like, "I'm going to take you guys somewhere." And she wouldn't tell me. somewhere." And she wouldn't tell me. somewhere." And she wouldn't tell me. She was like, "I'm not telling you until She was like, "I'm not telling you until She was like, "I'm not telling you until we get there." The moment that I we get there." The moment that I we get there." The moment that I realized we were at church was when the realized we were at church was when the realized we were at church was when the pastor started talking. Then once he pastor started talking. Then once he pastor started talking. Then once he started sharing the message, I like was started sharing the message, I like was started sharing the message, I like was crying the entire time. the entire time crying the entire time. the entire time crying the entire time. the entire time because it was just because it was just because it was just it wasn't church that I was used to. It it wasn't church that I was used to. It it wasn't church that I was used to. It wasn't a message that I was used to.

wasn't a message that I was used to. wasn't a message that I was used to. Like it just felt like I was being Like it just felt like I was being Like it just felt like I was being talked to directly. Like it was just a talked to directly. Like it was just a talked to directly. Like it was just a one-on-one conversation. That's where it one-on-one conversation. That's where it one-on-one conversation. That's where it all started. It all started because all started. It all started because all started. It all started because after that day I was like, "Okay, when after that day I was like, "Okay, when after that day I was like, "Okay, when are we coming back? When are we going are we coming back? When are we going are we coming back? When are we going back to church?" And I like never back to church?" And I like never back to church?" And I like never thought I would say that. Like when are thought I would say that. Like when are thought I would say that. Like when are we going back to church? you know, we going back to church? you know, we going back to church? you know, I tried to come more consistently and I tried to come more consistently and I tried to come more consistently and the day one of those times that I came the day one of those times that I came the day one of those times that I came um they were talking about groups and I um they were talking about groups and I um they were talking about groups and I had always told myself like since I had always told myself like since I had always told myself like since I started coming to Willow, started coming to Willow, started coming to Willow, I'm going to go I'm going to join a I'm going to go I'm going to join a I'm going to go I'm going to join a group. I'm going to join a group. I'm group. I'm going to join a group. I'm group. I'm going to join a group. I'm going to do this. I'm going to do that. going to do this. I'm going to do that. going to do this. I'm going to do that. But I never did it because I didn't want But I never did it because I didn't want But I never did it because I didn't want to do it alone. to do it alone. to do it alone. That day when they announced group That day when they announced group That day when they announced group starting, um I signed us up. I didn't starting, um I signed us up. I didn't starting, um I signed us up. I didn't tell my husband. I didn't tell him like, tell my husband. I didn't tell him like, tell my husband. I didn't tell him like, "Hey, you're going to join a group with "Hey, you're going to join a group with "Hey, you're going to join a group with me and we're going to go." And he's me and we're going to go." And he's me and we're going to go." And he's like, "All right." After we joined the like, "All right." After we joined the like, "All right." After we joined the young adults community, I was actually young adults community, I was actually young adults community, I was actually um asked by one of my friends, Flower, um asked by one of my friends, Flower, um asked by one of my friends, Flower, um to go on a serving trip, and it um to go on a serving trip, and it um to go on a serving trip, and it changed changed changed everything. It changed everything within everything. It changed everything within everything. It changed everything within me. Uh after that trip in the summer, I me. Uh after that trip in the summer, I me. Uh after that trip in the summer, I actually um told myself like, I have way actually um told myself like, I have way actually um told myself like, I have way more to give here than what I'm letting more to give here than what I'm letting more to give here than what I'm letting on. Like I feel like I have so much to on. Like I feel like I have so much to on. Like I feel like I have so much to do, like so much to show people, so much do, like so much to show people, so much do, like so much to show people, so much to tell people, so much to give people.

to tell people, so much to give people. to tell people, so much to give people. Like being involved here and going Like being involved here and going Like being involved here and going places and people recognize me and places and people recognize me and places and people recognize me and they're like, "Hey, Gristle." It's like, they're like, "Hey, Gristle." It's like, they're like, "Hey, Gristle." It's like, you know, I am like I don't feel alone. you know, I am like I don't feel alone. you know, I am like I don't feel alone. I don't feel like I did. And just I don't feel like I did. And just I don't feel like I did. And just telling people, other people outside of telling people, other people outside of telling people, other people outside of it, like this is what it's like. I never it, like this is what it's like. I never it, like this is what it's like. I never thought I'd be that person.