Hi, my name is Monica Romig. I live in Chelmsford with my husband Jonathan and I’m a Bible teacher at Bradford Christian Academy. I did not read Harry Potter. I was raised in a Christian home, and I have personally believed in Jesus my whole life. When I was younger, I was what you might call, “sheltered” by my parents, mostly my mom, and as a result I did not listen to the backstreet boys or Britney Spears. I did not watch “Ren and Stimpy” or “the Simpsons”. And I did not read Harry Potter.
In elementary school I was probably one of the only Christians, and I sat in judgment over most of my classmates. Heathens. When I was in middle school I went to a tiny school where I was one of 6 kids in my grade. Among that small group, I was the only Christian. And I could not sit in judgement anymore. For three years I was stuck in close quarters with these people. And they were everything to me. I had to make a choice. I had to choose whether or not to stick to my convictions or fall prey to the sin around me. I started listening to Queen. But I also told my friends about Jesus.
In high school I was also faced with choices, even though I went to a private Christian school. Do I copy the answers to my chemistry homework? Do I lie to my parents about where I’m going with my boyfriend? Do I run for class chaplain? All of those I did. Around that time my parents stopped going to church. Do I go without them? I did. During my college years I had choices too. Do I join the Christian club on campus? Do I help out with a youth group on Sundays? Do I have a string of unhealthy relationships with boys? All of those I did too.
When I graduated from college I had a big decision to make. Do I go to law school like my parents want me to? I didn’t. I went to seminary. To learn how to read the Bible and work in ministry. When I was there I met another student named Jonathan. Do I marry him? Yes. My parents got divorced. Did that hurt? Yes. Now I’m faced with even more choices in life. When do we have kids? How do I become a better teacher? What does it look like to be part of a church plant?
From the very beginning, I have had choices in front of me. Through all of them I have known Jesus. There was never a time that I didn’t. I don’t remember making the choice to follow Him. But in each of those choices, some of them good, some of them bad, I can look back and say that the times I was “choosing” to follow God, He was really the one choosing me, just like He chose to die on a cross to save me from my sins. And He rose from the dead to give me new life. Through everything, He has pursued me the whole time. Giving me a relationship with Him, helping me navigate these choices. Leading me to the right choices, picking me up from the bad ones.
I’m not the sheltered Christian kid I used to be. I’m not the teenager I used to be. Or the college student. Or grad student. I’m being made into someone new everyday. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. Behold, the old has gone and the new has come.” If you’re facing a choice in your life now and would like to hear more about the choices I’ve made, and the ways God has worked through them, please come talk to me.