I was born and raised in

Knoxville
,

TN.
I grew up in church, and in a safe enviroment. When I was 11 my parents divorced, and I was thrown into a whole new life with just my mom and I. I was your typical good kid who went to church and loved Jesus. However, as life began to hit circumstances arouse which led me to fall away from Jesus my sophmore and junior years of high school. I got involved in drugs, drinking, and smoking, and totally began to change into a different person. I was bitter and anger with my father and step mom, and I allowed myself to seek comfort in everything but God. However, there were constantly people in my life interceeding for me, and God never let me go. The second semester of my junior year I was in my room by myself, and just felt the Holy Spirit tugging at my heart. I fell to my knees and gave my life completely to God. It was amazing! He just held me, and I finally knew what it meant to have the weight lifted off my shoulders. From that moment on I began to seek His face in everyway I could. I grew rapidly and had one door after another open. I began to lead worship, and then left to attend

Lee

University
. Here I began the stage of preparation in my life. I was soaking up information everywhere I went. Then in November 2004 my mother was in an almost fatal car accident, which led me to taking all of 2005 off. It was definitely a time of trail. That same year my best friend past away unexpectantly during child birth. I worked to help support my family, and once again took over being the worship leader. I would have to admit that it was the hardest year of my life. It wore on me physically, spiritually, and emotionally. As I returned to school life continued to get more intense. I have been working extra hard to catch up so I can graduate, as well as working everyday to support myself financially. God has taken me through everyone of these valleys and brought me out at a new level in Him. I look back and see every situation I went through, and how each one has formed me to be the woman of God that I am today.

I know that God has been preparing me to go to

New Zealand
for several years.
  The Lord has used me in ministry to young people and the immense amount of training I have undergone has brought me to this phase of my life.
  I will be graduating from

Lee

University

University

Lee

University
in July with a Bachelors degree in Bible and Theology.
  And during this trip, I will also be disciplined and trained in more areas of ministry and missions, as well as, having the opportunity to take God's Word to the streets and local churches in

New Zealand

New Zealand
.