All my life, I've been a strong and faithful Christian. I grew up in a warm, Catholic household, the kind that attends church every Sunday morning. Sure, there were times when my faith was shaken, but I was always able to return back to the ways I was born into loving.

Our Lord God had been one of my best friends. Of course, our relationship could have been stronger, but it had remained on a sturdy rock my entire life. I had always intended for it to be that way, no matter what happens. And I had been doing absolutely amazing at it. I had Confirmed in my junior year of high school, promising God to always love Him no matter the outcome of His will.

But then I graduated and moved away for college. Now, I know that is no excuse to fade away from Him. If anything, I should have been working extra hard to drive myself closer to him. But I got wrapped up in the college scene (and homework), and I wasn't being included in the constant family routine of church Sundays because I was an hour and a half away. Again, no excuses, but this is the cold-hard truth.

Looking back on last semester now, it seems as though everything went faulty once I stopped attending church on a weekly basis. I started experiencing trial after trial after trial, things that I never thought I would ever have to experience in my life. It just felt like I kept being knocked down each time I tried to rise from it. Quickly, I fell into this want to separate myself from others; I stopped doing things with my friends, I started overthinking everything that was told to me, and if one tiny bad thing happened during my day, I let it consume my nights.

But after a while of not rising up into my normal self, I literally froze and took a look at my surroundings, at my life, at what I was blessed with instead of what I was lacking. And what I was blessed with was life, actually being alive and living and breathing. My cross that hangs across my light switch in my room seemed to be calling to me that day.

I started making the effort to talk to Him more. Throughout my day, if something upset me, I'd ask Him to help me move on from it. I started going back home to go to church with my family, if that's what it took for me to get there.

And would you believe it if I told you my entire mood has changed this semester? I attend church almost every single Sunday, and if I don't make it, I ask Him for forgiveness and talk to Him about my previous week. I've gotten the strength to grow from my previous lessons, and I've gotten the courage to fight for the life that I know He wants me to live. I have so many new friends now, and I've finally found what I want to do for the rest of my life career-wise.

And it's all thanks to Him. I know it.

I've got a lot more to work on with God, of course. Everyone can improve. But I am at such a better place in my spiritual life and physical life.

Trust in Him, turn to Him, when everything starts to go wrong. There's a lot of speculation as to whether or not He even exists, but in my book, He is alive and well, and it sure doesn't hurt to believe.