I grew up in a loving, stable, Christian home.  My family and I attended a very traditional church in South Carolina where I learned many things, not only about God, but about life, hope, family, and friends.  I was saved at age eight and never wanted to stray from it.  I thought I would live my life as a simple Christian, doing good things, but I had no idea at the time that God had a much larger call and plan for my life.

When I was fifteen years old God called me to something bigger, something greater.  He called me to serve in youth ministry, and I also felt that He was leading me to Southwestern Christian University in Oklahoma.  Since those decisions were three years away, I put them on the back burner.  I was never really one to follow through with big things (especially when they meant moving 1,000 miles away from home).  Of course those three years flew by, and I was standing at a crossroads my senior year in high school.  There was a great college I could go to, with the same values and principles as Southwestern, and there was a plus - it was only 45 minutes from my hometown.  It was decided.  It just made sense. 

Two months before I was packing up to go to this college, God flipped my plans.  I knew I was making the wrong decision. 

I did not want to settle or think “what if?”  It was time to stop planning my life, and start living my life, the life that God has called me to.  God does not always call us to take the easy way out, the things that are convenient, or even the things that make sense. 

Sometimes we have to look past those things, look through His eyes, and see something greater.  In August, 2005 I left behind everything I knew and moved to Oklahoma to go to Southwestern Christian University.  I basically knew no one.  I felt so alone, but I had never felt more in the center of God’s will until this time in my life.

I was called by God at age fifteen, and now I live out that calling.  I now live in Oklahoma City where my husband (that I met at Southwestern!) and I serve as youth pastors at Passion Ministries.  God’s voice is so simple and powerful, but it is useless without obedience.