Notice how I put follow Jesus; not follow Christianity in a religious stand point but instead, Jesus. Jesus has changed my life and regardless of if you believe in Him or not, this article explains why I believe.

After falling on my face a couple of times from making very poor decisions, I found out that I was not happy. I was not happy with who I had become and I was not happy with where I was in my relationship with God. I fully accepted Christ into my heart when I was 13 at a church event that made me realize that I was not living right. I don't say "right" as in the rules my parents place for me, but as in the way that God's word lays out for us.

Now pause. This decision was an easy decision to make, but in no way, shape, or form has my walk with Jesus Christ been easy. I had always known that God existed but I didn't fully follow Him.

It didn't become real to me until my dad was deployed to Afghanistan. For those of you who have had family deployed, you understand how hard it is on the family that is left behind. I was left with my mom and my sister, both obviously older than me, and I was still just a teenager trying to grow up.

Praying became a daily habit when my dad was overseas. There were weeks to months on end when we wouldn't hear anything from my dad and we didn't know if he was safe or not. I had to fully rely on God to keep my dad safe and it didn't end there when he got home.

When my dad returned home, he had blood clots built up in his lungs and legs from being a gunner in the tank. This led to a doctor saying "Wow, you shouldn't even be alive." This was a huge wake up call to a girl my age when I realized that my dad should be dead.

This wasn't the only thing though. The next big thing came when I went to Canada. Last summer, I was sent to Canada with three other student missionaries to serve in church planting. Little did I know, this was the summer of doubt. Doubt crept into my heart like it never has before and it was terrifying. I was stuck in a new country that seems similar to America but had a lot of differences as well, definitely when it comes to religion.

I lived there for two months facing two deaths from teachers at my school, one who was killed in the Charleston AME Church Shooting, and another who had a heart attack while doing yard work. I faced having to deal with my youth pastor getting diagnosed with Colon Cancer, a cancer that had taken over a man who has helped shape my life into what it is today.

I suffered with trying to serve God while being angry with Him for doing this to the families of the victims and for doing this to me while on this two month long trip. I was so overwhelmed with anger and doubt that there were days when I did not come out of my room. I wanted to go back to Charleston and just be with the people who were hurting the most. I didn't want to be in a position of serving God when it seemed like He didn't care.

That's when He changed me. He changed me in ways that looking back, made me stronger than I was. He changed me into being peaceful and firm in my faith rather than angry and weak. He changed me into realizing that the Devil is just as much as alive as Jesus is and that the Devil will not hesitate to try to bring us down.

Is it fair that the Charleston AME Church Shooting happened? No, it's not. It's a full out tragedy from a extremely wicked and evil person. Is it fair for my teacher to have a heart attack while mowing his grass? No, it's not. Is it fair that my young, youth pastor who just became a father to be diagnosed with cancer? No! None of it is fair, but within each trial and temptation in our lives, God has remained faithful and still has a plan.

It took me forever to realize this. I didn't come home thinking, "Oh, God is so great." I came home thinking, "Wow, that trip was the worst trip I've ever been on." But, it changed me. It didn't change me in a fast way, but it changed me in a slow way. It changed me in how I look at God, realizing that He is not some little fairy to grant me every wish I want in life. God knows what's best for me even when I don't believe it.

I follow Jesus because I've seen His work in my life come out to make me stronger, not weaker, but stronger.

I follow Jesus because He died for me, so why not live for Him? Yeah that seems cliche, but it's true. Do I make decisions every day that God would be proud of? Heck no. I screw up, a lot. But, I strive on a daily basis to become more like Jesus. I am not perfect and neither are you. Every day we have a chance to make a change.

So whether you believe or not, I hope this article has made you think. Thank you for reading!