I arrived at UNT 1900 miles away from home, with no friends, a new culture, and a whole new country to adjust to. The only way that I knew what I could find a way to fit in was to join the followers of Jesus. I was already a Christian and although I was seen as a spiritual model throughout high school, I felt that I wasn't as real as I could be.
My freshman year I got involved with a church and made really good friends, but I was still missing the close relationship and worship I needed to have in my life. God answered my prayers and during my second year I signed up with another Bible Study group, Christian Students. I'm usually a passive, submissive person but since joining this new group of Christians, I have begun to open up and have the Christian fellowship and worship that I was longing for. God made me worthy of love and beautiful to "total strangers"; but there are no "total strangers" in Christ. When I went to my first home meeting, they were so sociable and took me in as if I'd been there for years. I felt like I was wrapped in the arms of a favorite family member. They made me feel at home. It was humbling. It was plain to me that they only wanted to be godly servants and through their actions show the joy of the Lord.
The joy of the Lord is my strength. I am so grateful that I have found true believers and I'm able to meet with them through personal Bible studies, home meetings, or weekend group meetings. Every time my eyes are opened and my heart softened. I've realized that I was depended on only going to the physical 'church' or Bible studies to fulfill my desire for God. But now I have been jump-started to continue reading the Bible everyday, which (now I know) I couldn't keep up on my own because of Satan's attempt to keep my busy with school and the computer. I believe it has been a relighting of my dimming oil lamp. Thank the Lord Almighty for the fire that's burning within me now. And I thank God for the remarkable uniting Christian fellowship that has helped me get closer to God.
