The Evolution of My Faith

If we could draw an evolutionary line on a graph, it wouldn’t be a straight one. Evolution is development, growth, learning: a constant state of shift, and flux. So no, not a straight line, in fact a very wiggly one, and the evolution of my faith has been just that.

I came to faith aged 21, and goodness me, coming to that decision was an evolution in itself. I’d danced around the idea for most of my life. At times I was adamant the Christian faith wasn’t for me, at others I was convinced it was. Eventually I stepped out in faith and chose to be baptised four months later. For me, being baptised was a huge shift and an important declaration to myself, to the world and to God that this is a decision I was going to be sticking with. The fact that I’m writing this article nine years later is proof that I did!

Once you’ve taken the plunge (quite literally!) I was completely submerged in a swimming pool usually hidden under the stage at my church for my baptism) there seems to be a myth that a Christian life is one full of sparkles, and boasts a constant surety in our belief. Well, I can speak for myself, and for every single one of my Christian friends, when I say that this certainly isn’t the case.

Remember that shifting evolution line from before? Well, there are some big old dips in that line, and just like any of the important relationships in my life, I’m not always on good terms with God, and that’s not a new experience. In the bible there are countless experiences of men and women of faith furious at God. Railing against him for feeling abandoned, for seemingly unanswered prayers, and for being made to face a seemingly insurmountable problem. One of the Psalms says this, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?” (Psalm 22:1 NIV) - ouch! Thankfully, those “cries of anguish” are few and far between, and I like to think that God and I are on pretty great terms most of the time!

If you know me here at school, you know that I am a woman of many hats. At Pipers I am first and foremost a Dance Teacher but I also run the Arts Award Program, and founded the Christian Union too. It’s called ‘Open Spaces’ because of the bible verse that says, “He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me” (Psalm 18:19 NIV) and serves as just that. An open space where the members of Christian Union and I can chat about all things God, and share with each other all of our individual faith evolutions. I love having ‘Open Spaces’ as part of my life at Pipers. Running it alongside the various wonderful Sixth Form leaders for the last five years has been such a privilege, and something I have been humbled and inspired by.

So, the evolution of my faith? Well it’s still a shifting, changing and malleable thing, and I look forward to journeying along that wiggly line for many years to come!

Evolution of my Faith by C Wood, Teacher of Dance