Vine and Branches

Up until recently, I had a fairly normal life. I grew up in a Christian home with two Christian parents who loved each other and still love each other to this day. They took me to church every Sunday and Wednesday, encouraged me to be active physically and active within the church. They did what good parents are supposed to do.

I accepted Christ into my life when I was only five years old. Some people don't believe me when I tell them that. "How can the mind of a five year old grasp something like that?" they wonder. I don't really know how. I just know I did. I've always seemed to have a mind that looks beyond the surface of things.

So I got saved, but nobody really told me what to do after that. I still went to church with my parents. I did the Sunday School thing. Went to Awana's on Wednesday nights. But I still didn't know what to do. My tiny little five-year-old mind knew I was supposed to go deeper with Christ. I knew it was more than just salvation. There was supposed to be a relationship there. But nobody showed me how.

So I grew up like that. I even ended up going to a Christian high school. But I still lacked that relationship with God. I didn't know where to look or who to ask about it, and even if I did, I was too afraid to ask anyone anyway.

I think it was my senior year in high school when I met this girl named Diane. She's one of my best friends now, but at the time I didn't really know her very well. But I could still tell that she had what I was looking for. She had that relationship, and ever since we met, she has been a huge help in pursuing a relationship with God. But even with Diane's help, I still didn't feel like I was getting anywhere with God.

So I left to go to college at Charleston Southern University. I immediately got involved in some ministries on campus such as Elevate and Campus Crusade. I even became part of Campus Crusade's student leadership team. But I only did those things because that was all I knew how to do. I knew how to be involved in the religion of Christianity, but I was still clueless when it came to the relationship of Christianity.

It went on like this until recently. I'm now in my junior year of college. Just a few weeks ago, I was sitting out on the balcony of my apartment reading an amazing book called Wild at Heart when God just flat out spoke to me. It almost seemed audible. He told me to drop athletic training (my major at the time) and follow Him. For the first time in my life, I actually listened to God. The very next day I left the athletic training program here at CSU. I picked up a few religion courses because it seems God has called me into some kind of ministry, particularly youth ministry and/or missions.

Ever since I heard God's voice and decided to follow Him without question, I've had this incredible sense of peace. He keeps blessing my life and opening doors to things I never thought would be possible for me.

So right now I don't know where I'm gonna go or what I'm gonna do. I just know that I'm following God wholeheartedly. My friend Stephanie once said, "Life is forever changing, but Jesus is my constant." I can't wait to see how God is going to change my life.