May 28 2006, 5:33 pm - By ChooseChristtoday

I am a beautiful, black sistah that is "fearfully and wonderfully made" by God. I want nothing more but to please my heavenly father. I've been through a lot in my life but I don't let it bring me down. Everything I've ever done wrong in my life I try to look at as lesson even though I don't always learn them at first! Life is something that shouldn't be taken for granted so I try to do my best and live right! I love Jesus. He is my HERO and my closest friend. Without him I wouldn't have life or any of the many blessings that I possess. He has done so much in my life and still is. I encourage you if you haven't tried Him....'Taste and See' and I promise He WON'T LET YOU DOWN. Remember man will always fail you but God never will! I want to make a difference in this world. It grieves my heart to see the condition that the world is in and how many are walking around lost and in dire need of someone to tell them about Jesus. I used to be one of those people. Even though I grew up in the church, I strayed away from God for a long time and at one point I was tired of living life. I had grew up going to church everytime the doors were open. I was in the choir, junior usher board, sunday school, vacation bible school. I was even in christian private school for a little while. I was crowned "Joybellle of the Year" at my church. I knew all the praise and worship songs and all the famous bible verses but I didn't KNOW Jesus. I knew OF Him and that was it. In my eyes church was just somewhere I had to go because my parents made me. I thought that being a christian was all about going to church and singing songs and that's it. It wasn't until I was 12 years old that I finally found out that being a christian was much, much more. It's a relationship with God. A relationship unlike any other in your life. But even still I didnt take it seriously. I knew the truth but chose to ignore it so that I could do what I wanted. I was a hypocrite. I put on a facade at church to make my parents and the pastors and the congregation think that I was okay, and they did think that for a long time. But overtime God began to reveal what was really going on in my life. The addictions to alcohol and sex, my shoplifting habits, skipping school, smoking weed, blacks, and cigarettes, I ran away from home almost every night and sometimes wouldnt come back for days or weeks. I was abused sexually, mentally, and physically. I had lost all respect for myself and was very self-sacrificing in order to gain acceptance. I had an anger that was rooted so deep inside me that everything and everyone made me angry. I was manipulative and knew how to get what I wanted from anybody. I used to fight my father, literally. I eventually just stopped going to school all together in the 10th grade. All of this went on for a while until the Lord led my parents to put me into a program called Teen Challenge. It was a fifteen month program and I graduated from it in Dec.2005. While there I rededicated my life to Jesus and turned my life completely around. Now it didn't happen overnight but within 15 months I went from an angry, abused, alcoholic, lost girl to a free, joyful, filled with the Holy Ghost, daughter of the King! And I'm here to share it with the world. I want people's lives to be changed the way mines was. I know that God is able to do anything because His word says so. Therefore , if you aren't saved or if you are in a backslidden position I know that He can change you.But you have to surrender your all to Him. Let Him change you because you can't do it in your own power. I tried that too but it gets you no where. I'm not saying it's easy because its hard but its worth it in the end.I'm far from perfect. I still struggle and fall short but I don't stay down...that's the key. I'm a real person and I like to be real with people about everything. These are the Last Days! I know you may have heard that before but it's the truth. We are getting closer and closer as the days go by. The Lord is coming back and when He does I DO NOT WANT TO BE HERE! But if you don't turn your life over to Him you will be LEFT. And let me tell you, You don't want to be left because it's gonna be hell on earth, like you've never seen. If you don't believe me read the Bible for yourself. I'm just here to be a living testimony of what God can do.....and my testimony is going to change many! Thank You Jesus for your saving grace...I love you Lord!!!