Watch Them Fall: Never Ending LOVE

     Good morning lovelies! We have a post from a friend of mine who constantly inspired me with her positiveness and love for Jesus, and today she's here to share her story of how she became a Christian and some hard things she's been through. For those of you out there who have been through things like this courageous woman, I want you to know that you are not alone. There are other people who have experienced what you have gone through, and this is not the end. I pray that you will open your heart to Jesus and let Him heal you.
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   I've had a pretty wild life so far, and my testimony is extraordinary...well at least I think it it is. I no longer live with my mother, but when I did, it was a very toxic environment- my mother was an alcoholic, and when she got enough of the drink she turned very violent. It put me in a situation many teenagers never had to deal with. ​

   At the age 13 I found myself taking care of three younger siblings and dealing with the verbal and physical abuse of the one person who is supposed to love me. I was lonely and depressed and I didn't know what to do. One day I happened to stumble upon a church, everyone there radiated love and I found myself becoming a brighter version of myself. Many people who I met helped me to the point that if I hadn't met them I know that I wouldn't even be alive today. Because of this I became curious on why they were so nice and happy.

   For about 3 weeks I listen to every teaching on Jesus the church offered me; I was obsessed with the environment of this church. 'Like, how can some dude who died...I don't know... how many years ago still make an impact?’ it didn't make sense to me. Then one night after a sermon about anxiety depression and pain,

   I WORSHIPPED…. I felt his love inside my chest, I can't even explain it, it's like this warmth you didn't even know you were missing. Nothing else exists except for that one feeling. It was incomprehensible the amount of love that just took me off my feet and forced me onto my knees - I was a beautiful sobbing mess. After a long time I remember looking up to see everyone leaving. I hadn't even noticed worship had ended; I was just begging God to stay with me. Stumbling up to the altar I found myself conversing with one of the leaders, I was saved and for once in my life I felt complete. It felt like when you wrap up in a fuzzy blanket on a cold night. I was content and nothing could break me.

   Fast forward a week, sometime around my birthday. This night was an ugly one, the house was filled with screams and my mom was no longer there, replaced with 3 bottles of cheap vodka. She was no longer sane. Four heavy knocks on the door sounded announcing the arrival of the police and my mother rushed to get a robe, covering her indecent lack of clothing before stumbling towards the door. I stayed behind her, listening to every lie she told, until something amazing happened. It's like I didn't even have control over my legs. I stepped forward and said two words, “she's lying.” God had opened my cage and I just needed to learn how to get out of it.

   After telling the cop everything, the cop decided to leave. He didn't have enough information to arrest my mother. I was stuck with her, but not afraid. No, now I knew I wasn't alone. A lot had happened that night but the only thing that matters is that eventually God had helped set me free and in 2 days I was reunited with my father and brought down to Cali where family awaited. It was going to be hard to overcome everything I went through but I know one thing I could count on was Jesus and His never ending love for me.

image creds: West Dartmoor  graphic design: With All of My Heart