MY TESTIMONY
Journey with me as I share my story with you. Know that I share my story for two reasons: 1) giving glory to the Father for the life change He has given me and 2) to inspire the lives and hearts of those who read it. (I apologize for the length!)
It all started one morning while I was sitting in church at Kearney E-Free in early 2011. It was a rare occasion as I had not gone to church since moving to college in 2008, but it was a morning that forever changed the direction of my life. I couldn’t tell you what Pastor Mike was talking about and the only thing I remember from that morning is a bible verse he shared during the sermon: 2 Timothy 2:22. “Flee the evil desires of your youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” Those words sparked something in me I couldn't escape, no matter how hard I tried.
I enrolled at the University of Nebraska-Kearney in 2008 after graduating high school. I was excited for this new journey; excited for college, meeting new friends, life in the dorms and most of all, the ‘party scene.’ Back in the small, rural farm town I grew up in I was active in just about every extracurricular there was: I was a 4-sport athlete (volleyball, basketball, track & softball), an A+ student, and active in the FFA chapter, Student Council and National Honor Society. What I was hiding behind the mask of those things was that I was developing an excessive weekend habit. My weekends usually consisted of hanging out with upperclassmen, staying out way past my curfew and experimenting with alcohol, tobacco and marijuana. As I embarked on my freshman year of college, the habits I developed on the weekends in high school sky rocketed. My weekend drinking turned into weekday drinking, I started skipping classes and soon found myself surrounded by people with the same bad habits. I was living a life deep in addiction, sexual sin, and unhealthy relationships. Looking back on my life I realize how desperately I was searching for something that couldn’t be found in the lifestyle I was living.
I heard people say "Don't worry, your freshman year is just a 'phase' that will pass as you grow up," but for me that wasn’t the case. My sophomore year mirrored my freshman year. I partied constantly, pushing away people that cared for me, covering up my shame and brokenness with one all-nighter after another. At the end of my sophomore year I knew something needed to change but I was too selfish and too stubborn to admit it, so I stayed locked in a lifestyle I was no longer happy in.
Over those two years, I remember my grandparents asking me on numerous occasions if I had found a church to attend or a young adult ministry to get involved in at UNK. Each time they asked I answered with a simple ‘no’ and quickly changed the subject. For some odd reason their words slowly started to haunt me. On a few occasions, usually after being out all night, I would attend the 11 o’clock service at Kearney E-Free church. One Sunday I heard a verse that forever changed my life, 2 Timothy 2:22. “Flee the evil desires of your youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” The verse spoke so clearly to me that day in church, and with tears rolling down my cheeks I knew I needed to make some radical changes and start living my life on purpose.
Over the course of my next semester I slowly started attending church more often, I got involved in children’s ministries and even found a few friends at church. As much as I kicked and screamed through the process, I started attending and investing myself in young adult ministries in my community. Through this, the Lord slowly started transforming my life. With these young adult ministries came an entirely different crowd of people to surround myself with, Overflow showed me what a community of believers looked like and CSF offered me a safe refuge where I found a new place to call home. I learned what it meant to be loved unconditionally, I was learning about forgiveness and grace,and a Father who was jealous for me. Letting go of my old lifestyle wasn’t easy, it all honesty it was really, really difficult. I stopped drinking completely. I learned what dating relationships were intended for. I made new friends and cut ties with old ones. I had to stop doing what I had been doing for most of my young adult life. After about six months of growing and learning I finally ‘got it’ and publicly declared my love for Christ on April 12, 2012 with my baptism.
I finally felt comfortable in my own skin again. I had made new friends and invested in friendships that challenged me, changed me and taught me valuable lessons. I had a ‘home church’ in Kearney with a great college ministry I attended weekly. I was close to home and started mending broken relationships with my parents. Then the Lord does what he always does when we get comfortable, He took me out of my comfort zone and put me on a path to the unknown.
Denver: a city much larger than any we have in Nebraska, a city where I knew next to no one, and a city that was completely out of my comfort zone. In July of 2012 I moved there with a mission to get my Master’s degree in Social Work. As I enrolled at the University of Denver I had to once again, make new friends, find a community to get invested to, find a church to call home and learn to cope with being in an entirely different state as my family, my friends and all I had ever known. I loved living in Denver; the hiking, the community, my church, the Rocky Mountains but it was a difficult adjustment. Spiritually it is something I cannot explain. I have been tempted in areas of my life I thought were behind me, I struggled with the addictions and temptations of my past. I discovered new struggles and areas of weakness in my life. I made poor choices on the weekends and didn't always develop the best relationships. I wasn’t bold in my faith and I sure as heck didn’t stand firm against false teachings. Through it all, I returned to what I believe is true, I grew into a deeper and richer relationship with the Lord, and I realized the importance of growth, continual progress and faith. As much as I loved Denver, and as many memories I made there I finally saw the Lord’s motive behind this journey: preparation.
