After hearing of the hardships and personal tragedies I’ve experienced, people often ask what made the difference in me. I faced many of the same temptations, distractions, and attractions that most teenagers face. I remember clearly my attempts to fit in and my struggle to process the hurt from the disappointments at home. But how? How did I survive those crucial years in which each day was saturated with decisions that could make or break me?

 

The answer for me was one that is often searched for, but easily missed. I took the “leap of faith.” One day, I accepted the plan that God had for me. I “made the trade.” I exchanged all of my uncertainties for the security of faith. It was intimidating at first, as faith in the unseen can be, but it was the most pivotal moment in my life. And nothing was more important for me than making a change. The change occurred the day I  traded all of the guilt and shame of my sin for the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. Then, as with any trade, I began to get to know my new team: God as my head coach, Jesus as my “go to” guy, and the Holy Spirit as the one who’s “got my back.”

 

Now, instead of just training to win, I’m preparing for a life of greater quality. I’m preparing to affect future generations. I’m

preparing to live forever. I shudder to think of where I might be today had I passed on the “trade” and rejected Jesus Christ.