My testimony, this is the story of how God has worked in my life and how God is faithful.
Before I was born, my parents were separated and after I was born they tried to make it work, but still it ended in divorce. My mother remarried when I was 2 years old to a wonderful man named Mike (who I refer to as my dad). I have grown up in a Christian home with my mom and dad and my little brother, Trey. My mom and dad always went to church and made sure that my brother and I went as well. I first learned about God by watching my mother's life and also through a nice old lady named Blanche, she took me under her wing at church and helped me memorize some of my first bible verses.
I went to church every year growing up, but I didn't really understand why everyone, Christians, did some of the things they did. I praise God that my parents allowed me try to discover God on my own while at the same time being godly examples. My parents not only talked about their faith but more importantly they lived it out.
Like most children, I rebelled against my parents teachings and God. For a short while in Junior High I struggled believing in God. I couldn't understand why God would prohibit me from doing some of the things that I wanted to do. I didn't understand why my parents wouldn't let me do what I wanted to do or why they always seemed more protective or strict than the other parents. I did not like having a curfew or checking in with them and constantly letting them know where I was at. Later on in life, this becomes one of the things that I love the most about my parents, because now I understand that it was out of their love for me that they disciplined me and tried to protect me.
My parents noticed my rebelling behavior and started making me go to church with them. I groaned for a while about going to church, because we had just switched to a new church and I was just not happy about being at church. I didn't give God a chance because I stubborn and wanted to live life my way.
One day at church my cousin asked my if I would go to youth group with her. I had refused to go before when other people had asked me to go, but since it was her I decided to go. Well, she never showed up that night at youth group and I was stuck in a room with a bunch of people I didn't know. I thought they were weird honestly because the moment I walked in the door kids started greeting me, they had no idea who I was, but they made me feel welcomed. I made friends that night who would become my best friends throughout my childhood and teenage years, and some of them would stay for the rest of my life.
It was in that youth group that I learned about who God is, in a way that I could understand. I was introduced to teenagers that had something about them that I could not explain, they had God. I realized that this was the God my parents knew about too and I desired to know more about Him.
Well, it is over 11 years later and I still desire to know more about God. God has blessed me so much throughout my life. He didn't let me stay in my rebellion, but instead He persued me. He used my parents and new friends to help me know Him. I believe He knew how rebellious my heart really was and to save me from pain, He helped me learn about Him early on in life. This doesn't mean that I haven't made mistakes or rebelled since then, but I am constantly striving to know God and out of His love He never lets me stay in my rebellion for long. I always go back towards the truth and as I have matured in my faith that is the only place that I want to be, in His love and in His truth.
Once you had found something so good and so right, it is hard not to share that with others. God has transformed my life and I know He desires the same for others. This is why I share my testimony with you and why I became a missionary. I amazed by God's love for me and for others.
