Hang in there!

by Rachel Batten

I became a Christian when I was 8 years old it was really kool. I really loved it, I read the bible, I prayed a lot and helped people loads.

When I was 11 I started going down hill big time. That Christmas I got my

people used to say to me, “you are old fashioned”

first ever CD I had always wanted. It was the Spice Girls. At the time I thought they were kool because people used to say to me, “you are old fashioned”, because I didn't have the things every other kid had, but I was happy and grateful for what I did have. Then later on in life I got, like, trendy clothes and then people said they liked me - which half the time wasn't true.

That Christmas in 1996 my brother got his first CD too. He had

I got criticised when people found out I played the drums - ”it’s too loud for church”.

Dance Planet by the World Wide Message Tribe. I couldn't never like that band because I was fed up with what I thought was “religious rubbish” because church was rubbish - it was boring and I was being told if you don't love God you will go to hell where you will burn and they used to say it, well, bluntly. I got criticised a few times when people found out I played the drums - I wasn't “lady like” and it is “too loud for church”.

In the end the only real teaching I was getting was from "Soul Survivor". Once a year my heart would be on fire for Christ but because I never really got any teaching I always ended up feeling “this is rubbish”.

In 1998 I actually changed my views about the World Wide Message Tribe even though I found it hard at first.  I thought the

I never really got any teaching - I always ended up feeling “this is rubbish”

tribe was the best band I had ever seen on stage. I met a girl called Emma and, because of some stuff she said to me, I actually started to listen for once. After Soul Survivor I sold all the Spice Girl CDs, photo album and "T" - shirt and books. I also ripped all my posters of them up, because Emma showed me God through her self. I started to get back on track. 

To be honest I still struggle loads even though it is now two years on.  Don't ever believe people who say being a Christian is not hard and you don't get tempted by things that other

Live up to God’s standard not other people’s

people are doing. It isn't true - people do get tempted all the time. Every one does it. It is very hard being a person of God in school because you can do things that you wish you hadn't done. I felt like I had to be someone I wasn't.  I thought I had to act like my friends to be in. But you are your own person.  Live up to God's standard not other people's . 

The other week I was struggling a bit with bitterness and in "Bassline" I went up for prayer. I didn't feel that better afterwards but now the weight is off my shoulders and I don't

I don’t really care what the bullies and stuff did to me

really care what the bullies and stuff did to me. I had to forgive them and Jesus, this time, was there and he was helping me - instead of me not asking him for help. All I can say is, you need God, because he has helped me, through other people, to understand Him better . All I can hope is that you make the right choice today to follow Him.  

                                     Rachel Batten

Here are some verses which have helped me
"I can do all things through Jesus who gives me strength"
and also:
"for God so loved the world that he gave his own son Jesus to die for us so that we may have life in heaven forever"

If you want to look up the verses they are found in 1 Philippians 4 v 13 and John 3 v 16