My call to ministry hasn’t been easy or fun, but I know God had a bigger plan all along, and still does. It all started when I was in second-grade. I was sick with the swine flu and had to stay home from school. It was at that time I started asking more spiritual questions and eventually wanted to be saved. I accepted Jesus into my heart and got baptized by my Dad a few weeks later. I went through life pretty normally until two years after moving to Goldthwaite, my sophomore year. It was the end of the school year and I was acting strange, staying up all night, and saying things that didn’t make sense. All classic symptoms of bipolar disorder, but of course we didn’t know that at the time. Scared of what was going one with me, my parents admitted me into a behavioral and mental hospital. In that facility, I never felt more scared and confused. But in the midst of chaos, God was there. My Bible was one of the few possessions I was allowed to have. I read it in desperation. I read the Psalms constantly and found hope in Psalm 139 that declares he knows everything about me. Those two weeks were challenging, but God was moving in my life as I had never seen before. It took a while to find the right medications and get me stabilized, but once I did, I felt the Lord nudging me. I sensed Him calling me to minister to others, especially those struggling with mental health like me. I wrestled with God and what he was doing in my heart for some time. Then, one Sunday, I had a conversation with Him. I said, “Okay, God. I know you’ve been calling me to this, but I still feel unsure. Give me a sign today. Just something to let me know I’m meant to be in ministry.” In retrospect, it probably wasn’t a good idea to test God in this way. But, on September 30, 2018, He delivered. That Sunday, my Dad preached over Moses being called to save the Israelites and deliver them from Egypt. I had no idea he was preaching about this. My Dad even said he felt someone in the room was being called to ministry and asked them to come forward. I got overwhelmed and nervous and didn’t come up. That evening with tears in my eyes, I expressed what I was feeling and what God was doing in my life. I have planned to go into ministry ever since. Jesus has changed my life through my darkest times, and I believe He can work through anyone’s past. I know God has great things in store for my life, and I can’t wait to minister to those in need, even if I don’t quite understand His plan.

My road to college and my dream career has been spotted with difficulties, yet God has been faithful. Before high school, I had not faced much adversity in my life. I accepted Christ when I was in second grade but did not experience much adversity until high school. This changed in 2016, my Freshman year. That May, my brother graduated high school and my Papa passed away. We then moved for my Dad’s job. At first, these changes didn’t bother me. In January of the next year, however, I was told I had depression and anxiety. I leaned on God some but tried to take over the situation myself. God soon taught me a lesson on humility. In the summer of 2018, I went through extreme Bipolar mania that caused me to be admitted to a mental hospital. I was at my weakest point at the hospital, but I felt closer to God than ever before. Psalm 139 comforted me that He would never leave me. Jesus has changed my life through my darkest times, and I believe He can work through anyone’s past. Due to my experience, I felt a calling to help others. I would love to work with young people who are struggling with mental health, in whatever capacity that means. I am currently pursuing a Christian Studies degree to achieve this goal. I also have a love for photography and I have recently entertained the idea of working at a ministry as a photographer or media specialist. I would love to combine my passions of my faith and photography. I am already volunteering with Circle K International on my campus and want to serve others consistently as I continue my time at college. I can not wait to see what God has in store for my future, as I attempt to serve him whole-heartedly.