My entire life I have been surrounded by a Christian community, and my entire life I have struggled with self-acceptance and believing that I am enough. Growing up I believed that I had to measure up to everyone else, in order to do so I had to be skinny, pretty, and when I got a…
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For most of my life I’ve had a strong desire to fit in. I have continually placed my identity in how well liked I am and how others see me. I started to believe from an early age that in order to gain someone’s love I would have to be a good friend, daughter, sister,…
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I grew up knowing the basics of what a relationship with God looked like and what a normal “Christian” routine was- going to church, praying before meals, etc. My parents always set a good example for me by living out their values and teaching me more about who God is. Though I grew in knowledge…
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I have always put so much focus on what people think about me. The judgement of others has for so long been my greatest fear. I grew up overweight, and being different from my classmates in elementary and middle school tore down my self-esteem as I got older and realized that difference. I was never…
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My high school experience was pretty good, I seemed to have everything I could have wanted – I was class president, valedictorian, and on homecoming court. My group of friends was mainly made up of people I went to church and youth group with – some of my best friends were captains with me on…
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My faith has always been a part of my life and it has always been important to me to live a life that honors God, however its role and my understanding of my faith varied at different times as I grew up. My family would regularly attend church, and I would go to youth group…
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For most of my life, my faith lacked depth and true understanding. I grew up in the church, going every weekend with my family, just as four previous generations of my family had within the same congregation. I was involved in Awana, various youth groups and even the worship team; however, I found myself participating…
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Since birth, seemingly, I’ve been hard-wired to need something to live for, something to invest in and pour my time into. For a while, this was whatever interest I had in my life at the time. I was very introverted growing up, and I went through a long computer phase, playing games online far too…
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Growing up I placed a lot of my identity in sports, doing well in school, friendships, and acceptance from others. I grew up in a Christian home and I accepted Christ at a young age, however, I did not understand that I could have a personal relationship with God until middle school. I went on…
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For most of my life, I’ve felt very small. Not in the sense that I am physically. But over time, I’ve allowed my heart to believe that who I am isn’t worthy of unconditional love. Growing up as the second oldest of five children, I struggled to find acceptance and was willing to sacrifice my…
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