Saved by Service

by Meredith Berry

I was born and raised Jewish.
This comes as a surprise to most people, because I am now highly involved in a non-denominational church.

Growing up, I attended a Jewish day school, including the summer camps. 

In 7th grade, I had a bat mitzvah, officially becoming a daughter of the commandments and accepting my responsibility for my religion. During my last summer camp, I went to Israel.

I did all of the requirements and achieved all of the milestone recognitions.
My family paid the dues necessary to attend all services and kept up with tradition.
Despite the strict religious guidelines, I was grounded and down to earth.

My parents gave me a foundation of faith and a strong sense of identity.

I knew who I wanted to become.

As I entered 11th grade, I started dating a guy and began straying from practicing my religion. I started feeling disconnected from the people I attended school and synagogue with. I still followed traditions and respected my religion, but my heart grew disconnected from daily practice.

Fast forward to 2008, when I was living on my own, paying my own bills, and struggling to make it.
I had my mandatory dues to pay and because I owed the synagogue, I couldn’t get a ticket to the holiday service. Even after pleading my case to the board, I was denied entry.

This never settled well with me, and I coasted without religious ties for the next several years.

In 2012, I met my husband, and we were engaged in 2014.

I knew in my heart I didn’t want a Jewish wedding.
It wasn’t the foundation that I wanted for my family.

I wanted a foundation of faith. Just faith.

I look back and wonder...
Why didn’t I fight for it?

Why didn’t I fight to keep the custom?
Why didn't I fight to abide by my tradition?

Because God was leading me here.

In March 2016, I had my son Jaxon.
A few months later, I joined Orange County Fitness. Usually, I would go and leave without talking to many people.
I was still disconnected.
From my religion.
From community.

A few times the gym nursery worker invited me to church, but I explained that I wasn’t Christian.
That’s not the right place for me.
I don’t belong there.

God was starting to take the lead.

During this time, I had joined a mom group on Facebook, and randomly connected with Lana Richards.
We went walking together and she mentioned small groups. I again said, I am not a Christian, that’s not for me.

I vividly remember later sitting on my couch, thinking I’m gonna sign up for a small group.

I texted Lana asking the name of the group…
Uninvited. 

There was God’s answer to me feeling like I didn’t belong.
It was exactly what I needed.
Perfect timing. 

In August 2017, I joined small groups before ever stepping foot into a church.
Through this small group, Heather Clark opened her arms to me, and I connected with Emily Welch.
I started opening up about my background, unsure at the time why I was even there…
A few months into the group,  I went to church with Emily.
I haven’t looked back since then.

I wasn’t sure where my place was in the church,
but I knew this church was the place for me.

At Bridge Point Fellowship, I learned how to apply God’s Word to my life.
I learned how God’s Word truly changes your life.

I learned how to love God and love others.
I learned how to serve God and serve others.

God led me to where I needed to be…
at the perfect time.

On August 21, 2018, a Tuesday afternoon, Jaxon had his accident. 
In a lawn mower accident, Jaxon lost nearly all of his hand.

While I was waiting for life flight, I called Kim, our pastor’s wife.
I remember telling her, Kim, I need you to pray.
I’m not going to be able to do childcare tomorrow,
Jaxon is being life flighted. 

Later I saw that our neighbor, Andrea Silveria, posted for prayer on our ladies’ church page.
So many people rallied together and prayed for my boy, many without ever knowing my name.

Jaxon ended up losing his pointer finger and had his thumb, middle finger, and hand reconstructed. 

During our hospital stay, I called Kim again, unsure how to process everything. 
She told me to put headphones in, put worship music on, and talk to God.
I put Elevation Worship on repeat. 

I learned to worship God. 
I learned to talk to Him.
I learned to lean on Him.

Meanwhile, our church family joined together and did far more than I ever expected or imagined.

Ushers gathered money to donate to us.
Women gathered and prayed.
Friends started  a meal train.
People showed up to cut our grass.
Someone left a whole line of PawPatrol toys at our doorstep…
I still never found out who it all came from.

During this time, Bridge Point showed me that God’s people give and serve. 
They welcome and love. 
They pray and support. 
They don’t have demanding requirements.
They have open arms and huge hearts. 

After years of feeling alone and disconnected, God showed me what His love looks like.
God showed me that He always saw me.
He was always with me. 
He was preparing me. 
He was leading me.

God knew where I needed to be and He laid out a perfectly imperfect path to get me here.

The generosity from my church family changed me.
God truly changed my heart through their giving.

Because of them, I have decided that I will spend my life giving. 
That is the calling God has placed on my life. 

When we were rushed to the hospital after Jaxon’s accident, we had nothing with us.
No basics or necessities.
Nothing. 

I had been listening to the song Highlands (Song of Ascent) by Hillsong UNITED.
This song helped me process the pain and move past the accident. 
It also gave me the vision for how we could use this for good.
In the highlands and the heartache, all the same. 

In April 2019, God opened a door for me to give.
I started collecting money for Jaxon’s Journey Bags.
We gathered necessities, toiletries, and small toys to put together in bags for families who have emergencies. 
We packaged them into green drawstring backpacks, each with a mountain and hands printed on the front.

I will praise on the mountain
And I will praise you when the mountain is in my way.

Along this journey, I have realized that Jesus is who he says he is.
He is our Savior.
He is our comfort and our peace.
He is our guide and our light.

I knew that I believed in my heart that Jesus was my Lord,
but I was hesitant to get baptized in front of my family and friends.
I didn’t know if I was ready to make it public.

Then, during our church fast in 2020, He spoke to me:
It's okay. It’s time to do it.

In 2020, I publicly declared my faith in Jesus as my Savior and Lord.
I publicly shared what had been happening in my heart.
I felt freedom.
I had peace.

Since 2019, we have handed out over 250 Jaxon’s Journey bags.
It has been a true joy to see his accident work for the good of others. 

His accident has changed our lives, 
but the way the church responded changed my eternal life. 

Now, I vow to spend my life giving back for my God who gave it all for me.