My senior year of high school came with feelings of worthlessness, anxiety, and depression. I went to therapy once a week because sometimes I felt like there was no one I could talk too. I pushed everyone away, even the people I loved. I was bullied at my school and stayed in and out of courtrooms due to being a target of domestic violence. Despite at of that, I managed to go to school with a smile on my face and pretend everything was okay. It’s always the people with a smile on their face that go through things no one could ever imagine.

I was pretty involved in high school. I was nominated onto the homecoming court, I participated in the school pageant, I played tennis for the tennis team and I was in multiple clubs. It’s crazy how you can be so involved, surrounded by so many people, but be so alone. Even though I was involved, I was never a leader. I was always afraid of embarrassing myself or not being good enough. I felt as if though everyone around me was better than I could ever be.

After going to therapy I began to bond with my therapist. I felt like everything she said was exactly right, which it was. The only thing about therapy is, in order for things to work, you have to want them too. That’s just the thing, though. I had become so caught up in pitying myself that I no longer wanted a happy ending. That was until I was introduced to Elevation Church, where I met pastor Steven Furtick. All along, it wasn’t therapy that I needed, it was God.

Listening to pastor Steven speak lit a spark in my heart. Everything that he said, no matter what it was; I felt as if though he was speaking to me directly. Just listening to him made me want to be a better person. After restoring my faith, my road to a brighter future began. I enrolled at Wingate University where I currently reside. I made it a personal goal to live life to the fullest and to not let my past define my future. I decided to look for the positive in every situation rather than living in the negative.

Now, I am a proud sister of Chi Omega. I am involved in two clubs, one of which I am running for Treasurer. All of my free time is dedicated to community service and helping others any way that I can. I am no longer the girl that hides in everyone’s shadow, I am a leader. I have made more friends in two months at Wingate University than I have ever had in my life. I can honestly say that both faith and Wingate have changed my life. It’s brighter now.