My Testimony
God’s Faithfulness in My Early Years
From an early age, I knew who Jesus was. I’ve always felt His presence and never truly felt alone - something I now see as one of the greatest blessings of my life.
Still, growing up in a Christian home didn’t mean my story was perfect. We live in a fallen world, and my family has faced its share of struggles. When I was two, my dad, who was a freelance worker at the time, lost over 75% of his clients during the 2008 recession. It was unexpected and challenging, but even then, God provided. Groceries appeared on our doorstep, prayers surrounded our family, and God opened a new door in Colorado Springs when my dad couldn’t find work locally. That move, though hard, was one of the first ways I saw God take something uncertain and turn it into a blessing.
Not long after, I began dancing at a Christian studio called Turning Pointe School of Dance. This is where I first learned that worship can take many forms, even movement. Dance became a way to express my faith and offer my body in praise to the One who created me.
A Childlike Dream and a Season of Waiting
When I was nine, my mom and I read Kisses from Katie, and something inside me shifted. I felt a clear call toward missions - especially toward loving and caring for vulnerable children overseas. I remember announcing to my family that I would one day open an orphanage in Africa. I didn’t ask how or when; I believed. It was pure, childlike faith - the kind Jesus speaks of in Luke 18:17.
Life moved forward. I kept dancing, dreaming, and growing. But when COVID hit, everything changed. My parents reevaluated our busy lives, and when an unexpected job opportunity came up for my dad in New York State, we packed up and went.
That year in New York was not what we imagined. We hoped for a tight-knit community and renewal but faced disorientation, broken promises, and spiritual hurt. Yet even in that pain, God met us. We found a church two hours away that became a source of healing, and a family who remains dear to us to this day. Though it was one of the hardest seasons, it deepened our faith and drew us closer to God and each other.
When we returned to Colorado a year later, I could see how even the detour had purpose. God had refined us, taught us resilience, and reminded us that His plans are higher than ours.
Renewed Purpose and a Deeper Faith
Three years after returning to Colorado, I had the chance to serve at a girls’ home in Thailand - something my mom and I had prayed for but never expected to happen so perfectly. God provided $4,000 in support in just two weeks, and I left for Thailand the day after my dance recital.
Those weeks changed everything. While serving there, God confirmed my mission calling and renewed my desire to love and serve the vulnerable. One of those “God moments” makes you realize how every step before - every hardship, every delay - was preparing your heart for what’s next.
Trusting God With the Unknown
Today, I’m still learning to surrender. I wrestle with perfectionism and fear of the future. I often wish I could see my entire life written out before me, every plan neatly mapped. But God doesn’t work that way, and I realize that’s intentional. He’s teaching me to trust, let go, and believe that His timing and ways are better than mine.
My life has had many trials, but every one has pointed me back to Him. When I’m lonely, hurting, or afraid, I’ve found He meets me there - arms open, ready to comfort and guide me.
I don’t have all the answers, but I know this: God is faithful, and He’s writing a story in my life that’s bigger and more beautiful than I could ever plan myself.
