I grew up with a Christian family so I always thought I was a Christian. I went to church. I read my Bible and said my prayers. We used to have family devotions when I was growing up.
Well, this lasted until I was in junior high school. Those years were pretty tough on me. I was teased in school and constantly slammed against the lockers. It was so bad that I didn't want to go to school anymore.
I just wanted to be accepted. So I thought that if I would act like them they would accept me. So I started swearing, smoking, etc. At one point, I got into various forms of divination like astrology, tarot cards, numerology, and Tai Chi. I just thought it was kind of cool. I didn't realize how bad it was then.
Then in high school, I had a turn around. I felt pretty bad about myself. My self-image was at an all- time low. I thought that maybe if I started acting good again, thinking I could get right with God again,things would get better. It wasn't. It was just works then. I was just going through the motions.
Then I went to a youth conference in Colorado sponsored by the Reformed Church. There I was realized that Christianity wasn't being good, but it was a relationship with God through Christ. So I prayed to receive Christ.
The only thing wasI didn't get any spiritual training the first two years, so when I went to college, I was "back sliding." I was doing a lot of drinking and partying. It wasn't until I got involved with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship that I began to grow as a Christian. The staff of the group took me under his wing to disciple me. Then I went to Colorado again, this time as a worker at an IVCF Family camp. One time, I was going into Colorado Springs, and I saw how beautiful the mountains were, and I thought, "WOW! That's awesome! Who am I that You are mindful of me?"
It was such an amazing thought that the God who created this world should care for me so much.
