Years ago, I cut out a little story from Reader's Digest that speaks volumes about a personal relationship with God:

John Dulmage said during Sunday mass at the church where his mother attends, the priest told of a conversation he had had with a young parishioner. When the priest asked the little boy if he believed in God, the child quickly responded, “Yes, I do.”

“Well,” said the priest, “why do you believe in God?”

The boy said “I don’t know why, I think it runs in our family.”

That boy reflects the opinion by which many people live. Many people are holding to a faith experience because it was passed down from their family. It is wonderful to pass along a faith heritage. However, there must come a point when it becomes personal.

Source: Reader's Digest, from Leland Patrick’s Sermon: God’s Funnel