From Religion to Relationship

I grew up in the church. God to me was a religion; doing right from wrong. I slipped up many times in my life and never understood how to not always find myself in a spot where I needed to ask for forgiveness for a sin that I could have avoided. I was so weak. I longed to know God in a real way and not "slip" up so many times. I taught bible studies, sang on the worship team, went on missions trips. I was a good person. People liked me. But I did things that were wrong. When I found myself doing things that were wrong I would always come the Lord and ask for forgiveness and then I would do the right thing again. Everytime I would find myself doing the wrong thing I became tired of being there, it was not me...it was not who I wanted to be. I wanted to be able to choose Christ fully and completely but often I found myself slipping up again. I longed for the thing I had studied so many times; wholeheartedness. But I didn't know how to obtain it...What was I doing wrong?
After college the wrong thing became more and more frequent and I was more and more tired of "slipping" up. I walked away from the Lord completely for about 5 months of my life. From February 2008-June 2008 I wanted out of a particular church and that meant I didn't want anything to do with God, cause they were one of the same.
Summer of 2008 the Lord took what had now become a hard heart and began to soften it. He orchestrated certain things that only He could do. From people that came into my life, to how my heart began to heal was certainly of the Lord. During this time I began to see His for who He is. My eyes were open to His spirit, to Him, to the relationship He longed to have with me. I have fallen back in love with my maker and I am growing closer and closer to Him and who He is.
The shift from religion to relationship is the crux of my testimony. God wants to have a relationship with us.
He longs for us to know him and be known by him.
He has opened my heart to receive Him and who He is and who I am in Him. He is my ALL and ALL, my EVERYTHING. He is ENOUGH to satisfy every aspect of my life.
The Lord has drawn me closer to Him, never to let me go. I am reminded of all those songs I use to sing growing up that have such a more rich meaning to them now. Now that I know my God intimately and relationally.