I want to start by saying that I've been through a lot to be where I am right now & I wouldn't trade any of it for the world. Here is some background. I have 2 older brothers, 1 younger sister & 3 adopted younger brothers. My parents are divorced. My mom is a Christian, my dad is not & he left us when I was 3 or so. He's an alcoholic/druggy & abusive. He's not really in my life anymore & he owes my mom over 50,000 dollars in child support. He could care less about his children & I'm okay with that. I also want to say I can't tell my story without mentioning the author of it, my Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ. Anyways ..
I grew up in a Christian home. As far as I can remember, everyone on my mom's side of the family are Christians. I became saved when I was 5-6 & was baptized shortly there after. Although, it probably didn't mean much because I can't even remember when it was. So fast forward until I was 8 or so. I went to this camp called High Point in Pennsylvania & it was there that one night our counselors has asked us to share our testimonies & I just remember thinking I don't even have one worth telling. & so that night, she prayed with me & asked me if I wanted to recommit my life to Christ & I said yes. Time goes on, I continue going to church, doing all the Christian Activities & then when I turned ten, I went to an eye doctors appointment that pretty much changed my life. He saw that my lenses in my eye were slipping, a symptom of Marfans Syndrome, a connective tissue & heart disorder. Not only was that a symptom, but my height & my flat feet and long fingers were also symptoms. So, I had to go to a heart doctor & get tested ... two months later, I was diagnosed with Marfans Syndrome. Basically, my heart leaks blood & my aortic valve is dialated. I have to take medicine to keep my heartrate down & to stop the leak. I had to quit swimming & softball. & I remember just thinking " Why would you do this to me God? " So I became depressed.I get to 6th grade & start hanging with the wrong crowd. I just wanted to be liked and I felt like I needed the attention my dad didn't give me. So I started smoking cigarettes( I literally smoked like 5 in my life because I got caught lol.) & I started to say I was "bi" because those are the kind of people I hung out with although I knew I never was bi. It was more of just a title than a word. My grades started to slip, & my mom & I got into arguments all the time. So by 7th grade, I got my act together, got good grades, had amazing friends but my relationship with God was nothing close to what it could have been. Every summer though, I'd go back to this camp & I'd come back on a spiritual high, each time lasting longer than the last. & I'd be so ready to be on fire for God but it'd slowly fade & I'd be back to saying I was a Christian but my heart was far from Him. So 9th grade comes & I started dating this guy. He literally ruined my life & words can't even begin to describe how hard it was for me to forgive him. I cut because of him & I tried to commit suicide because of him. He was a liar and a cheater & yanno the worst part? I dated him for 2 and a half years. Its sick, I know but he was emotionally abusive & I just don't know what I was thinking by staying with him. He broke up with me by having his sister call my mom & tell me he committed suicide. I was a mess and that's when I tried committing suicide. But 1 week later, my brothers saw him in Walmart. At this point I finally had the courage to just walk and away & never talk to him again & I thank God everyday I never did anything to lose my purity with Him. So this brings me to the summer of my junior year, I went & stayed with my dad for a month to try and fix things between us. Know what he did? Drank. every night. cursed me out, everynight. Out in public, He was so embarassing. So then I start my junior year of highschool, happy & free. & then my mom moved my family 4 hours from all I've ever known. I resented it & I couldn't understand why God did this to me. But you know what? This passed year has been the most amazing year of my life. I started going to a new church, met some amazing teens in my youthgroup & I have the most supportive youth leaders in my life. I've finally figured out why God moved me here & it was so my relationship with Him could finally be restored. He's given me the wake up call I've needed for so long. I started going to youth group, found my self worth in who God is, went on many retreats & evangelism training conferences & even went on my first Missions Trip. My youth pastor has done so much for me in leading me back to God & just making me want to serve Him whole heartedly. Now, I'm home schooled for my senior year, I go to church 2-3 times a week including youth group. I sing on a worship team & I'm going to my number one choice school this fall to be a bible major. God has done wonders in my life because I've finally trusted in Him, whole heartedly. I've finally trusted in His plan for my life & I've got this want and desire to be all in for Him. I can't explain it, but when you give your life to God & you seek daily to follow Him, something in you changed completely & its so overwhelming & I'm so incredibly thankful. I'm so happy I moved because my relationship with Christ would not be where it is right now. This is my story so far. God is still working on me though & He's working on you too. Praise Him while you're waiting.
