I just love this concept! When I hear the word Repurpose – I can’t help but to first think of my life. My passion to see beauty & purpose in decor or potentially discarded items come from a deep gratitude within to God who saw (and still sees) a greater purpose in my life!

Just some parts of my story:

Grew up in a small town (*insert Journey song-“Just a small town girl…” )

Oldest in a family of 5. Grew up feeling very loved, safe & secure. Fast forward to Junior High to show up to school to hear what i thought to be a crazy rumor about my family – only to later find out that it in fact was true.

Parents divorce.

World has changed.

From structure, rules & security..  to uncertainty, insecurity & chaos.

First, i feel that it is necessary to say that I love my parents & do not place blame on them nor  wish to throw them under the bus. But these experiences are a huge part of my story that have impacted & still impact my life.

Life as I knew it completely changed. Went from having never seen alcohol in my home to it becoming a normal experience. The effects of alcohol & drug abuse, anger & verbal abuse impacted my family in ways I would have never imagined.

So as a 14 to 15 year old girl who was not equipped to handle or process these changes and went from high structure to very little structure … I made some very poor choices.

Looking for love in all the wrong places. (*insert another old school song)

I began to look for love & acceptance in relationships. I found my identity in dating relationships & placed guys in the place God should have been in my life.

I wanted to be loved (we all do). Much of high school was spent making many bad decisions in relationships, alcohol & drug experimentation.

By my Junior year of high school I had had enough. On a Saturday night around 1 in the morning I found myself knocking on the door of my grandparents house.. sobbing… asking to come and live with them.

I welcomed the structure & rules.

I began to go to church by myself every Sunday. Deep down I believed that God was real but I did not have an actual relationship with Him – He was just something I grew up learning a little bit about.

Every Sunday as the pastor would give opportunity for people to silently pray a prayer for salvation – I would pray the prayer. I wasn’t quite sure if I could be “saved”.

My quest & journey of God continued to college. I desired to serve God and know Him.

One foot in God. One foot in the world.

Doesn’t Work.

Continued to make some of the same poor decisions. Wanted to be loved. Found my identity in dating relationships.

Relationship ends. I am broken, devastated & feel very little self worth.

I felt I had no purpose. Who was I without this relationship?

I knelt down in my room & cried out to God.

“God if you are real, I will serve you with my whole heart.. but would you please bring real Christians into my life!!??”

To Be Continued >>>

 

“…to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.” -Isaiah 61:3

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” -Romans 10:9