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Larnelle Harris Lyrics

Brought up in the church against your will
You were raised in a religious environment without much choice or say in the matter.

Forced to sit through sermons and be still
You were required to attend church services and listen to the preacher, even if you didn't want to.

Making trouble for the Sunday School teacher
You caused disruptions and problems for the person who taught Sunday School classes.

Running through the pews
You were active and energetic as a child, often playing and running in the church.

Just a child then
You were young and immature at that time in your life.

You were wide-eyed and confused
As a child, the religious teachings and beliefs didn't make much sense to you.

Screaming on the bus with all the youth
When you were with other young people from church, you were loud and excited.

More concerned with dating than with truth
As a teenager, you were more interested in romantic relationships than in following religious principles.

Too cool to join the choir, too smart to go to school
You felt that participating in church activities like singing in the choir was uncool and beneath you, while formal education seemed boring and unchallenging.

Church was boring
You found attending religious services to be dull and uninteresting.

And the scriptures, just more rules
You saw the religious texts and teachings as sets of regulations to follow rather than as meaningful spiritual guidance.

[Chorus:] But all through the years Your eyes and ears Saw just enough of Christ among the people here
You witnessed enough kindness and goodness in the people around you who followed Christ to pique your interest.

To know that you could trust
You began to believe that you could rely on Jesus' guidance and teachings.

To know that you were loved
You felt cared for and appreciated by those who practiced their faith alongside you.

Until there came the day Your heart could finally say (pray)
Eventually, you came to a point where you were ready to open up to God and ask for guidance.

I want to go where You are going, Lord I want to be among Your people where You are
You expressed a desire to join Jesus and other followers of His on their path towards salvation.

I cannot live my life alone, I don't know how
You felt that relying solely on yourself was an impossible and daunting task.

But You would not bring me this far to leave me now
You believed that God had been guiding you up until this point and would continue to do so moving forward.

Finally off to college for the fall Fifty different lifestyles down one hall
You found yourself surrounded by a diverse set of people with varying beliefs in college.

Your professors question everything Your roommates test your faith And easy answers seem so out of place
You were challenged by those around you to justify your religious beliefs, and it was difficult to provide simple answers to complex questions.

Running from the chapel with your spouse And making monthly payments on the house
You and your spouse were building a life together, full of responsibilities and commitments outside of church.

You were living for your children And they up and moved away
You focused much of your energy on raising and providing for your children, but they eventually moved out and pursued their own paths.

Your friends seem older And worry fills your days
You felt concerned and anxious as you grew older and faced new challenges in life, surrounded by friends who were experiencing similar situations.

(Repeat Chorus)
You once again acknowledged your need for guidance from Jesus and His followers.

You would not bring me this far to leave me now...
You reiterated your belief that God had been guiding you up until this point and would continue to do so moving forward.