I grew up in Northern California with four kids and two adults tiptoe-ing around each other in a 3-bedroom house. My parents were both Christian and did the usual things like praying before meals and attending church nearly every Sunday. Which is why it’s probably no surprise that I chose to follow Jesus as a six-year-old, standing on a kitchen chair so I could get closer to God to make sure he heard me ask him into my heart.

After that, I tried my best to make better choices, to love others well, and to deal gracefully with the daily frustrations that came with a host of mental health issues different family members had. I attended youth group, served in Kids Ministry, read my Bible, was baptized, participated in discipleship and really took the whole Jesus thing to heart. I will forever be grateful for the strong foundation God built in my life to keep me grounded through what he did next.