Growing up in a Christian home where faith and morality were highly valued, Jesus didn’t seem to cost me anything. Church and faith were a given. When I hit middle school, that changed. A seemingly never-ending cycle of depression and suicidal thoughts left me broken and hopeless. In desperation, I found myself on the ground, praying to God, asking Him to take over all of my life because I couldn’t seem to find its meaning. My fresh commitment to Jesus and His ways gave me new perspective on life, and I began to grow in my faith, especially in building bonds with other Christians. I went through rough seasons throughout high school, but I found strength in knowing my faith was bigger than myself. College gave new life to my faith and I continued to grow and learn in novel ways, especially from perspectives that I didn’t necessarily agree with. My faith in God continues to change and I am able to see Him at work in the world no matter how I am feeling or what I am going through. His Kingdom is THE purpose of life and as I search for ways to be a part of its growth, I find myself becoming a much better person than I ever could have without Him.
