So here I’ am preparing for one of the craziest things I’ve ever done and the question of “who are you” keeps presenting itself! Its such a basic question, but with time I see the answer always change a little as God reveals more about my inner self to me! Especially, as I’am sharing more about my decision to go serve in 11 countries, people are always curious as to how I got to this point. Here are some of the basics and not so basic facts to start. I ‘am a small town girl from Port Allegany PA and I ‘am now living in Pittsburgh. I work in a children’s ministry and also nanny on the side, so I truly love children of all ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds, they are all so awesome! I ‘am the oldest child of 4 so I have always been a very nurturing person naturally, and a go-to babysitter in the family from a young age.
I can’t say I’ am one who has always walked closely with the Lord, that’s just not the truth! I have struggled ALOT! I knew about our heavenly father at a young age and as far I can remember,I enjoyed Sunday school for a couple years. But once difficulties presented themselves in my personal life and struggles at home came up, I unknowingly pulled away during my awkward pre-teen years. I prayed off and on but cant say my relationship with Jesus was apparent again until my early twenties . When my relationship with Jesus became clear again, it wasn’t my doing or something I was looking for, it came out of no-where. At the time I was a junior in college and lived the wild party lifestyle since I started college my freshman year. After a few run ins with underage drinking along with severe depression and abuse, God woke me up! I hated it at the time because it changed everything about me, but I knew I needed it. I had no idea who I was anymore, drinking wasn’t fun, it made me feel isolated and lonely. The only thing that made me feel alive in my spiritually deaden state was hearing,reading or studying Gods word.
The path from that point on wasn’t always clear and I would tend to fall into old patterns easily, but I knew God wouldn’t leave me in my fragile state. Since God pulled me out of my desolation 7 years ago, he not only changed my behavior(after constant stubbornness) he renewed my vision in life, just like the verse in 2 Corinthians 5:17 I truly became a new creation. Or like the Lecrae song-“he made he my life brand new” so Im going to tell the world ,anytime I hear this song I can relate to the lyrics perfectly! Our savior has been consistent in revealing to me who he has made me! God my Lord has reminded me of gifts I forgotten about like my artistic ability and love for children, but also he shows me new gifts like discerning the hurt, and showing mercy for the broken. Without such deep pain in my past I couldn’t relate to so many people and show them the endless love of Christ that he continues to show me daily.
I guess this is a little more than basic but I look forward to sharing my life in all ways through this journey over the next 11 months!
Blessings Friends
J
