It's hard to write about yourself; to summarize who you are in a couple paragraphs. Honestly when I think of who I am, the catch phrase that comes to mind is "a mess…but claimed and renewed by the King." I come from a smallish town and the part of town with a bad reputation. At one point in my life I began to believe that my future held nothing more for me than what was expected from a girl this side of the tracks. I wondered if there was something else out there that didn't involve partying, boyfriends, pregnancy and wondering where the next loaf of bread would come from. I grew up in a single parent home, just below the poverty line. My father left before I was born and every few years would make a brief appearance. For most of my childhood I was a good kid. I listened to my mother well, was polite and kind and always had my head in the clouds dreaming of possibilities. Then I became a teenager and along with the wondering who I was, the distorted body image, and the need to be loved by a boy that every teen goes through, I was consumed by outrage and anger. At the time I wasn't sure where it all was coming from and my mother certainly couldn't figure it out either but I hated my family, my town, my life…and myself. I was on the verge of making alot of bad decisions so I felt perhaps I needed to talk to someone. I started going to anger managment classes with a therapist, but they were not the things that really changed my life. At the end of my tenth grade year, Jesus took what was left of my life and bit by bit He gave me life back. Those next two years of high school were hard but better than ever before. I did go through hard times–but now I had a Father and a Saviour bringing me through it all.
After graduation I went to Bethany Bible College in Sussex, NB, Can. Those five years were even more intense than the last two of my walk with the Lord. When I went to Bible College I really began to understand what the Gospel is really about. Being a Christian became more than going to church, having Christian friends and reading the Bible. Fath became an action word to me. Grace was transformed into an unmerited gift. and Love became the addiction that would tear me down and build me back up again. When you REALLY give your life to the Lord, He will make your life explode and you WILL be changed. God used those years to dig deep into the heart of me and uproot some weeds that had set up camp and attempted to destroy me. The battle was intense…for the last two years of school I didn't handle all the changes well and the Enemy threw depression my way, which I will share more about later, but trust this he DID NOT SUCCEED…because I am deeply in Love with a God Bigger than the Enemy ever thought of being and my God is deeply in Love with me.
I went on my internship a year ago and God used that year to heal me and pour out His comfort on me. I did my internship at Deep Water Church (the best church ever I might add haha www.deepwaterchurch.com) and I was blessed with brothers and sisters that I grew so close with. I had to move home to Yarmouth, NS, Can about 2 weeks ago, but what I thought would be the worst thing ever has turned out to be a blessing. I thought I was taking 2 steps behind…but in the end it was all to give me a running start! So right now I am working in a Nursing home and a restaurant paying off studnet loans and raising money to go on the WR this coming January! I know now I am right where I need and want to be. Everything I had been through so far is and will be for the glory of the One Who saved me.
"You make all things work together for my good. You stay the same through the ages, Your love never changes. There may be pain in the night, but joy comes in the morning. And when the oceans rage, I don't have to be afraid, because I know that You love me."—Your Love Never Fails, Jesus Culture.
