Megan’s Story

I was so blessed to have been raised in a Christian home with parents who always encouraged me to be involved in church. I prayed to receive Christ’s gift of salvation at a very young age through a children’s program at my church. Being a Christian was always part of my identity and every chance I got I would be involved in every bible camp, play/musical, missions trip, etc. Although I learned a lot about God, I never really knew him on a deeper level. During middle school and high school,I was very self conscious, introverted, and worked very hard not to draw attention to myself in anyway. I moved a few times to new states, new churches, and new school and I would hide parts of myself so I wouldn’t stand out. (and I still struggle with these things sometimes today). I am thankful God was watching over me during those confusing years because I never compromised what I believed in. Also I had many Godly people in my life to love and guide me! However I wasn’t very open with others about my relationship with God and I felt like the conversations I had in my youth group and with my christian friends rarely went past the surface. This kind of communication was also a pattern I had with God and with myself.

Many times I doubted the strength of my faith and doubted God because I saw the connection other people had with Him. I was jealous when I saw new Christians experiencing God in ways I wasn’t. I wondered what was wrong with me, why I wasn’t “further along,” but never actually changed anything in my life. God and I did have our moments of closeness, but only when I ran into problems I couldn’t deal with on my own (I always tried things my way first). I recently heard a speaker say, “sometimes we are not hungry, because we are full of something else,” which really opened my eyes! I didn’t have the insatiable hunger for God I wanted because over the years he was shoved to the side by other things. In my mind they were small, innocent, and insignificant things, however all those little things added up. I was trying to feed my soul with getting good grades, entertainment, TV, movies, and music, my family & friends, relationships with boys, acceptance from others, and even serving and participating in everything at church. But I have learned that anything put before God in our hearts is a problem, no matter how small. God gave everything for us and deserves nothing less in return! And I have seen that there is no reason at all, not to give all my heart to him.

Coming to college, getting involved in campus ministry, and experiencing amazing fellowship and accountability with other Christians over the last three years, I have grown closer to God than I have in my entire life. I learned about the power of the Holy Spirit, the importance of spending time in God’s word, and how trusting God is not as complicated as I made it out to be. It isn’t easy, but following God’s plan for my life has been way better than trying to fit God into the plans I was making on my own. It did cause me to make some tough decisions like changing my major and ending a serious relationship I had with my boyfriend from high school. However, God never disappoints! I have begun to experience a joy, passion, and fulfillment that I could have never have found on my own. I have held on to the promise in Jeremiah 29:11. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Every day since I took the step from just believing in God to completely opening my life to Him, I have had many challenges and convictions, but even more victories and blessings! I spent too long keeping God and others at a distance, I never had to doubt, hide, or search of my purpose. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galations 2:20