There was a time where I thought people could only tell their story if they had a really good connection with God. Or I should not share my story because they would view me as a different person. Or would not be able to connect with my story.
But, I was wrong. psalms 139:14 tells you differently.
“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it full well.”
I am his workmanship. I am His Beauty that walks the earth. I am his son. When I was not telling my story about where I was in life, I was denying God’s glory. He has set a path for me and I had the choice to follow or stray off and be lost. No matter what path you take, everyone has a story. Be proud to tell the world what you have lived through. No matter how big or small you may think it is, go to the mountains and shout it so everyone can hear it. This is what my Father has done for me.
Here is my story:
I grew up in a christian military family where I was moving every six months to two years depending on the assignment that my dad received. So home was a difficult question to be asked because I did not really know where home was growing up as a kid. Also moving schools so often, limited the friendships I was able to build. So my brother and sister became very close.
My dad got out of the Air Force and as a family, we settled in Bellbrook, OH. Here, stating school as a third grader, starting the process over of making new friends and learning the new school district, I had a feeling that we would be here for awhile. This was the first definition of home that I had.
Going through middle school, I was a bigger kid and at lunch, my so thought friends would steal my food, would always ask what color is this, or make fun of the clothes that I wore. I wore bright colored clothing because I was able to see those colors (I am colorblind, I have never seen the color red before).
Out of school, I found my happy place at Normandy. Here on Sunday mornings I would attend confirmation class that was ran by a lady who I look up to everyday. Going through the motions and learning about Christianity, more than what I learned from home, I was able to learn the history of the church. I thought this was the next step in following God and once you complete this class in sixth grade, you can write your ticket to heaven.
I was wrong. Seventh grade year, I started to run cross country. That first year was rough. For a two mile race, I was finishing last with times of 25 minutes. After that first year, and I took the summer to get in shape, I found running to be my therapy. Coming home from a battle zone at school with grades, and friends, it was nice to have that time where I could go for a run and this is where I started talking to this God who I know very little about.
High school came around, I was still living in Bellbrook, and was very surprised. That summer I grew six inches and lost 40 pounds. I was going into the high school knowing I had friends who ran cross country and friends who were in high school and college at my youth group, so I was going in refreshed.
There was an upper-classman who invited me to this thing called Young Life. Young Life is a christian organization that pulls kids from the high school to teach them about the Lord but with lots of laughter and playing ridiculous game and having crazy dance parties on Monday nights.
Homecoming. Every freshman weakness. I asked this girl to homecoming and a few months later started dating this girl. This girl and I dated for three years. My mind strayed from a relationship with the Lord but to only this girl. I was not treating my tight family how I use to. I was not treating my friends at school right. I would not hangout with other guys at the school. I was not that upper-classman that I wanted to be my junior year inviting kids to Young Life and having the time to sit down with kids to hear their stories.
I fell from my relationship with the Lord my sophomore and junior year of high school. I was lost. I was running from the Lord. I was was broken.
In my household, talk of moving came up again. First it started with moving internationally for a new job. Then my dad found a job out in Colorado. He put in an application, my mom and dad flew to Colorado to check out the company and the housing. Couple weeks until the end of the school year, it was official that my family was going to pack our bags again and move across the country to a state that none of us has ever been in.
The week before moving, I went to a Young Life camp in Virginia called RockBridge. Here I had conversations with a group of guys from my high school that were all going through what I was going through. As well as I was able to share some life advise to these wonderful guys and we truly had the best week of our summer.
I was so hesitant on going. I thought I would be better off staying in Ohio to visit with my girlfriend instead of going to this week in Virginia. That week in Virginia, I was able to refocus what I believed. I was able to forgive the Lord on the huge move my senior year of high school, and I was able to build friendships with guys that will never be lost no matter what state I am living in.
Three days from arriving home, the movers had everything on the truck to moved to Colorado. That last couple of days I had more coffee with guys than I had all high school. I was saying my final good byes to the people that taught me so much.
My family drove to Colorado and got to see our new home and then eight hours later, I caught a plane to North Carolina. North Carolina is home to Windy Gap Young Life camp. Here I was volunteering a month of my summer to do landscaping to this camp so that kids all over the world can come and enjoy it as I did at RockBridge.
Here I took what I learned a couple week ago, and brought it to this place where the Lord was present everyday. I found beauty in weed-eating for 4-5 hours a day. God presented him self to me in a way I have never seen before. Here I did not have the distraction of my phone so I was able to put forward 100% of my time to the Lord. Over this month, I was able to have conversations with the Lord and I took his hand so He can guide me through the next steps in my life, starting a new high school.
Coming home, I had my eyes set on Jesus. I set boundaries for my self that I am not going to cross again and I got out of a broken relationship that was craving unfaithful acts.
I can call Colorado home now, only living here for five months, I have had the opportunity to start up Young Life in this growing community. I have fixed my relationship with my parents, and having Colorado beauty to remind me everyday that He is real has really changed my life.
I have continued Cross country through high school and now have been rocking climbing because this time has given me the opportunity to talk to the Lord.
He took my brokenness that he had known all along, and made me whole. He has shaped me to who I am today. I took the wrong path a few times, but it taught me something that now I have to forgive now.
Moving has taught me to not be fearful of change, just keep your heart open so God can work on your soul.
I am excited for my next footsteps and growing in the Lord.
Deuteronomy 31:6
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
