Testimony

Hello Biblical Beauties! Since I have been blogging for a while, I thought I might share my story so you can get to know me a bit better.

I have grown up in a Christian home and am blessed with two WONDERFUL parents. I am an only child and have grown quite close with them. I've always been really outgoing and never get bored. As a little girl, I loved princesses, dressing up, music and crafts. Not much has changed ;) Most of all, I loved Jesus. As embarrassing as it is to admit, I don't remember the exact day when I accepted the Lord into my heart.

Middle school was rough for me. I struggled with others accepting my funky fashion style and enjoying my hyper personality. Singing and theatre wasn't cool, but sports were. I began to distance myself from my friends as I wasn't very good. There was a certain girl who did not like me, and it felt like she was keeping my friends from being with me. As I now look back, I am thankful to her for the pain she caused me because I only grew stronger.  By the end of the school year, I had no friends and was becoming depressed. My family and I also left our church we had been going to for my entire life and my parents for 16 years. That was a struggle that really challenged my faith and brought me down.

That summer did not get any better. I went to weights in the morning, my grandparents house in the afternoon and watched TV in my basement during the rest of my free time. It was an awesome summer because I was able to bond with my family, but lost all connection with my friends whatsoever. I was starting to doubt God, and had thoughts of suicide. One afternoon, my mom and I had a fight and I tried to OD on Advil. I wasn't smart enough to shut the door and my mom caught me before I could swallow any. She was concerned, but thought I was just upset because of the argument.

The end of the summer was coming and soon I would be able to travel to my favorite place in the world - church camp in Scott City, KS. At communion, I felt moved to talk to my counselor Hannah about my problems. We talked for over an hour and decided the next day she would talk to my mom when she came to pick me up. It was really tough admitting all my problems to someone I barely knew, but I will be forever grateful to Hannah because she saved my life. My other counselor Joe was also extremely supportive and I love them both.

I started going to Prairie View in August and receiving counseling, and by October I was "cured." I also started listening to Christian music which kept my outlook on life positive. I'm not saying it was easy, because it wasn't. I struggled a lot and sometimes I still do, but Christ was my motivation and the Lord really changed me forever.

Today, I have been blessed with wonderful friends. I still struggle with self esteem and self-doubt but who doesn't? If God is for us, who can be against us?!

I hope you will be encouraged by my story and it will motivate you to turn your eyes on Jesus and away from all other problems in your life.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything."
-James 1:2-4

His Biblical Beauty,
Paige