Ask those who know me and they'll tell you, I'm not the same person I was 10 years ago, 5 years ago, or even 1 year ago. God has really been dealing with me.

God saved my soul when I was only 13 years old. Several things happened that got me away from the church and I was surrounded by not very wholesome people during my teenage years. I became quite promiscuous, probably partly due to the sexual abuse I had endured as a child, and started using drugs to fill the void in my life. I had no idea where my life was headed and didn't care. I did finish school but I didn't attend my senior prom or even my high school graduation. I picked my diploma up at the school a couple of weeks after classes let out.

That summer was my bottom. I had moved in with a guy that I cared nothing about shortly before school let out. When I decided to go back home was when I started realizing the party/sex/drug life was not for me. I started dating another guy, a nice wholesome guy, who I really did care about, only to mess things up when I got high with some other friends and slept with another guy. I knew there was more to life but I started thinking there was no way out for me. God, however, had something else in mind.

On August 31, 1997, I was coming home from a party, very drunk, and I wrecked my car. When I came to, I tried to start the car and when it didn't do anything, I opened the door and glass fell all over me from the window. That's when I realized what had happened and I remember hoping that I hadn't hurt someone else. I didn't know at the time that I was hurt.

I started walking back to my boyfriend's house which was 3 or 4 miles away. I don't know what I was thinking. Walking along, I hadn't got far from my car when I felt something on my face. I reached up and wiped my face and brought my hand away full of blood. I started screaming and crying and started running down the road. A lady stuck her head out the door and asked if she could call an ambulance for me. I said that would be great and I sat down on the side of the road. A man came along with a cell phone and asked if I needed to call someone. I wanted my mom and dad so bad but it took what seemed like forever for me to remember their phone number. I finally did remember and Daddy said when he heard the phone ring, he started getting dressed because he already knew what had happened.

I wasn't hurt bad, by the grace of God alone. I still have trouble with my neck getting out of place and I have one little scar on my upper lip that most people probably never notice, but I do. Oh, by the way, it was a one-vehicle accident, also by the grace of God.

I was only in the hospital over night and most of the next day but my "boyfriend" I mentioned earlier never even called. He was afraid he would be arrested for contributing to the delinquency of a minor. What a guy!!

He did call a couple days later and I am such an idiot, I went back out with him. But not for long, I was already changing and I didn't even realize it yet. I didn't want to drink or smoke weed with them anymore and he finally stopped calling.

During the next two weeks, my husband met me at my dad's business and wanted to get to know me. He knew I was friends with a girl down the road and he had her aggravate the fire out of me to come to her house and meet him. On Thursday of the second week, my "boyfriend" called and apologized, talking about how he wouldn't blame me if I never spoke to him again but if I wanted to go out tomorrow, give him a call. Yeah right!!! I went to the neighbor's. I wanted to get as far away from that telephone as I could. I didn't even care if Bucky showed up that night or not, as long as I didn't go out with the other guy again.

Bucky and I got married 7 months later. We have had our ups and downs. We've almost split up a time or two but God keeps allowing us to work things out. I know that I'm where I'm supposed to be, with him.

I can't say that I have been completely faithful to God the entire time we've been together because I haven't. You see, I still didn't want to admit that I couldn't live my life on my own and make things work. My faith and belief would be tried and tested time & again before I got to where I am now. Many tears have been shed and many times I've asked, "Why me?" before I realized when I forget about me, is when God truly blesses!

I know that God is fighting for me and I can't do anything on my own because God created us to serve him and be dependent on him. God freed me from my last addiction, cigarettes, two months ago. Hallelujah! I like coffee but I can take it or leave it. I am beginning to like eating a whole lot more. I just pray that God won't allow me to let that become a problem that will get in the way of me serving Him.

I completely depend on God for all of my needs and I want to do whatever it takes to please Him. Our preacher says that the greatest thing you can do to please God is to have faith. Man, do I ever!!!!

I have faith that when we truly do the best we can to please God and to be obedient to Him that He will keep His promises to us. I know that He never promised that life serving him would be easy, it won't. But He did promise to take care of our needs and to love us and give us peace. He has promised to be our companion, a friend that sticks closer than a brother. If God is for me, who can be against me? Praise the Lord!!!

I hope everyone reading this has a personal relationship with Christ. If you don't, I pray that God will convict your heart soon before it's too late for you!