When I was born, I was left by my birth mother and spent time in an orphanage until I was adopted by my parents. I was raised with two sisters much older than me, but at a young age, my family and I began having difficulties. When I was eight, my mom and dad separated. When I was nine, my sister had a baby boy, which made me feel like all the attention was on him, so I began believing lies about myself and felt abandoned. After a few months of my parents being separated, they came back together, and I felt that things were going to get better. But they didn’t. I was always getting into trouble at school for being dishonest and was picked on for my physical appearance and what I should look like. That made me want to change for people’s approval. I would constantly tell myself that my family doesn’t care, I wasn’t loved, and that there was a reason I was given up. I was angry because I didn’t know how to express my emotions. I was living in constant chaos. In high school, I was homeschooled because my parents thought it was best for me. But I continued struggling mentally and went to a very dark place. In a final attempt to get help, I applied for Mercy.
At first, I felt nervous and had no relationship with the Lord. But during my time at Mercy, I learned so many things to set me free from my past and my hurts. I learned to express my emotions instead of holding them in.
My favorite scripture is Romans 12:2. It says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” God’s word has brought clarity and I am now able to determine if I am hearing God’s voice over the enemy. God’s voice is always encouraging and knowing that has helped me talk to Him. God also forgives me of my mistakes and helps me know that any mistake I make does not set me back, but it teaches me a lesson about how to move forward in the future. I had questions about why God allows bad things to happen, and I learned that all the things in my life have happened for a reason. It led me to know God and His perfect love for me. I learned to give myself grace and not to be so hard on myself and not have to be perfect all the time. At Mercy, I have gained skills that I can use at home when I struggle, and I have a solid foundational relationship with God.
After Mercy, I plan on going to college to study about animals to become a Veterinary Technician. I want to get a job and plant my feet in a church while also working on my relationship with my family and friends. I plan on sharing Mercy with others who are struggling because Mercy has completely changed my way of thinking. I am walking out of the doors of Mercy completely different than when I walked in!