Preparation for what you might ask … Uganda. Preparation for ministry. Preparation to get out of my newly found comfort zone and spread the love of Life. I have been blessed with an awesome opportunity to partner with Show Mercy International and travel to Uganda as a missionary. I am more than excited for this trip, but I am also insanely nervous. Once again I am going to be thrown into an area of the unknown, but as a daughter of the King and an heir to the thrown, I must do what is asked of me.
Check out my "Why Uganda" blog to hear why I chose Uganda and what I plan on doing while I am there.
I enrolled at the University of Nebraska-Kearney in 2008 after graduating high school. I was excited for this new journey; excited for college, meeting new friends, life in the dorms and most of all, the ‘party scene.’ Back in the small, rural farm town I grew up in I was active in just about every extracurricular there was: I was a 4-sport athlete (volleyball, basketball, track & softball), an A+ student, and active in the FFA chapter, Student Council and National Honor Society. What I was hiding behind the mask of those things was that I was developing an excessive weekend habit. My weekends usually consisted of hanging out with upperclassmen, staying out way past my curfew and experimenting with alcohol, tobacco and marijuana. As I embarked on my freshman year of college, the habits I developed on the weekends in high school sky rocketed. My weekend drinking turned into weekday drinking, I started skipping classes and soon found myself surrounded by people with the same bad habits. I was living a life deep in addiction, sexual sin, and unhealthy relationships. Looking back on my life I realize how desperately I was searching for something that couldn’t be found in the lifestyle I was living.
I heard people say "Don't worry, your freshman year is just a 'phase' that will pass as you grow up," but for me that wasn’t the case. My sophomore year mirrored my freshman year. I partied constantly, pushing away people that cared for me, covering up my shame and brokenness with one all-nighter after another. At the end of my sophomore year I knew something needed to change but I was too selfish and too stubborn to admit it, so I stayed locked in a lifestyle I was no longer happy in.
Over those two years, I remember my grandparents asking me on numerous occasions if I had found a church to attend or a young adult ministry to get involved in at UNK. Each time they asked I answered with a simple ‘no’ and quickly changed the subject. For some odd reason their words slowly started to haunt me. On a few occasions, usually after being out all night, I would attend the 11 o’clock service at Kearney E-Free church. One Sunday I heard a verse that forever changed my life, 2 Timothy 2:22. “Flee the evil desires of your youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” The verse spoke so clearly to me that day in church, and with tears rolling down my cheeks I knew I needed to make some radical changes and start living my life on purpose.
Over the course of my next semester I slowly started attending church more often, I got involved in children’s ministries and even found a few friends at church. As much as I kicked and screamed through the process, I started attending and investing myself in young adult ministries in my community. Through this, the Lord slowly started transforming my life. With these young adult ministries came an entirely different crowd of people to surround myself with, Overflow showed me what a community of believers looked like and CSF offered me a safe refuge where I found a new place to call home. I learned what it meant to be loved unconditionally, I was learning about forgiveness and grace,and a Father who was jealous for me. Letting go of my old lifestyle wasn’t easy, it all honesty it was really, really difficult. I stopped drinking completely. I learned what dating relationships were intended for. I made new friends and cut ties with old ones. I had to stop doing what I had been doing for most of my young adult life. After about six months of growing and learning I finally ‘got it’ and publicly declared my love for Christ on April 12, 2012 with my baptism.
I finally felt comfortable in my own skin again. I had made new friends and invested in friendships that challenged me, changed me and taught me valuable lessons. I had a ‘home church’ in Kearney with a great college ministry I attended weekly. I was close to home and started mending broken relationships with my parents. Then the Lord does what he always does when we get comfortable, He took me out of my comfort zone and put me on a path to the unknown.
Denver: a city much larger than any we have in Nebraska, a city where I knew next to no one, and a city that was completely out of my comfort zone. In July of 2012 I moved there with a mission to get my Master’s degree in Social Work. As I enrolled at the University of Denver I had to once again, make new friends, find a community to get invested to, find a church to call home and learn to cope with being in an entirely different state as my family, my friends and all I had ever known. I loved living in Denver; the hiking, the community, my church, the Rocky Mountains but it was a difficult adjustment. Spiritually it is something I cannot explain. I have been tempted in areas of my life I thought were behind me, I struggled with the addictions and temptations of my past. I discovered new struggles and areas of weakness in my life. I made poor choices on the weekends and didn't always develop the best relationships. I wasn’t bold in my faith and I sure as heck didn’t stand firm against false teachings. Through it all, I returned to what I believe is true, I grew into a deeper and richer relationship with the Lord, and I realized the importance of growth, continual progress and faith. As much as I loved Denver, and as many memories I made there I finally saw the Lord’s motive behind this journey: preparation.
Preparation for what you might ask … Uganda. Preparation for ministry. Preparation to get out of my newly found comfort zone and spread the love of Life. I have been blessed with an awesome opportunity to partner with Show Mercy International and travel to Uganda as a missionary. I am more than excited for this trip, but I am also insanely nervous. Once again I am going to be thrown into an area of the unknown, but as a daughter of the King and an heir to the thrown, I must do what is asked of me.
Check out my "Why Uganda" blog to hear why I chose Uganda and what I plan on doing while I am there.