I began my relationship with God when I was 4 years old. My whole life I have always been a very independent person, pursuing what I want in life. As a little girl, I wanted to dress myself (usually 5 times a day), do my own hair, tie my own shoes, and make my own decisions. I gave my parents sass when they tried to tell me what to do. Choosing to have a relationship with Jesus was a no-brainer for me. I grew up in a Christian home and was surrounded by good values and people who were choosing to follow God. At the time, making the choice to follow Him was just what I needed to do. It took a lot of maturing and growing up to finally realize the importance of my decision and what it would mean to follow Him every single day.

As a young girl, I was exploding with joy to share Jesus with everyone I knew. I distinctly remember a time when I was in kindergarten and I prayed with one of my friends so that she could become a Christian. We were sitting on the sidewalk at recess and I can still picture us huddled over and me telling her what to say. Later, when we got inside I was so excited about what had happened that I went up to my teacher and told her I had helped someone get saved at recess! She gave me a confused look and patted me on the back, but I realized as a little 5 year old that she had no clue what I was talking about. That childlike innocence and bravery I experience did not last forever. It soon slipped away as I grew older and began to care about the impression I was giving others.

As my life continued through public school, I had very little confidence to express my values and beliefs and especially to share that with my friends. I was worried of what others would think of me and that I wouldn’t have the right words to say. People knew who I was. They knew I was a Christian and they knew I was the Pastor’s daughter. That haunted me at moments in my life and I was often expected to always be doing the right thing and to be the person others looked up to. That wasn’t an easy place to be in, but I think it was what often helped guide me to choose the right thing.

Eventually, I had to make a choice. I had to choose if I was going to be lukewarm and to follow my own desires in life or if I was going to choose to follow God’s plan. The true turning point for me was choosing my college. Choosing Colorado Christian University meant that I was choosing a Godly lifestyle. I was choosing to surround myself with other believers and to grow in my own relationship. I knew that being in a community like CCU, I would need to focus on my own relationship with God.

I no longer wanted to be lukewarm and half-in, half-out in my relationship with Christ. I was tired of making my own choices and being let down. I wanted to be all in. I wanted to experience the joy only He could bring, and I wanted to know His plan for me because I knew without a doubt that it would be so much better than anything I could ever desire.

So today, I choose to give my life over to Christ. I choose to share His love with others. I choose to be joyful because He is my savior. I choose to no longer be ashamed of who He has made me to be. I choose to surrender myself and to follow Him every single day.

Galatians 2:20

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."