So here’s my story. I’ve debated over and over if I was ready to be vulnerable enough to share it. It’s a little nerve-wracking because I’m allowing so many into this personal story. But after sharing with my congregation and within women’s events, I’ve learned to embrace my trials. Warning: this is a long story and has a happy ending

I officially dedicated my life to God and decided to follow Jesus November 10, 2015. This was my baptism day. This was such an amazing experience and start to a whole life. So here’s everything that happened before.

My husband and I began dating in high school and like any other 16-year-olds, we were madly in love. We did everything together including trying to control each others lives even down to what family members we approved of. In short, this didn’t turn our well.

With hormones and attitudes high, we both were kicked out of each others houses for periods and shunned on by our family members. I can even remember fighting with his 13-year-old niece and her mom. When looking back, all of our arguments were so comical. (The best part is that his sister is now one of my closest friends. God really is good!)

I was so insecure for so many years that I couldn’t imagine losing him to another person. This need for control and jealousy only led to heart-break and pushed us further away from each other. We cheated and lied and didn’t treat our relationship with  respect. So in 2014, we broke up for real.

We both went our separate ways. I absorbed myself in UNLV and my sorority and he acted like a single dude. One day, he met a fellow student who invited him to bible talk and a few hours later, he was studying the bible for the first time.

Since we weren’t talking, I had no idea. I head it through the grapevine that he was baptized and I couldn’t believe it! The guy who hated when I dragged him to my church plays and despised everything about the sermon was now a follower of Jesus.

For the next few months, he began bugging me to come out to bible talk. Since my hatred for all the terrible things that happened in the past was still raging, I ignored him. After I couldn’t take one more annoying text message, I finally agreed.

I stayed for exactly 15 minutes and bolted. I wasn’t ready to see him but he was so different. So nice and loving and genuinely wanted to be my friend – no gimmicks. I still continued to ignore his requests for coming back to bible talk even though something was eating me inside knowing that I did need Jesus but was too prideful to admit it.

So one night on my friends 21st birthday, I hit rock bottom. I was in a terrible long distance relationship with the world’s worst boyfriend and was at a club surrounded by people who only came for the free booze. At that moment, I was a mess. I left the club and practically ran to my car in tears and called the only person I knew would answer, my husband.

At 1 a.m., he showed up at the top of a parking lot to let me cry out my mistakes and share the Gospel of Jesus. For many of you, all of this may seem crazy. But when you’ve literally lost your identity, hearing that Jesus loves your and wants to give you a new life means everything.

From that night, I started attending bible talk regularly and made friends with several of the girls attending. We started studying the bible and my life radically began to change. I started repairing broken relationships within my own family, with my parents and sister, and even starting fixing things with my husband’s family.

In August 2015 we started dating for the final time with a whole new ideal. Our relationship would glorify God at every outlet and we would not allow ourselves to be the same people we were in the past. In November, I was officially baptized and I haven’t looked back.

From that huge decision to follow Jesus, my life has been turned upside down. Miracles upon miracles have been poured out because I chose to not be of this world. Here are just a few:

• My parents began repairing their marriage that was on the verge of divorce.
  • They’re now leading the married ministry at their church!
• My father stopped drinking after years of alcoholism and we actually have a relationship!
  • Most days I can’t even recognize the old scary man he used to be. Through endless prayer from our family, God performed this miracle and gave him a new life.
• My husband and I are happily married and always striving to put God first.
• My sister-in-law and her husband gave their lives to Christ.
  • This was the sister I almost fist fought and God gave me the opportunity to share my life and his word to bring her home to his Kingdom.

I could go on and on about the miracles God has performed in my life since I chose to follow him. If you’re wondering if there is more to this life than devastation and heart ache, Jesus is the answer. He died a perfect man in hopes that YOU would find your way home.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

I encourage you to open your bible and see what God has in store for you.