My Story _ Testimony

God made every human being on this earth and he has a purpose for every single one. He is constantly working in our lives. We are all a piece of art, we all have a story. So what is my story?

Well I grew up in a household that didn't go to church and we didn't even talk about such things. High school I was dedicated to running and school and nothing else. I had little friends and planned to make new ones in college. I planned to start a new life because the life I was currently living wasn't satisfying.

I went to CSU for their chemical engineering program and to run for them too, because I thought that was the only way I would continue to run, when in fact Colorado is one of the most active states. I flew out by myself and had my stuff shipped later. Some would say that it would be scary to be alone in a new place. For me I have always been okay with being alone.

Entering college I had dreams of making friends, doing well in school, maybe find a boyfriend, and find happiness and purpose in my life. Who would have guessed that God had a bigger/better plan for me.

I instantly clicked with my roomate and within the first week of college she invited me to a number of barbeques through different church organizations. I felt bad because I wasn't Christian and yet I was eatting their food. I considered church groups like clubs and so to me being christian was just a title for members of the church. I wasn't part of the "club", so am I allowed to eat their food?

Another important character that God put in my path was a girl who lived next door to me, Sarah. A sophmore, and me just a freshman. She invited me to these fun things like photo scavenger hunt, trip to walmart, $1 trace bundy concert, and another concert in old town. She was so nice to me, it was unusual for me. I never got invited to anything in high school.

A couple weeks into school, Katie and Eddie (both lived at my dorm) after dinner one night invited me to go to their small group. At the time I was still thrilled to be invited to something and so I agreed to come. Once there I found myself in a position where I didn't know anything (I didn't even know the story of David, they were discusing Psalm 23) but even though I didn't know anything I felt comfortable, I felt like I had found away to make friends. Eddie gave me a bible and I continued to come to small group and the Rock (a college students focused service with contemporary worship music and a message).

I was new to all of it but everybody was so helpful, showing me where things were in the bible and explaining the background to the passages we discussed, actually they discussed. I didn't quite connect with the messages at the Rock. But there was something about these people that attracted me. They always had a smile on their face and they lived life as though they had purpose.(happiness and purpose that was what I was looking for)

Finally one night after the Rock (September 24, 2004 to be precise) I ended up walking back to campus from a park with Sarah and Eddie. It was a beautiful cool night and shortly after we started walking Eddie asked me what i thought about things, about small group/ rock. Earlier during the Rock I wrote a little note to God that I was willing to give this new life a try, I didn't understand but I did know that it might lead to happiness, purpose and friends. So in response to Eddie's questions I told him that I wanted to be Christian and I wanted to know what I had to do to join the "club". He tried explaining somethings and eventially told me I just had to pray. so on a park bench in Remington Gardens between 2 amazing people I accepted Christ.

I didn't realize how big of a deal it was until the next morning. Sarah had told everybody and so the whole day I was been congratulated and I even got notes from people. That is when it hit me that it wasn't just a "club". The next 2 weeks I read the bible and absorbed what others talked about. God also revealed to me sins I had done and my image of myself as a "good" girl was revealed to be a lie. By the time I was babtised on October 8th I had a better understanding of what this all meant.

I don't know really the exact time everything changed but I have changed.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" - 2 Corinthians 5:17

The past 11 months have been the best months of my life. There were many hard times and there still are but when you know the truths that Christ died for me, I'm going to live in heaven for eternity, he loves me, he has choosen me, he has a great purpose for my life, and many others that causes my heart to overflow with joy to thing about. I'm his daughter that he thinks is beautiful, I will always have his promises, Christ died for ALL my sins, I'm filled with the Spirit to guide me through life, I'm never alone, I'll always have a friend.