DAY 12- MARY KATE O’CONNELL

Day 14 – March 18, 2025

Hello! We are Matthew and Mary Kate. We are an engaged couple that moved to Huntsville over the summer and have been slowly building ourselves a life here. We are so honored that we were chosen to be featured in this series. 

We both grew up with religion being a part of our upbringing. We attended Sunday church with our families, participated in Vacation Bible School, and made our sacraments when appropriate. This was something that for both of us was a part of normal life. While getting to know each other, we both enjoyed that this was something we had in common.  

Another thing we had in common was attending college at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. What a place! For an 18-year-old away from home, parents, family, your roots, all you’ve known, for the first time, a college campus is filled with temptations! From navigating trying to fit in, looking cool, make friends, to attending all of the events and sports games offered, to trying to make room for your studies, temptations of all sorts are everywhere! 

In that time of your life, it can be challenging to make the right choices in terms of what is best for you and staying true to your beliefs. When these temptations were always at the forefront of life as a college student, making time for weekly church or daily prayers felt challenging and it felt lonely. The pattern of temptations preventing us from a clear path to our religions continued for both of us after we left the city limits of Tuscaloosa. Matthew went off to Tucson, Arizona to pursue a dream job and Mary Kate moved to Austin, Texas for her master’s degree. Going to church alone where you didn’t know anyone was something that kept us both from the relationship with God that we both wanted so much. It was a time that gave us both a sense of hardship while feeling lonely and without a true sense of direction. We both felt so blessed to find each other, despite sometimes feeling lonely and directionless.  

When moving to Huntsville, getting engaged, and preparing for a future together the topic of our relationship with God and the influence of a wonderful church in our lives was one that was very important to both of us. Both individually and as a couple, we have actively decided to turn away from temptations and focus on our relationship with God and our new roles as members of the First United Methodist Church here in Huntsville. Since shutting down the temptations that are ever present in life and staying true to that commitment, we have found a true sense of belonging, community, friendship, and fellowship here within this church family. We could not be more thankful that we have made the decision to turn down temptation and make God a main focus in our lives once again. 

– Mary Kate O’Connell

Prayer: Loving God, transitions in life can be so challenging. We are grateful for your love and care in helping us navigate the changes that inevitably come. You give us other people along our paths, with whom we live our lives. You give us church homes where we can come together with others to grow closer to you while figuring out what it is you want from our lives. Help us to listen, Lord, and to be worthy of all the gifts you give. Amen.