I was brought up in the LDS church. My family was very involved in the community and I even got baptized. Despite knowing who God and Jesus were, I still lived life on my own terms. As I got older I faced many difficulties including sexual abuse at a young age. I fell further away from God. Through time, my marriage was failing, and worldly influences like alcohol, smoking, vacations, and parties became helpful to numb those things. I thought that as long as I acknowledged God and prayed every so often, I was a “good” person. But I had no relationship with Him. Then 2020 happened and the world shut down. I realized how incapable I was of facing issues in my life without those worldly distractions. I was terrified. But even still, I had no faith in leaning on God for help.
In the summer of 2021, my children stayed in Hawaii with family. Being away from them leads to a feeling of emptiness. Ironically through their absence, my house became filled with every deep trauma and issue that I kept buried for years. It was at every corner of my home and I realized this wasn’t just about my kids. I was hoping things like going to work, gym, or social gatherings could keep me distracted like usual, but it didn’t. I was so desperate for relief, that I finally decided to put my problems in prayer. And that’s when Jesus met me. It was there in that moment where I felt His presence for the first time in my life. That made me realize that i never want to live without it ever again.
From that moment, I started listening to worship music, reading my bible, and praying daily. Ultimately I found City Central Church! Through the grace of God, my marriage has been restored and my family as a whole has been strengthened! My husband and I chose to put God on the throne of our lives, and throughout the 16 years of being together, we’ve never been closer to one another. God blessed me even more when I got baptized with my husband on Easter Sunday. My children developed a greater understanding and love for God and his son Jesus Christ. They absolutely love being involved with City Central. I am not ashamed to speak about my faith to others. In fact, I love sharing every bit of messy detail from it because God brought me out of it, and He never fails.