In the beginning...

I was born in Mission Viejo, California on May 23, 1988. I had an interesting life right off the bat. Immediately after my birth my parents divorced, and my then father left his responsibilities just a few months into my life. For awhile it was just my mom and I, until God blessed me with the greatest dad I could ever ask for. My mom remarried and I was adopted by a man I now call my hero. For awhile I lived the spoiled life of an only child and was later blessed with a little sister and brother. My family bounced around between Minnesota and California a couple times so I consider both states my home but did most of my growing up in the frozen tundra of a small river town in Minnesota. Throughout my childhood years and all through High School, sports were the center of my focus. I participated in swimming and synchronized swimming and was fortunate enough to have gotten the opportunity to travel and compete for many of those years. I was also involved in my church growing up, and still laugh that I somehow made it into the choir because if there's one thing anyone who knows me can say, is that I am the definition of tone deaf, but clearly that didn't stop me or my church. High school wasn't all fun and games though as most can probably contest to... it was certainly a rollercoaster for me at times with emotional highs and lows. It was around that time I lost one of the closest things to me to breast cancer, my grandma who I called Bennie. She was my rock and to this day I miss her more than words can express, but I feel her presence always near. Her death was unfortunately the catalyst for a few struggling years to come. None the less, I praise God for getting me through those tough years and I can honestly say that was my first experience with God divinely intervening in my life to change me for the better and get me on track. I gained focus and headed to an even colder state for college. I attended my freshman year of college at the University of North Dakota. It was a great experience and it certainly provided me with several life experiences and gave me the opportunity to make lots of decisions and with that a lot of mistakes, but ones that I have fortunately grown from. I eventually got sick of being frozen the majority of time and walking to class in underground tunnels so I headed back down to Minnesota where it wasn't much warmer. I tried to get back on track with what I wanted for my future and who I was in this world. In doing so I took another detour and found myself at rock bottom, and praise God that was the last time. It was then God saved me from myself yet again and He took me back to California where my heart is and always was. It was then I made the decision to rely on Him and depend on Him ONLY. And what do you know it was then that my life drastically transformed to a joy and love I've never felt in my life. I saw and seeked Jesus for myself and found that it was by Him, that was the only life worth living. I've been here in California for three years now and couldn't be happier and more content with where I'm at and it’s all because I chose to live for the glory of God. My whole family now resides in Texas and I miss them terribly but am so fortunate that I have a loving, supportive family. After Jesus, they are my rock. I've been a nanny for 2 years for 2 little angels that I love so much! I went from attending Orange Coast College to a new door that God just opened up at a school called Victory Bible Institute where I am working toward my diploma in Biblical therapy. I live with three of the greatest girls that God has blessed me with, they are my best friends and the Holy Spirit is the center of our relationship and our home. Without them I wouldn't be where I am in my life and my relationship with God. We all attend Rockharbor and I love that church and community with such a passion and I can't wait to see what God is going to do there and how He is going to move our church to spread His word and the Holy Spirit not just within our local communities but throughout the world. Overall I can say that I am truly blessed in all areas of my life and I don't know what I did to deserve the life I have but I am sure glad that God deeded the life I have appropriate because I couldn't be happier or more grateful. I am just so stoked that I have the opportunity to live for Him all day, every day! I can't wait to see how God will move in me for even more chances to do everything to glorify and praise Him. God's adventure for us is by far the greatest gift and I'm just so excited to see what adventure He has chosen for me. I pray His blessings on the world and everyone in it! :)