You've got to give God all the pieces of your heart, so he can mend them!

Hi I'm Philippa, I'm twenty, currently doing a year out with YFC in South Staffordshire in a town called Burntwood, I come from Redruth! This is my Story.........

 I was brought up to go to church and lived in a Christian environment. Sadly when I was 8 my father died of a brain tumour , but praise God, he's in heaven ( He was a Christian). When I was growing up and especially looking back now I was fearful of people and really i

I was fearful of people and really insecure about myself

nsecure about myself. This cause me to be dependent of people (especially my mum) and friends, I needed people around me to make me ok, or whole.

 In my teenage years God/church became something I didn't need any more it was boring and irrelevant, it was uncool. In school I was verbally bullied because of an untrue rumour that went around. For me, I hated it, and I couldn't even stand up for myself and when people asked about it, I was paralysed by fear. I physically mentally hating thinking about it but worse I knew it wasn't true and for 4 years I put up with it!

Y9/10 - my group of friends that I hung around with started going to parties getting drunk and taking drugs, so I joined in and thought this would change things and people would accept me. I don't know about u but I couldn't be myself, I was being someone I thought my peers wanted me 2 be and what I thought "cool" was!

they spoke about their lives and how God had and is changing their lives

But things just got worse, but a friend who stuck by me called Naomi invited me to a Christian meeting hosted by Teen Challenge (Ex- alcoholic and druggies). During the evening they spoke about their lives and how God had and is changing their lives. God spoke so powerfully through them saying "i love u so much, I accept you for u and no buts, I can change everything, follow me!", also God was also warning me that I could go down their old roads and he didn't want me to!

It was amazing, just really knowing that God was a reality, not just in my head but in my heart! I just could believe what Jesus had done for me, it was so personal, I accepted Jesus into my heart and I couldn't stop crying, I felt so released and free about everything!

It was amazing, just really knowing that God was a reality

As time has gone by God has really healed my wounds and continues to, as I have an open heart to him. A great quote " You've got to give God all the pieces of your heart, so he can mend them!" Life isn't easy but God gives me hope and just knowing that God is for me and not against me!

Being away has been great for me, totally finding who I am, finding my strengths and weaknesses and what God is calling me to. Sometimes I feel God is whispering, but what I'm trying to do is being quiet and still and spending time with him and that's when all will be revealed and in his timing! The Christian life is a journey and its about staying focused on the goal and trying not 2 be distracted by the enemy as he will use anything or anyone to get in your way! Remember Jesus has the victory!