Patti LaRue.....

What God Has Done For Me and My Life: God brought me home where I belong.

I started life as a "Craddle Catholic" and for many years of my early life went to church on a regular basis, but as many adult Catholics I became disillusioned and left.

I began ignoring what God kept trying to tell me and went on with my life believing that I could do this thing called "life" on my own. Once I had children, I decided that even though I wasn't going to church, I would make sure they understood who God and Christ was and wanted to baptise them Catholic and try to start going back to church. But their father was against it, due to his beliefs that if there were a God, He surely had turned his back on humanity, and said when they were adults they could decide wanted they wanted to do. Unfortunately for my children to appease their father, they were not baptised.

Against their fathers wishes, during the seven years we lived in Santa Barbara, I did take them to the Santa Barbara Mission on Sundays. But once we left there to finally end up in Oregon, I once again, closed my ears and heart to Gods words and grew away from the church for a second time.

No matter how hard I tried to fool myself, life was miserable and empty without God in my life and I left a 20+ year marriage that helped keep me from what I should be doing. I met and fell in love with a wonderful man, who although does not go to church, allows me to follow my heart and beliefs. One night while sitting on our computers side by side, I felt as if an electrical shock had run through my body, I suddenly looked at my husband John and said "I've got to call my Aunt Martha, I need to go back to church, and I've got to do it now!" My husband replied, "I don't know what's come over you, but, if that's what you feel is what you need to do, then go for it."

I immediately did so and began going to mass and was soon introduced to Father John whom became a big part of showing me the way back to Jesus Christ.

Once I reconcilled myself with God, I knew I was ready to become a big part of God's family.

In less than three years a calmness and feeling of love and joy that I had not felt in many, many years had returned to my life. I finally loved myself and was truly able to love others in the manner that God has taught us to love, although I still struggle on a daily basis to love and forgive as Christ does, each day it does get easier.

Since my return to God's family I've become a big part of St. Joseph the Worker's community by becoming a Lector, Eucharistic Minister, part of the Prayer Group, lead Bible Studies, designed and maintain our churches website, and am Co-Wagonmaster of the annual camp out, brought my father into the church through RCIA in 2005/2006, sponsored my oldest son in 2006/2007 through RCIA, and will be sponsoring his girlfriend through RCIA in September 2007/2008.

Father John has taught me how to listen to God and now I feel that I'm doing exactly what he tried asking me to do for so many years, but I refused to listen.

God has brought peace to my life and I am so very blessed for that.

What St. Joseph the Worker Parish Means to Me: It's the loving and caring enviornment that my life was lacking for so many years. There is so much that this parish offers and it should be a testament to everyone just how much God loves us. This little parish has become a big part of my life and a huge support for me when needed. Along with God, St. Joseph the Worker Parish has become my family.

"You know who sent that electrical shock through you don't you?" - Fr. John

"Yes, I do now."

URLVD