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I have grown up in a loving family, with parents that have always encouraged me to dive into my faith. I have been very involved at St. Joseph’s Church my whole life and I love the family that I have met here. I am currently a senior at Shanley High School. When I was younger, I would go to youth nights, faith formation classes, Mass, etc. because that is what I was taught to do. I knew Jesus in a textbook way, but I did not have a relationship with him. However, in my middle school years, everything changed.
Beginning the summer after sixth grade, I went to St. John Paul II middle school camp, but my eighth grade year changed me. I went into my last year of camp with the mindset that I was just going to meet some new friends and learn a little bit more about my faith. God had a different plan for me. During a session of Adoration, I had a moment with the Lord and I heard him say, “Follow me.” From that day on, I knew that I needed to choose him every day. I started to take time for daily prayer and became more involved in our parish. Not because I was required to, but because I wanted to.
I started to get more involved in other mission trips, retreats, and conferences. This past summer, I was honored to be accepted into Franciscan LEAD, a program leading up to the St. Paul Steubenville youth conference. During that week, I learned how to be a leader in my faith and how to evangelize. I was one of three high school students chosen to give my testimony, my encounter with the Lord, at the Steubenville conference. On the last day of the conference, I got up in front of 2,000 people and shared how God had called me. I shared my story from St. John Paul II Camp. I loved being able to share my story with people and to share God’s love. My goal from then on was to bring people to the Lord by not only my words but my actions as well. I was reminded that my testimony, my actions, my life, might be the only Bible people will ever read. My actions and words can either draw people to God or push them away from him.
This past summer, I also had the privilege to take a pilgrimage to Italy with my school through the University of Mary in Bismarck. This was such a wonderful opportunity to not only see the universal Church and our history but to also encounter the Lord. While I was in Italy for those two weeks, I kept hearing this quote from St. Catherine of Siena repeated, “Be who you are meant to be and you will set the world on fire.” This quote reminded me that I do not need to be anything extravagant to evangelize, but that the Lord can work through my simple words. It did not matter where I was at in my faith life; God could work through me to impact someone. I have kept these words from St. Catherine close to my heart and I have tried to live them out every day since I first heard them.
I am currently part of the teaching team for middle school EDGE nights at St. Joseph’s; I lead and attend high school youth groups; I am chaplain’s assistant and Teens for Life prayer coordinator at Shanley; and I lead a women’s Catholic book study with other Shanley students. I plan to attend college and engage in missionary work. I have not decided on a college, but I would like to major in Elementary Education and minor in Catholic Studies. After college, I am open to being married or entering the convent. Wherever the Lord leads me, I know it will be where I will be the happiest. I am happy with where the Lord has led me so far and I am so thankful to St. Joseph’s parish for giving me many opportunities to encounter the Lord.