When I was 15, my sister came to faith through a friend of hers. Although I grew up going to Catholic school, I was agnostic and borderline atheist by this point in my life. My sister spent a year preaching to me. Her life began to reflect the things she was preaching, which was intriguing but still not convincing. The summer I turned 16, I met GOD. My encounter is summed up by Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” I was overcome by the realization and understanding that I am weak, that I fall short. I admitted to myself that I needed something greater than myself, which was evidently outside of myself. I was unhappy, and happiness was found in the Cross. It took me years to realize that is what happened that summer. In the moment, I couldn’t explain it; I just began going to church, praying and reading the …show more content…
I did not want to “fall away” or misrepresent GOD like so many “Christians” do. During my freshman year of college, some church friends and I began to question how my church presented Scripture. At the end of my sophomore year, another leader and I were asked to leave the church because we disagreed with church teachings. It was an absolutely devastating experience. Soon after, I started attending the Reformed church I’m currently at. In the middle of my junior year, my dad was diagnosed with cancer. He was diagnosed December 2016 with stage; he passed away six months later. I had a delayed response, so I grieved the most last semester. I was withdrawn, hopeless, constantly exhausted, and consumed by dark thoughts. It was the furthest I have ever felt from GOD. Suffering made me think that GOD was not good and not trustworthy. These last few weeks have been the first time, in a long time, that I hope in GOD. I can again say with the psalmist, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I