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I am only 18 years old and a lot of people can guess and say that I haven't really experienced much in my life being as though some believe my life hasn't even started completely yet. God has brought me through so much in my life. As a child, I never really felt loved. Of course, I thank God for my parents and couldn't ask for better, God-loving parents but I was often over-looked. I have two older sisters and two younger sisters. My oldest sister constantly got in trouble, and my father was focused on my other older sister, for she ran track. My little sister sang, and my mother was very involved in her. I was always more a laid-back, calm child...only focusing on school. I would always think that there was something wrong with me. I never had a lot of friends like most people my age do. I wasn't quiet or shy. I just couldn't relate to others, I would always pray for God to send me a friend. In winter of 2012, my family was hit with a blow so hard by Satan. During the whole year of 2012, it was like my family was getting knocked down, and knocked down but December was the final blow. We found out that my father was having an affair with a woman he worked with. He only told my two older sisters and my older sister told me. We prayed and decided to tell our mom. That was the hardest thing. We we told her, she laughed but you could see the hurt all throughout her face. My family went through terrible things after that. My sisters and I developed Post-traumatic Stress Disorder from all the fighting and yelling my parents did. I felt so alone after that, more alone than I already felt. I turned to pornography and masturbation. It only provided me temporary relief from the pain I felt. I than started having suicidal thoughts, asking myself, "What was even the point of living?" I was in much pain, spiritually, not knowing I had a void only Jesus could fill. At the beginning of last year, my family joined a new church, a Pentecostal Holiness Church. The only thing I knew about Pentecostals was that the women wore only skirts and that they never cut their hair. When I went there, I could fill God's presence EVERYWHERE, I had butterflies in my stomach. The pastor called people from alter call. I went up there, and as soon as he touched me, I started crying like a baby. God wasn't finished yet. My family and I continued to go to the church. In May, we got baptized in Jesus' name. On June 23, 2013. I received the Holy Spirit. That Sunday, I fell to my knees and cried and screamed out all the pain and hurt and was feeling. Then I started speaking in tongues. I will never forget that day. Now today, I have never felt more stronger in God. My mother and father are still together and planning on getting remarried next year. My family is stronger is Christ. Everyday gets sweeter and sweeter. I plan and pray to stay on God's straight and narrow path. I now have a purpose to my life, a reason for existing. My old church never stressed the importance of having a relationship with Jesus. How important it is to fast, to pray, and to read your Word everyday. I don't need this world, I don't feel alone anymore because I have Jesus. He is my friend, my provider, my Savior, and my Deliverer! By His stripes I am healed!
