Before Jesus Changed My Life

Before Jesus changed my life, I was stuck in an endless battle with anxiety and depression. It would impact and ruin my everyday life in ways I never wish to live again. I started to realize my brokenness after I started going to a youth group for my school called "Basics". The Holy Spirit convicted me of realizing my brokenness and the way I was actually living. When I would go to youth group, I would still live the "double life" as people like to call it. Consisting of acting better in youth groups, and still being stuck in a cycle outside of it continuing all of my bad habits. I was in a very unhealthy relationship that led me into a deep, deep hole of depression. I knew the way out, but it felt way too hard to change and I did not think I was capable, so I let myself suffer in the brokenness and mental abuse I was getting put through. I thought the only way to fix myself was to get into another relationship or try to fix friendships that were not my responsibility anymore. I was the people pleaser who got nothing in return. 

How Jesus Changed My Life

The summer of 2024 was the turning point of it all for me and my walk with Christ. I spent countless nights in the spring of 2024, praying to God physically on my knees, asking for a reason to stay. I truly felt like I had no purpose at all anymore, not wanting to go to school, arguing with parents, no friends, nothing. I spent every night like that for a month, just asking for something to help me get through what I was in. I didn’t have that closeness with Christ, but I still chose to go to him and call out to him at my lowest point. Late May of 2024, I was out of the mentally abusive relationship that I had been in for months. A couple weeks after that, my friendship with my best friend at the time, who was very toxic, ended. I felt so free, but I didn’t give thanks to the Lord. After that I just went about my life and was as happy as I could be and just lived my life not in the hole. I continued to go through the summer going to youth group. They held a 3 day camp in July, and I decided I would go just because why not. So I went, and on the very last night there, I had a very deep conversation with one of the leaders, and that conversation made me realize God was protecting me from a bad situation earlier that summer. I went on giving thanks to him and praising him for what he gave to me and had gifted to me, but I still didn’t fully understand or believe I was saved yet. That led to November 17th 2024, when I got baptized, but it was something I thought you just did. I did it and took it lightly without yet proclaiming my belief in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. After that day, I went about my life as normal not realizing I was still so caught up in myself, the world, and my flesh. November 24th, my great grandma passed away. She was someone I looked up to so much. She had a huge impact on my life. Between the funeral in December and getting back into my old habits, I was never in my Bible anymore. I felt like I was a lost cause, and I wasn’t worthy of being loved that much, so why even try. It was early 2025 at this point and I was becoming really close with this girl who was my best friend. She instantly brought me closer to Christ. She shared her testimony with me one time, and the things she went through sounded a lot like what I experienced. She encouraged me to get into my Bible and held me accountable. I started reading in 1 John. I don’t know why, but I did. 1 John is about love, loving people, loving Christ, and glorifying him and doing everything that you do for the glory of him. That really, really hit me hard. It brought out to me God's truth, holiness, and most of all, never-ending love for me. These things I never thought someone would ever have for me, when the whole time it was Jesus Christ. He was there the entire time; all I had to do was call out to him. I finally did. I didn’t end up reading 1 John just because. All he wanted me to finally call out to him. He knew I needed him. I ended up starting to come to Veritas in the beginning of 2025 around the same time, with my family. I knew instantly this was where God wanted me. He wanted me to be in this Church home, with my Christ family who I could always glorify him with. I continued to go to Veritas and meet all of these new people who I get to glorify my God with. 

My Life After Jesus Saved Me

Since becoming a true believer in Christ, my life has changed in so many different ways. I can fully recognize the new person that I am and am still becoming with Christ as the center of my life. I am only 15, but I have learned so much in the past 3 years of my life about who I am and about the Lord and how he seriously changes lives and nobody should take that lightly. I love sharing the light of the Lord with others and teaching littles about how important Jesus Christ is in your life. The Lord has taken away all of my depression and anxiety. I just trust in God and know that he has plans for me. Whatever he has for me is what is supposed to happen and shape me into the person I am meant to be. I could go on and on about how many things have changed in my life, and I don't even recognize myself at all. I'm so grateful and forever will be for the love and truth of Christ and how he sent his son to die on the cross for my sins. I don’t deserve his endless love. I am a sinner and I will never deserve the sacrifices the Lord has made for me. With this Church family at Veritas, and my growing love for Christ, I will always, always choose to do things for the Glory of the Lord, with the good fruit of the people around me.