The Most Formative Experience Of My Christian Life

Carmanie Bhatti’s Written Response to 310.2 a-d For The Board of Ordained Ministry, Northern Illinois Conference of the UMC i. The Most Formative Experience of My Christian Life: I grew up in Pakistan with a diverse culture around me. Before moving to the U.S., the city I grew up in was a blend of people who lived there because of their jobs, education and business purposes. I learned that poverty, marginalization and violence, neither had a religion nor selects people of a specific faith to attack them. This made me devote myself to the church and its programs to serve all children of God spreading the good news of Jesus Christ and fighting for social justice against the systemic evil in the world. At church, in addition to my participation in the worship services, I volunteered at our church’s soup kitchen, medical camps and elementary school for underprivileged children. These experiences opened my eyes to the deprivation of love and care in the world and a dire need of God’s grace for people at large so they could receive forgiveness, healing and restoration in their lives. My spiritual formation took a new turn when in 2013 my parents’ house was burned down in an arson. At that time, I was living with my parents. Since, the house was not insured, our local church and our acquaintances in the neighborhood helped us financially so we could rebuild our house, while a family in the neighborhood gave us shelter at their house. The love and care of theShow MoreRelatedPersonal Philosophy : An Organization Level Leader1734 Words   |  7 Pagesdilemmas through their personal life experiences based on inputs from parents, family, experiences and organizations. 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Most importantly, it isRead MoreThe Summons By Dennis Mccallum875 Words   |  4 PagesOne text that has been incredibly formative in helping me understand my calling is â€Å"The Summons†, by Dennis McCallum. This is the story of a young girl being called by God to accept Christ and to share his teachings with others. McCallum uses a narrative format to share s everal wonderful sermons with the readers. There is one section in particular that touched my heart. The bible study instructor is asking the group to open their hearts to God. â€Å"This is what God wants for you tonight. He doesn’tRead MoreIdentifying A Culture At The Navy946 Words   |  4 Pagesmilitary culture than others believe. Influences While I have lived in six different homes, both my father and mother have been to an innumerable amount of cities around the world which all have some influence in my daily life. 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