Today I decided to reflect upon the walk with God that I've had and celebrate the journey we've been on together so far, there's still so much farther to go! It's crazy!
So back in 1994 as a wee lass, I started going to Calvary Christian Center. Playing, drawing, and falling asleep during my pastor's sermons. When I got baptized, my friends and I (Lydia,Patrick,Mike, Freddie, and a few others) I remember us being speechless, we had no idea what we are doing, but we knew God loved us and we were ready to do this!
I remember going to Steve Hill's revival services where we would all as kids look at all the people being slain by the spirit and falling on the floor and saying we wanted that too. So we went up to be prayed for so we could drop to the floor. LOL. God knew our hearts too much to let that interest go to waste!
I remember just those times of just going to church. I've never stopped in the last 17 years of my relationship with God. He blessed me with a loving church family. He increased my chances of having friends, He gave me a peace even as a child.
Even going through school, having a divorce happen early on in my life, when I was like 8 and knowing all of that. He blessed my life.
All of the teachers after that I have seen have said how I always was smiling and how I was a great student. I had no idea of that.
God has given me this joy through the pain. With multiple suicides happening on both sides of my family. Near and dear, and very very young. Tons of divorces in my family alone, beside my immediate.
I remember going to camp. Kids camp and pre-teen and high school camp. Those were good times. Looking at "The Visor Boys" with my friends. Puppets, Jesus, prayer, getting the holy spirit. The blob. Carlinville, Illinois has some treasured moments!
Then there was Missionettes from Daises through Honor Star hardcore. I loved it, learning about things like Scripture, the stories of Esther, weird enough helped me later on be the woman of God I need to be!
Then there is Youth Group, Conventions, trips, Chili's and McDonalds. God formed my trust for people there, and some of my best friends are from that group. They taught me to be young, enjoy time, but also God has a plan for you and it's ok to grow deep, and express that.
Then there came Middle School and High School. HATED MIDDLE SCHOOL. Just saying. I was out for about a month of that. I had scoliosis and had to have a spinal fusion. Then I got a SOCCER bowl cut for hair when I came back. Oh man, talk about fashion emergency. NO make up, nothing, but I look back now and say, you know what. I turned out alright lol!
High School. I loved High School. Involved hardcore in tennis. Multiple class councils. Hated school but loved the rest! I had friends but some went down a crazy path so me being pretty solid, I had to let some friendships go, which caused drama cause I had to see them across from my table in the cafeteria. Never got me down or to SURRENDER to peer pressure though. I always stayed on the narrow path. I remember senior year was awesome. Loved my tennis team.
I remember my english class senior year. A guy in my class, Justin, asked me if I was a lesbian because no one had ever seen me date anyone or be with a guy ever. Oh yeah, that was hard. I was like no, there are just no guys for me here. And THAT'S FOR REAL! LOL. Plus I don't date to date, like everyone else did!
The other kicker is I was a in a wonderful speech class senior year. One of my favorites. It was a blessing, and very fun to be personal with a bunch of people from our class and grow deeper, all time favorite class.
But one of my speeches was about teaching young kids about sexual education and how I was not for it. I used an example THAT WAS RANDOM to say the least.
See I fly random, I plan enough but then I like to throw in some surprises. Well this was fun.
I explained about finding out about sex or having sex too early as a Christmas present. Sitting under the tree, waiting for you on Christmas Day. Some people have been known to shake their gifts to find out what's inside. But my question is, is it fragile, what if it broke? So if they would have waited til' "Christmas Day" it would have been perfectly there, untouched, beautiful, a surprise, a joy, but if they open up that present too early or try to shake it to find out what's inside, it's not going to be anywhere near to that.
Oh the joy of that day. Let's just say we all had a GREAT LAUGH. THE WHOLE CLASS. Even my teacher. I will remember that day for the rest of my life. See I was quieter in high school. So that class was challenging. But after that day, and since then I've been louder, not afraid to be honest. Just say it like it is. (P.s.) I went to a public school not one of those private Christian schools.
Ah. Then I graduated. So good to be done with that. Finding out I was about to head out to a new state, Minneapolis, MN, which I would find out later to BE FREEZING COLD! Start at my first private Christian university ever. There my relationship with God strengthened. Chapels everyday. Christian friends. More like a family. (P.s.) I have no family in Minnesota either, they all in Illinois for the most part.
I was challenged, living with God's call, a bunch of Christian friends, and being away from all of my family. But I love it. I would never change it. God blessed me. And now here I am about to graduate. I am one of the first women in my family to stay focused on school, not lose sight on a boy (although there were moments in the last 7 years don't worry). I am a woman of God who wants to help people. I'm graduating on May 5, 2012, and am going to have my Bachelor's of Science in Social Work with a minor in Biblical Studies.
God still challenges me now, He always will. But I can say fully now that I trust God with every single thing. He does provide and will always make a way to make sure I get the best, not mediocre, not sub-par, but the absolute best.
I am constantly giving it all to go His way. Everyday. It's a lifetime process, not just a one step easy plan. But I've enjoyed every step of it so far :)
- An excerpt from my walk with God <3
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