My journey to WELS is different from most adults. I was not “grown up” when I decided to become a member. I was a sophomore at Nebraska Evangelical Lutheran High School (NELHS), Waco, Neb. While I attended NELHS, I had my first opportunity to examine my faith and to examine what God’s Word actually says. I have learned so much since that time.

I was raised in a smorgasbord of denominations. Baptized Missouri Synod Lutheran, I attended a Missouri Synod school in Sioux City, Iowa, for a few years. I spent many years in various Methodist churches. I took my first “communion” before age eight. Yes, I was a prime example of why close Communion is a healthy and necessary practice. I had no idea what it was about, and my brother and I even reenacted our experience at home with cookies and Kool-Aid.

In fifth grade I spent a lot of time with a Baptist youth group. I was eventually confirmed at a Methodist church in Houston, Texas. While the church did an amazing job at getting young people involved, its education about the one thing needful was sorely lacking in substance. My six-month confirmation class consisted mostly of videos and opinions. I remember more about my confirmation dress and celebration than I do about what I actually learned in class.

In 1999, on a whim, I decided to attend a boarding school that my mom had found on the Internet. Ever since reading The Secret Language, a book about two little girls who attend a boarding school, it had been a dream of mine. That’s a little bit corny, but what an amazing way for God to expose me to his plan! With my mother’s blessing, I enrolled.

My first year at NELHS wasn’t a smooth acceptance into the WELS experience. Being a non-WELS student was tough, as I was judged for my faith—or lack of faith. One student told me in simple terms that “I should go back to Texas and go back to my Methodist church.” I even had one teacher who suggested that whispering one morning in chapel—a minor violation of the code of behavior—was due to the fact that I was not WELS. But God is bigger than mistaken and sinful people, and WELS is made up of far more passionate, understanding, and wise people than the few who judge others based on their own ignorance.