My Personal Testimony

I am thankful I have eternal life because I know God forgives me and is always there to remind me of the plan he has for me.

At 16 I was able to travel across the world to do a mission trip in the Philippines. I was not prepared for what I was going to experience or the spiritual transformation that was going to take place on this trip. Before the trip I was not fully focused on my faith, I was not portraying a Christian lifestyle nor did I have that mindset, so this trip was needed. Growing up, I was fortunate enough to not experience poverty or extreme hardships, so seeing this in the Philippines was very overwhelming and shocking. Getting to see how people live, the diminished healthcare system they have, illnesses, poverty, lack of clothes or clean water really opened my eyes to how other people live and yet they were the happiest, most grateful population of people I have ever met. With close to nothing, these people still thanked God, praising him for the little they did have and that was transformational to my own journey with with my faith. While I was there I learned gratitude, acceptance, mercy, faith and most of all a desire to be more like the people I met in the Philippines. To be more grateful for what I have, to use the resources I have access to to spread the word of God, as well as trusting God's plan for my life regardless of where it takes me.

The same feeling God gave me after that trip has been my driving force for the past few years. The desire to help and spread the word of God has always been on the forefront of my mind, ensuring me God's plan is greater than mine. I know God is always with me and will spend eternity with him in Heaven.