"Now I'm A Little Bit Stronger....."

As even a child I struggled with insecurities. At a young age, I was diagnosed with Lupus.The immune system is designed to attack foreign substances in the body. If you have lupus, something goes wrong with your immune system and it attacks healthy cells and tissues. This can damage many parts of the body such as the:

• Joints
• Skin
• Kidneys
• Heart
• Lungs
• Blood vessels
• Brain.

My hair fell out in clumps, I had something called a "butterfly rash", mouth ulcers, chest pain, fevers, and always felt tired. We ended up cutting my hair to try and solve the bald spots, it helped very little. Any of you that know about Lupus know that this disease is incurable, which meant I would have to live with the bald spots, rash, etc. But I'm here to delare to you how good my God is! I went to church one Sunday before my normal trip to Birminham, which I was usually taking once every week. My church family began to pray for me and the healing power of God swept over me! We went to the dr the next day, and you guessed it, no Lupus! The dr wanted to continue to run tests, but my God is a God of completion, He never does anything half way. I am glad to say, I have been and will continue to be Lupus free!! After being able to fully understand my Lupus, I have vowed NEVER to cut my hair, no matter what. (Any that know me, know that I don't plan on cutting it any way, due to my decision to live for God and be holy.) Later on many other things began to occur, and I was put on steroids, which has effected my entire life from then on out, but my God is still worthy of praise!!
God has continued to work through out my life!!!!!! He's amazing!!! He continues to work and show himself strong every single day!
A couple years ago, I went through a very difficult time in my life, I thought noone would understand so I didn' say anything or open up to anyone. Suicide became a very scary and real option for me, and if I didn't do that, I had made the decision to no longer live for God. It was camp time and I had to decided to go the morning of camp, so I got up and packed. I knew at that point in my life, there was no where else to go but up. I went to camp and struggled with God all week until Thursday night when Bro Tim Zuniga preached "Take a Hint from a Cheerio". I had ask God if He could hear me, would He prove it and in the middle of his message, Bro Zuniga came over to me and laid his hands on me. God broke every chain of depression and anything else that had me bound. I then truly knew what it was like to sing "No more shackles, no more chains, no more bondage, I AM FREE!!!"
Within the next 2 years, I lost 3 very good friends! Suzette- she died in a house fire and I had talked to her the night before abt my birthday party. David Salinas- my best friend in the world! I talked to him every single day! We were at his birthday party when he drowned. They flew him Birmingham where we stayed everyday until God called him home. Nate Cooper- was involved in an accident involving someone from my school and after being in the hospital for a while, God called him home as well!
These were very rough times, but as hard as it was for me, I can only imagine what it was like for those who didn't have the great support system I had! If it weren't for my God, friends (Devon Colley, Myra Boulware, Aubree Dean, April Thrasher, and MANY more) and family, I would be insane! But through it all, I can look back and see how God has kept my mind!
These last 2 years have been full of learning! Learning to trust God, lean on God, and give everything to him.
He has given me relationships to teach me valuable things in life. I have been put through the ringer, which once again Devon, Myra, Christina, Andrea and Stephen have been there every time! God has continued to bless me and test me!
I am fixing to start college next week and look forward to al the things God has for me!!! I only hope I can help others as much as God and the people He has placed in my life has helped me! I will not quit until I have reached the prize that lies ahead!!!!!