My Testimony
This is indeed, as the title suggests, my testimony. However, even if you aren't an avid believer, or don't know what you believe in, or have skepticism about Christianity, I still encourage you to read it because it's a great story, you get to know me a little bit better, and it has some great links in it too!
When I was a freshman in high school and 14 years old I got sick with something that doctors couldn't figure out until I was on the uphill climb. I love to play competitive sports and I went into high school playing volleyball after intense conditioning all summer long. It was, I believe, the first week of October 2011 when I first got sick. It felt like I had the flu so I went to sleep one night and didn't wake up for a week. I guess I woke up to go to the bathroom, but I honestly don't remember that. I only know because I was told.
I went back to school after a week thinking I was better, but I wasn't. I just kept feeling like I had the flu and I was super run down. They tested me for absolutely everything and found nothing. I was sent to many specialists and still really nothing came about. After a few months of being sick, I started developing intense, debilitating migraines. I would have to put a blanket over my eyes and be in a dark room with no sound for days on end. Again tests and specialists found really nothing.
Through all of this, I missed pretty much my entire Freshman and Sophomore year. Something needed to change because at this point I wasn't going to graduate on time and I didn't want that to affect me later in life, but regular public school just wasn't working for me because my migraines we're too debilitating.
There's a school where I live called Victory Christian Academy and they use what's call the P.A.C.E. program. Which is basically packets of work. You get 12 packets a year in each subject that you take and you take a test after you finish each one. This allowed me to continue doing my education at home because attendance was not required and you teach yourself the material.
Even though I was not a Christian when I started.. I was when I graduated and this is how it happened. The program that this school used was Christian based and so everything that you learned about was somehow tied to Christianity. Not only that, but there was constant verse memorization throughout the packet of work and then a monthly scripture memorization. When we started in the morning we prayed, when we went to lunch we prayed, when we left we prayed, when we needed help, those who were supervising prayed with us. It truly was just centered around Christ and the Christian faith.
Now, I didn't not have knowledge of being a Christian and God and faith, but my parents are not believers and don't attend church. With that being said though, they are super open people and open to letting my brother and I explore things and make our own decisions about this world. So when I was younger I would attend youth groups and awanas and VBS' with friends but I hadn't come to a conclusion about how I really felt yet nor did I know what being a true Christian meant.
All of these things were working on my heart without my knowledge. Every week on Wednesday after lunch, we had "chapel". Sometimes it was an area pastor that would come in and give a thirty minute sermon and sometimes we would watch a video. Again all of these things were just continually working on me, but there was this one video that we watched and it just tore me down. We're talking ugly crying in the girl's bathroom for 30 minutes broke me down. Looking back, that was the first time I felt the Holy Spirit move in me and I still get goosebumps when I think about that moment. That video was the I Am Barabbas video from YouTube. Here's the link to the Barabbas video and if you have time, I highly encourage you to watch it! I also read the book Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers and it spoke directly to my heart and really encouraged me to continue on my journey. This book is another thing that I highly recommend you look into! Even if you don't believe in God, it's still an amazing read.
After this I realized that my heart just called me to seek out Jesus. And the more I sought out, the more I felt my worth and my self growing. In March we went to this thing called convention which is where other schools like mine would meet and compete in everything from sports to art. At the end of each day, we would meet in an auditorium and listen to someone speak.. it wasn't necessarily a sermon, but it also wasn't just for entertainment.
One night something just clicked in me and it all came together and made sense and it overcame me and I cried. That night, March 16 2015, I gave my life to Christ. I'm not going to say that it's been a perfect journey since then, because I am human and not perfect. I still desire a relationship with Christ and know everyday that it has been the best decision I have ever made.
If you have any questions, please reach out to me! I love to talk and I truly care that you feel as informed as possible. Also my story is long and a bit confusing so if you have any questions feel free to ask and I will do my best to answer. My hope is that this was helpful, inspiring, and encouraging to you!
When I was a freshman in high school and 14 years old I got sick with something that doctors couldn't figure out until I was on the uphill climb. I love to play competitive sports and I went into high school playing volleyball after intense conditioning all summer long. It was, I believe, the first week of October 2011 when I first got sick. It felt like I had the flu so I went to sleep one night and didn't wake up for a week. I guess I woke up to go to the bathroom, but I honestly don't remember that. I only know because I was told.
I went back to school after a week thinking I was better, but I wasn't. I just kept feeling like I had the flu and I was super run down. They tested me for absolutely everything and found nothing. I was sent to many specialists and still really nothing came about. After a few months of being sick, I started developing intense, debilitating migraines. I would have to put a blanket over my eyes and be in a dark room with no sound for days on end. Again tests and specialists found really nothing.
Through all of this, I missed pretty much my entire Freshman and Sophomore year. Something needed to change because at this point I wasn't going to graduate on time and I didn't want that to affect me later in life, but regular public school just wasn't working for me because my migraines we're too debilitating.
There's a school where I live called Victory Christian Academy and they use what's call the P.A.C.E. program. Which is basically packets of work. You get 12 packets a year in each subject that you take and you take a test after you finish each one. This allowed me to continue doing my education at home because attendance was not required and you teach yourself the material.
Even though I was not a Christian when I started.. I was when I graduated and this is how it happened. The program that this school used was Christian based and so everything that you learned about was somehow tied to Christianity. Not only that, but there was constant verse memorization throughout the packet of work and then a monthly scripture memorization. When we started in the morning we prayed, when we went to lunch we prayed, when we left we prayed, when we needed help, those who were supervising prayed with us. It truly was just centered around Christ and the Christian faith.
Now, I didn't not have knowledge of being a Christian and God and faith, but my parents are not believers and don't attend church. With that being said though, they are super open people and open to letting my brother and I explore things and make our own decisions about this world. So when I was younger I would attend youth groups and awanas and VBS' with friends but I hadn't come to a conclusion about how I really felt yet nor did I know what being a true Christian meant.
All of these things were working on my heart without my knowledge. Every week on Wednesday after lunch, we had "chapel". Sometimes it was an area pastor that would come in and give a thirty minute sermon and sometimes we would watch a video. Again all of these things were just continually working on me, but there was this one video that we watched and it just tore me down. We're talking ugly crying in the girl's bathroom for 30 minutes broke me down. Looking back, that was the first time I felt the Holy Spirit move in me and I still get goosebumps when I think about that moment. That video was the I Am Barabbas video from YouTube. Here's the link to the Barabbas video and if you have time, I highly encourage you to watch it! I also read the book Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers and it spoke directly to my heart and really encouraged me to continue on my journey. This book is another thing that I highly recommend you look into! Even if you don't believe in God, it's still an amazing read.
After this I realized that my heart just called me to seek out Jesus. And the more I sought out, the more I felt my worth and my self growing. In March we went to this thing called convention which is where other schools like mine would meet and compete in everything from sports to art. At the end of each day, we would meet in an auditorium and listen to someone speak.. it wasn't necessarily a sermon, but it also wasn't just for entertainment.
One night something just clicked in me and it all came together and made sense and it overcame me and I cried. That night, March 16 2015, I gave my life to Christ. I'm not going to say that it's been a perfect journey since then, because I am human and not perfect. I still desire a relationship with Christ and know everyday that it has been the best decision I have ever made.
If you have any questions, please reach out to me! I love to talk and I truly care that you feel as informed as possible. Also my story is long and a bit confusing so if you have any questions feel free to ask and I will do my best to answer. My hope is that this was helpful, inspiring, and encouraging to you!
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