If you had asked me at 13 if I struggled with my mental health, I would have told you no. Despite the constant feeling of dread that I had felt anytime I left home, accompanied by a rapid heartbeat and fidgety hands, anxiety just wasn't a word in my vocabulary. I remember spending most of my days in my bedroom, curled up in my bed, the only place I felt safe. This isolation pushed me into a depressive state, which was exasperated by my family's closed-off emotional climate. This atmosphere was largely dictated by my mom's secret battle with addiction. My brother and I always knew that my mom was having this battle, but she never brought it up. When we addressed it -and the ways it often hurt us- we were met with power-tripping and passive-aggressive behavior. By the time I reached high school, my relationship with my mother was hostile and I was filled with bitterness and anger. It wasn't until my junior year of high school that I finally met someone I felt comfortable enough to be vulnerable with. This person was the only person who could understand how it truly felt to be me. That person was Jesus Christ, my Savior. I was introduced to Him when my family was forced to move into a shelter and rehab center. While living there we were encouraged to pursue a relationship with God. In that environment, my mom found help with her addiction. It was also there that I finally addressed the struggles I had with my mental health, as well as forgiving my mom for how her own struggles with mental health affected my family. Not only did I begin growing my relationship with God, but I also began attending therapy sessions. These sessions gave me the space to say that my feelings were normal and valid, and figure out the best ways to cope with the things I'm going through. These experiences encouraged me to be more open with my emotions and acknowledge that other people go through these things, too. When I began my relationship with God, I realized that I had a creator who understood and desired to help me with my mental health struggles. I also learned that God can use tools like therapy to help those in a dark space. Using my art skills, I desire to make this truth known to everyone who may be struggling with something. Whether this be through graphic design, animation, or another passion of mine, I want to reach this broken world with the best repairer I know; Jesus Christ. I want people to know that it's okay to ask for help, from professionals in the medical field and the creator of their mind and body. I plan to attend Iowa State University in the fall and enter their design program. With the help of this scholarship, I would be able to go to school stress-free to accomplish my goal of reaching the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ through my art.