Marge Bauer

As a child I grew up in a non-spiritual home. My Grandmother was a non-practicing Jew and my mom just didn't care. So I didn't go to church. I was 4th of 5 children and 3rd of 3 girls. I was always the outsider, forgotten and ignored unless I did something wrong. I started looking for affection and approval in all the wrong places. I drank, smoked and did other things I am not proud of now. One place I did find that approval was at a teen house run by a Christian couple. They exposed me to a God I never knew about. Through the music I was hearing I came to realize I needed to commit my life to Christ.

After committing my life to Christ I had no support from home or Church. The teen house had closed. I really didn't know what it meant to be a follower of Christ and didn't know where to look for help. As a result, I floundered in my faith

Because of my strained family relationships my husband and I moved away. When my husband was diagnosed with cancer I was hurt and angry with God. I was supposed to grow old with my husband and, I felt that God had left me a single mom of 2 little girls. To make things worse, I made a lot of bad decisions after his death.

Later, I was dating a man whose daughter wanted us to attend church with her. At this church, the music they sang helped draw me to God again. I went on a women’s Christian retreat where the music once again drew me closer to God. Music still plays an important part of my Christian life. I rededicated my life to God at that retreat. I have been growing and learning what it means to be a Christian ever since.

Marge Bauer