HOLLIE'S JOURNEY

Hey guys!

I hope you’re all staying sane in lockdown and I can’t wait for the day that we all get to hang out again on a Friday night! I miss playing ping pong with David and Patrick; playing avocado smash with Rachel and Zara; hearing the weekly drama from Josh; and having Jesus chats with each of you. But these things will be even more special once we’re all back together again! 

My faith story began when I was around 5 or 6 years old. I remember any time I misbehaved I would pray and ask Jesus “into my heart” - so at least 20 times a day. Until one day at Sunday school they explained that I only had to do that once, and then try my best to live my life like Jesus - liiiiiightbulb!

It was only really around the age of 12 that I began to really experience a relationship with God through going to summer camps. I found that God was my protector and my friend - someone I could talk to who wouldn’t get sick of listening. This was also helped by the great group of Christian friends that I had around me. 

This was all put to the test when I was 13 and my oldest brother was diagnosed with Leukaemia. This was a really, really scary time for my family as my brother spent weeks in hospital and received treatment for a few years. I remember praying more than I ever had and turning to God more than ever - this was when He truly became a comfort and source of strength for me. Thankfully God brought my brother through it all and he got the all clear from cancer - praise God!

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God - 1 Corinthians 1:3 (NIV)

This brought me up to starting Portadown College and going to SU. I still had that great group of Christian friends around me and we were at every SU event going. It wasn’t until 6th form that our eyes began to stray away from Jesus and started to look towards other things. Alcohol and night clubs started to become really interesting to me and so for a few months I lived a life of claiming to love Jesus, and then not living my life like Him. Ultimately though I found that the only true satisfaction I could find was in God and living for Him. Don’t get me wrong, those things were fun but they had no real purpose. I found purpose in the fact that Jesus loves me, and He has called me to work alongside Him to build God’s Kingdom here on earth - and He calls you to do exactly the same!

If there’s anything I want you to remember from reading this, its that the things of this world can be great and might bring you a temporary joy - but the only lasting joy is found in your heavenly Father.

Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. - Romans 12:2 (NLT)

Lots of love,

Hollie