My personal relationship with God began through a devastating time in my tiny hometown. For some reason, we are constantly losing teenagers due to accidents and the winter of 2003 was no exception.

I was born and raised in a loving Christian household where I attended church and Sunday school every Sunday. I lived life as a "good kid" and I knew there was a God but he was never real in my life. He was just watching over us, not living in us.

When I was 14 years old a series of unfortunate events began to change this. In early December a 19 year-old girl from our town was killed in a car accident on her way back to college. This was the sister of my soon-to-be best friend. I went to all of the viewings and the funeral to support the family but I don't think I really understood what was really going on. It was just sad.

A month later it hit a little bit closer to home. I had just started dating an older boy when 5 days later one of his best friends, Nick, died. My family being family friends of his family and their friends ended up going over to the house where they were all gathered after the accident. We stayed there, and because we were Christians, ended up comforting all of the hurting families where a bunch of 16 and 17 year-olds had just lost a brother. I’m not trying to make myself sound like a savior here, you have to understand the situation; I’m simply trying to tell you how I found my savior and how he worked through me. That day, motherly instincts came out of me that I didn’t even know I had and all of my strength and attention was focused on helping those boys make it through the night. Watching all of the people I look up to grieve was one of the most difficult things I have ever experienced. All of a sudden the people I looked up to needed me. But you see, it wasn’t me that they needed. It was the savior, it was God and they knew that He was living in me even when I chose to forget.

That's when I knew I needed to change and be the person I was created to be.

Hearing stories of Nick's life over the next few days and seeing the literally thousands of people come into the funeral home is what inspired ME to make a difference too. That even I could have an impact on people's lives.

I've been living my faith ever since :)

gen·u·ine (jny-n)
adj.

Actually possessing the alleged or apparent attribute or character: genuine leather.
Not spurious or counterfeit; authentic. See Synonyms at authentic.

Honestly felt or experienced: genuine devotion.
Actual; real: a genuine dilemma.
Free from hypocrisy or dishonesty; sincere.

REAL