was a athiest most my life
Then for a long time I was
That at first glance seems rather contradictory... Most of my life...a long time... And your only 27yo lol.
Yes my family are all quite religious my mums side are catholic but me and my dads side are Protestants but we are all very close :)
My mum's family was also staunchly Irish Catholic... My dad's side church of England. When in the 30s my mum got pregnant with my older sister, they eloped to avoid the scandal. Growing up I cannot remember a time when both my grandmother's were in a room at the same time. I never witnessed any open hostility, but...
When I came home at age 23 after spending time away a few years, (my dad long since passed) and told mum I was a now a converted born again Christian, she thought I had joined a cult. 20 years later as she was dying, she rejected any priest doing his thing on her death bed, and was content for me to sit at her side reading the Bible. God is good. Trust Him with everything, love Him to bits, and He'll look after you and yours.
So, welcome to the kingdom, and welcome to the forum. :)