I home-schooled my daughters—twins Victoria and Kathlynn—for kindergarten and first grade. Halfway through first grade I became very restless and had the strongest feeling I just had to get my girls into school. I now know it was the Holy Spirit prompting me. I didn't want them in public school, but I wasn't crazy about them going into parochial schools either. I didn't want them exposed to that "dogma."

I was a borderline non-believer. I was raised to attend church; however, I had a lot of questions and no one seemed real interested in answering them. It seemed they only shoved God and unconditional belief down my throat with no reasoning for anything. No one seemed interested in studying the Bible. I had taken my girls to a few churches, but none seemed "friendly." I knew the girls needed some kind of spiritual connection and I needed it myself, but I just didn't find anything that fit us.

During Summer 2004, I discussed my dilemma with a friend. She told me she sent her children to an Adventist school many years ago and just loved it. She loved the curriculum, the small class setting, and the fact that all denominations were welcome. The children learned the Bible, but weren't "brainwashed."

On Sunday before school started in 2004, my husband and I drove through Grand Ledge, Michigan, and happened to pass the Grand Ledge Seventh-day Adventist Church. We had passed this church many, many times before, but it really didn't call to us until we saw a sign that read "Ledges Adventist Elementary—Now Enrolling 1st–8th Grades." I wrote the number down and called the next day. I was told it was the first day of school, but we were more than welcome to come and check out the school to see if it was for us. That afternoon we went to the school and met Francine Bergmann, the principal. She was wonderful, and we just seemed to belong there. The girls were enrolled that day and started the next, and they have loved every minute.

Later that year, Kathlynn wanted to see what church was like. We asked Francine when church started, and I was a bit shocked to find that [she] went to church on Saturday and called it the Sabbath. Being someone who wasn't really familiar with the Bible, God, or Christianity, it was all kind of strange; I wasn't sure if this was really going to work. I thought if you have to go to church on Saturday, of all days, that would really ruin the weekend since everyone else went to church on Sunday. I wondered why they were so different.

I decided to appease Kathlynn. So, needless to say, we went to church and found everyone very welcoming. Francine knew I was a bit apprehensive and kind of took me under her wing. She and her husband Jason were amazing mentors to me. The girls loved Sabbath school, and I have to admit so did I. Here was a group of people who didn't have a problem discussing the Bible, and they were more than willing to explain things to me.

I kept going back Sabbath after Sabbath. The more I studied, the more I needed to know. I sat up late at night reading the Bible, then moved into Ellen White's writings, and listened to tapes from the previous year's camp meeting that I had borrowed from Francine. I was totally blown away, I loved this, but I knew there was one thing missing. I needed to be baptized; it wasn't just to be a part of the church or to say that I was this or that. I needed it because I wanted so much to be one of God's children and to be cleansed.

In January 2005, Ted Struntz began an evangelistic series in our church. Francine urged me to go; she said I really needed to. A few weeks into the meetings, I discussed my desire to be baptized with Francine. She suggested I talk to our pastor, who at that time was Chris James. I discussed it with him and started a Bible study with his wife Elisha. By mid-March, I felt it was time. I can't explain the feeling I had. I didn't just want to be baptized, I felt I needed to be baptized.

During the evangelistic meetings, the evangelist passed out cards to write comments or questions on, or to request a visit or baptism. When I saw the card, I wrote "Yes, I want to be baptized." We set an appointment to discuss this, and he asked if there was anything keeping me from being baptized. I told him, "No, I am just waiting for you to do it." Five days later, on March 19, I was baptized into the Grand Ledge Adventist Church. I feel I am home.

I am glad I followed the prompting of the Holy Spirit last year. I am now able to hold my head high and proudly say that I am one of God's children. My daughters will be raised in the church and will continue in Adventist schools. Yes, we have made a lot of sacrifices and had to give up some things that we loved because of Sabbath, but you know what, I wouldn't trade what I have now with God for anything or anyone.

My daughters have both given their heart to God and look forward to the day when they can be baptized. That is all that I can ask for.

Linda Paul is a member of the Grand Ledge (Michigan) Church. Francine Bergmann has moved to Washington State, where she will teach the third and fourth grades next year at Nelson Crane Christian School, an Adventist school in Puyallup, Washington.