Welcome!

Welcome! I'm an independent, Christian woman with many passions. I have been a Christian since I was five years old and made the decision to accept Jesus into my heart. Since then I have learned many lessons as I walk this journey of faith. Throughout my childhood and adolescence I attended church as well as all of the Christian groups available in my area. I also spent my summers at Redwood Christian Camp. Yet, I learned the most about faith and my relationship with God when I was away at college. It was when I was on my own, completely free to make my own choices, that I realized how much I still needed to learn. Now, I should clarify that I was never forced to attend church, Christian groups for adolescents, or Christian summer camps, but I also can't deny that these activities weren't expected either. I'm also not complaining. The faith-based activities I was involved in served as a strong foundation for my relationship with God and introduced me to other Christians my age. I also enjoyed many wonderful experiences and created lasting memories with my friends.

I think of my childhood and adolescence as foundation for my faith, but it was in college that my faith blossomed. I was faced with unique challenges that taught me more lessons than attending a service at church. The diversity of the student population at University of California Davis was much more diverse than the student population at my high school or in my home town. There were new ethnicities, new languages, and new religions that I was exposed to. This was a fairly big adjustment for me and the biggest challenge was the language barrier. For many of the students I encountered English was their second language and was a language they were still learning. It wasn't until I was exposed to these differences that I realized how intolerant I was. Now, this was a startling realization because I had always believed I was loving and accepting person. Of course, just being around all these differences led to an increase in tolerance, but the biggest change came from realizing God loved all of these people and I should too.

This particular lesson and change in my faith was tested when I came home from college. It was when I came home that I realized my intolerance was rooted in my family and the culture of my town. I don't think my family, or even my town for that matter, meant to be intolerant, but not being exposed to different people hardened their hearts. I can testify that my own heart was hardened and underwent a dramatic softening. Yes, I met opposition from people, but I knew that I was doing the right thing and I trusted God let me to this decision. Unfortunately, I still had yet to learn true forgiveness and my heart was hardened again for a time. I was filled with anger and hatred for the people who had caused me hurt and discomfort. I was angry at the decisions they made and couldn't understand their purpose in making these decisions. A lack of understanding is often a source of the greatest anger. Eventually, unwilling to be controlled by my anger anymore, I forgave the people responsible for my hurt and struggle. It was a tremendous weight lifted off my shoulders. Truly, I was the prisoner set free.

I will admit since then my faith has been tested many many times. I have struggled to regain my footing only to be knocked down again. The last three years have been a tremendous test of my faith and trust in God. It has been during these times of greatest struggle that I have learned the most about my relationship with God. Recently, I have been experiencing a struggle I didn't expect and therefore hadn't prepared for. For all intensive purposes I am doing well, but there are moments when I feel defeated in this struggle. It was here, in the middle of my struggle, that I read a friend's blog Discover Lent With Me and thought it might be healthy to go on a journey myself. I decided that to discover what God was trying to teach me each day was a journey worth taking. 

This blog is my journey and I hope you join me as I travel this journey of faith, discovering what God is trying to teach me in this life He has given me.