In 1998 I was in an automotive accident that left me to be in a coma for four weeks. I remember when I was in the “waking up” stage of my coma, my night sitter or someone told me that I was the cause of the four deaths in my accident and they were all my family, and basically that I was a murderer. Waking up from my coma with a traumatic head injury, I was not in the correct mental capacity. So, imagine telling a 5-year-old that she killed her two sisters’ and her little sister’s best friend. Would she understand and if she did what kind of reaction would she have? I didn’t know who I was, where I was, or what was going on. I remember being alone in my hospital room for the rest of the evening. I began to cry. Somehow, somewhere I knew the blood of the Lamb saved me from the pits of Hell. Wondering why me, what did I do to deserve this? I remember it being so cold in my hospital room, so cold that I had about all the blankets on the floor on me, and yet I was still shivering. I began to cry harder, asking as loud as I could “God, don’t you love me?” “I gave my life to you.” “How could you do this to me?” “I thought you were supposed to keep me safe?” “Why? Why?” I questioned my faith, and him. I was hurt in all ways, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Then I remember my hospital room getting so unbelievably warm, and comfortable, and a feeling of love. Then I heard this voice, “Fontaine, do not fear for I am here. Through me all things are possible. You will live through this, and you will be great… but through me.” He was gone when my nurse came in to see what was wrong and to give me my medications. That night that God spoke to me was what I believe my “Ah-Ha” moment of exactly who God is.
Being raised in a Christian family from birth, I have always “known about” God. As a child and going to Vacation Bible Schools, I asked the Lord to come and live inside of me. Honestly, I think I did it for show and to say “Yeah, I am a member of the family now too. I belong here.” I do not think that I fully understood what it meant to live as Christ and to love as Christ until my “Ah-Ha” moment I had in the fall of ’98. In forming my relationship with my one true God, I have learned a lot about the love that God offers to us as well with a lot about myself. One thing that I still find myself realizing every other second is that God desired to have a relationship with us so he sent his one and only son to build that bridge over the gap between us, by dying for our sins. Yeah, that still gets me every time I think about it. I can now say that I know the Lord and not just know about the Lord. “Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.” Ephesians 3:12
Most Christians have a heart for service to others that are less fortunate than ourselves. We are in constant communication with the Heavenly Father. I help with many different community service groups. I, as well, go on various mission trips in and out of the country. People in this cultural group fellowship with others by going to faith based events such as; church, contemporary Christian concerts, go to different sporting events and conventions. As well, Christians enjoy fellowshipping in the community spreading the love of Christ to others in a practical way. Practical ways are simply being there to pray for those who are sick, or being a shoulder for someone to cry on. Even lending a simple ear to listen to some one vent out their frustrations (good, bad, indifferent). It is even as simple as making a turkey sandwich with cheese and mustard and handing it to someone who is hungry and saying “God loves you.” With absolutely no strings attached. We as humans are relational beings, meaning we were meant to have relationships with others. Christians desire to work with all and any types of people. Race, religion, political agenda, sex, handicap, and everything else alike that makes us different from each other does not factor in to our motivations.
In the Christian culture we are generally described as Christians, we are even separated by our denomination: Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, Anglican/Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, Non-denominational, etc. Some of our characteristics that are similar but we are all very different, we all share in the love and acceptance of Christ. All of the denominations agree on some basic things the Bible, and the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Though there are a lot of various types of people in the world today, there is no visual distinct way of picking out a member of this culture group. We are people just like those who are not apart of the culture, and we are not perfect. We are able to recognize that within ourselves. People who do not belong in this culture group see some of the denominations that are within the group as “Bible Thumpers,” “Crucifix wearing,” “Jesus Freaks ,” “Holy Rollers,” or “Shout you down” Christians. However, as I said above we are our own entire individuals. I know that I have a servant’s heart, and I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve all the time. I like to help where I can and even if I cannot. I know a lot of people who are not like this. They like to go unnoticed, or “fly-under-the-radar” and just do things behind the scenes. The negative views that people who are not Christian, and are the outsiders looking in, do sometimes get the wrong opinion of how a true Christian really acts, especially when they see our faults in the limelight. In which case I hope that person that is calling them self a Christian will make their actions correct when they see them self, acting like a fool. No, I do not think that this judgment of the Christian culture is justified. Rather than from all the hypocritical Christians that smear the good name of God have actually put a negative taste, if you please, in the mouths of non-believing people of the Christian faith.
Most church services are on Sunday mornings and evenings. However, a few churches have services on Saturday nights with a few on Sunday mornings. So they can accommodate those who have busier work schedules, or have kids where Sunday mornings are very hard to get them moving. The Christian culture also celebrates two specific holidays to remember both the birth of Jesus Christ who is the Son of God, and for the death of Jesus Christ and three days later rose again, and is alive today. Both holidays are Christmas and Easter. Many people of this culture have what we call Bibles in our homes. Some have only one that they study rigorously, or there are some people who have two, three, or even four Bibles that are in or around their house. I know for a fact that I have four different versions of the Bible that are all written in different translations, so that I can better study the word and apply it to my life. The Bible is not a “How to” book, but more like a map. As well with the Bible there are different types of music genres that is of this culture. There is gospel, southern gospel, Christian instrumental, Praise and Worship, Christian music for kids, Bluegrass and Country, or my favorite Contemporary Christian (pop) Music. Many different radio stations play this music; some even play only a specific genre. As well there are a variety of Christian authors who write books on specific subjects like, faith, fear, love, what it means to have a relationship with Jesus Christ, weight loss, living in freedom, and numerous bible studies. That being said there are also many other authors who write fiction stories that are action, love, and faith based. From these stories I have found myself falling in love with God over and over again because I look at his passion to be in relation with us. Granted fiction is not true, but, even to begin to entertain the thought that I could be the person that the story is about and have someone fight so hard to “win my heart” or to pursue me, even to help me throughout the story is so heartwarming. Different scriptures of the bible as well that painted, printed, or even etched into an art piece that someone could hang on their wall or in a dorm is in a sense an artifact that they could use for encouragement through any circumstance.
I know that being a member of the Christian family, or faith has help to shape me as a daughter, a sister, a woman, a student, and most importantly as a member of the Christian faith because of through various things that I have had my faith tested in. I am still growing in the knowledge of just in fact who God really is and what His purpose is for my life. Through some of the things that he continually reminding me of or has tested me on is that I need to seek him in all things. Pray without ceasing, and, always to endure through the battle, whether it is physical, spiritual or even emotional. Perseverance builds faith in all circumstances. For example, when I was in my accident I did not have all the reasons why I needed to endure such trauma, but the desire that I had to get me where I needed to be to be able to get back to where I once was in life was all I needed for the mental strength to keep on enduring and pushing through to the ability to be able to walk again. Another time was in 2002, when my mother passed away. My world felt like it was just collapsing with me still standing in it. One thing that helped me was holding on to my Heavenly Father’s garment to help lead me through that dark and depressing time. I have learned to praise him for every circumstance, and this is still a struggle for me everyday as well. I know and have the faith in him for his reasons behind everything I have gone through and I am going to go through.
The statement, “Small things done with great love, will change the world” the Vineyard Community Church in Springdale Ohio, has on their building is a strong statement. I find that living your faith outwardly focused is more practical than just saying it. Showing your faith through your actions, and service to others is proof that Christians just do not serve via lip service. I got that when my relationship with God grew into what it is today. My heart is more outwardly focused than it was before my “Ah-Ha” moment in ’98. It is through my words, actions, and service to others that I hope that non-believers would see Christ living inside of me. It is my hope that people see and know that I belong to the Christian Cultural Group.
