I picked up Guild Wars when it first came out and I loved it! I always said that I'd never play a game that required a monthly subscription and I held to that.
....until a friend got me to try the free 10-day trial of World of Warcraft. After the trial ran out, I went to the store and picked up my own copy. I also play somewhat casually. I get to play more on the weekends than I do during the week, but I do end up playing an hour or two each night on average (some nights will be longer, and some nights I may not play at all).
It took me about a year to get a character to 60, but part of that was due to the fact that I found that I enjoyed exploring, and I also started several new characters before settling on one to concentrate on.
If you don't get into a good guild right away, you'll probably lose interest with Warcraft quickly. I think the same could probably be said for Guild Wars. I will say though that as much as I liked Guild Wars, I tried going back to it after having played World of Warcraft and I realized that it didn't even come close to comparing. If you want to enjoy Guild Wars, don't put a lot of time to Warcraft!
If you do decide to try out Warcraft, I or one of the others here could probably hook you up with a free 10-day trial code.
You also have a choice between many great Christian guilds that are listed through CGAlliance. The one that I belong to is called Creations of the Light and it is on the server named Stormrage.
http://www.cotl.info
I will warn that World of Warcraft can become addictive, but I personally don't have a major problem with it. As with anything, it's just a matter of getting your priorities in line and exercising self-control.
I like to think of it as God first, then family, then job/school, then friends and free time.
Don't neglect spending time with God through bible study and prayer. I and I'm sure many others are guilty of not giving God the time that he deserves. Remember that we would not exist it it were not for Him. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We deserve death and destruction, but it is by His grace that we can be saved. Give God the time that He deserves! You can also honor God by honoring your family, working hard at your job, and by being wise with who you choose as your friends and in how you spend your free time.
Make sure that you also spend time with your family, work hard at your job (or school in preparation for your future job), and choose your friends and how you spend your free time in a way that will not dishonor your family.
Sorry, just off on a tangent, but it's good stuff to think about.
