Once upon a time… There lived a young girl who never had true joy. In high school I covered up the pain of sadness and a destructive self-image with a happy face and laughter. I involved myself with sports, music, academics, and activities to fill the need to prove to myself that I was worthy of love. To no surprise, I was disappointed by my actions. In volleyball, we were close to advancing further than any team in the history … →

I have been a believer in Christ, as my savior for a long time. I know that Jesus died on the cross for my sins so that I can go to heaven and have a relationship with Him on Earth, but I am constantly having troubles with sin and temptation. This has made me ask several questions. The first is, what does it mean to trust Jesus? Does it mean to believe he saved you from your sins? Yes! But it is so much more. It … →

I have always struggled with depression and loneliness. My whole life was about finding friends, and I always wanted more friends. After I graduated high school I started to party and to drink. I thought that partying was a great way to get to meet people. I was constantly pursuing girls for all the wrong reasons. My life revolved drinking and pursuing women. I came to college with the mindset that the party was only just beginning, in that the parties … →

What should I do? How do I go about doing this? These were the types of questions my friends would ask me. In high school, friends would come to me seeking advice. I gave the best I could give, but I never seemed to take my own advice. On the outside it seemed like I had it all together when in reality, I didn’t. Straight out of high school I attended a private Christian college thinking I was going to … →

I grew up watching my family being ridiculed at for how they lived by people who called themselves Christians. I watched as alcohol tore my family apart and as it was having an affect on their way of living. As I grew up, the people I had looked up to for role models had failed me as the promises they made to me were broken. I was also sexually taken advantage of from a young age. I had lost my ability … →

Growing up, I was desperate for others approval. This included my friends, parents, coaches, and teachers. I longed so much for others to compliment me that I completely changed my personality to make myself look better, and I dated girls because it would make me more popular. By the time my junior year of high school came around, I had stopped getting satisfaction from this and I turned elsewhere. I wanted others see me as a great person, and in a way I … →

“Am I good enough?”, “Am I beautiful enough?”, “What am I doing wrong?” These thoughts and countless others plagued my mind throughout high school. I was constantly seeking love and affirmation from others. What people said about me and what people didn’t say about me were what I found my identity and self-worth in. That is what validated me. My senior year of high school, I was in a relationship with a great guy. He was very attractive, nice, and … →

I’m going to be completely honest, most of my life I was the good “holier-than-thou” Christian girl that thought I had my life together. Then, college happened. My freshman year completely flipped my world upside-down. For the first time in my life, I had no friends, and no support system. I hastily jumped into a relationship just so I could satisfy my need of security. I knew I was doing the wrong things, but I knew God would forgive me, … →

Coming into college, I had basically one thing on my mind – making friends, and having fun. To me, college was for partying and having the time of my life, and I’d figure out the other stuff later. However, I also came to college with a lot of baggage – very much struggling with depression and anxiety, and ultimately searching for acceptance in any way that I could find it. I had begun drinking in high school, more or less … →

I basically grew up in the church. I knew all the answers to all the Sunday school question. I was introduced to Jesus Christ when I was 8 years old. He didn’t mean very much to me though. I still lived my life how I wanted. And I wanted to be known by everyone as the “good kid.” For this reason I always looked for ways that I could say and do the right things. Through elementary school I was … →