What was life like before you met Jesus?

I grew up going to church occasionally but never really understood or tried to understand who Jesus was and what he did for me. I would go just to be able to say I went to church. I was constantly seeking the approval of others. This led to me becoming very self-conscious, and I never truly knew who I was because of it. I would try to find approval by doing well in athletics and doing what everyone else did to fit in. That's when I began trying to satisfy myself with multiple addictions that seemed great at the moment but slowly just ate away at me. I was afraid of others' opinions of me, so I would hide what I was feeling and didn't have anyone to go to.

How did you meet Jesus?

I always knew who Jesus was and what he did. Still, I refused to acknowledge it because I was so content with the satisfaction and pleasures of this world. 2 Corinthians 4:18 says, "We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." One day in December of last year, I had enough of the temporary and decided to pray to God to see if he could help me. It turns out that was enough for Him to turn my life around. I began to get into His Word and pray occasionally because I had felt a joy and a comfort that I never really grasped before. From then, I began to feel conviction in my sin and slowly began to want to honor God more. Another way God used others to get to me was through my brother and his family. He's a Christian and was continually in my ear about my relationship with God, and in the moment I didn't want to hear it, but I am so grateful for it now. If it weren't for him allowing me to attend church with them every week, I'm not sure I'd be where I am with my relationship with Jesus.

After being saved by Jesus, what is your life like now?

After being saved, I went through the summer back home and didn't have anyone to talk about life or God with. At the time, it was hard to control my temptations from before He saved me, but I can see now how He used that moment for growth. It caused me to pray for a community throughout the summer continually. Once I got back to school in August, I got a knock on my door about some kickball going on, and it turned out to be welcome week for Salt. It was just a matter of waiting on His timing. Now, I have a fantastic community to share anything and everything with, and I thank God every day for it. I always remind myself about where I was and where God brought me. Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." I repeat this verse to help me be more conscious of my sinfulness and know that because of Jesus' love for me, we can spend eternity together.