My Testimony

The other day, I was asked to speak to my youth group about my story. At first, I didn't know what to say. My story doesn't have one of those awe-ha moments, where I realize Jesus was the way. But, that got me thinking, that's what makes my story relatable. I decided that some people may want to know more of who I am as a person. Why my opinions are what they are. As the person reading this, you may not know me personally. I feel like that is a problem, because I want you to have a connection to me and want to help you in any way I can. That being said, here is my Testimony: (shortened, because if it wasn't we'd be here all day.)
I grew up in a christian home, and was raised to believe in Jesus Christ. So many people think that Christians don’t have any problems, that once you accept God into your heart all of your struggles disappear, I was also one who thought that. When I was in a bad situation, like when I lost my Grandma, I thought, Why God if you loved me so dearly would you take her away from me? I thought that God must love me less because he didn’t save her. I went through a time of grief, and at the time was also battling bullies at school. I turned away from God thinking that he didn’t have something worthwhile in store for me, that I was better off making my own path, that I didn’t need him in my life.  But then I realized something, no matter how hard we try to make our own plans work they don’t. Everything seemed like it was falling apart and I had no idea what to do. That day, I picked my bible, for the first time in a very long time and turned to Jeremiah 29:11- “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” And at the time I didn’t believe that verse, I didn’t want to believe that verse. I wanted to think that I could do everything on my own and that I didn’t need God’s help. My friend was there for me when I needed her most, and she helped me see, that no matter what I did to reject God, he was always waiting for me to come back to the path he originally intended. It was at that point that I realized God wanted me to believe and have hope of better things, he wanted me to carry that hope with me throughout my daily life. And that no matter how anyone else sees me, it doesn’t matter, because I am created in God’s image. And although God doesn’t make my struggles disappear, he makes them bearable enough for me to handle.
I will probably post tomorrow if we have a snow day! For all those people not from Michigan...a snow day is when the roads are so bad you can't get out of your driveway!
Like always, I'll post later!