Kyla

Growing up, my father was in the Navy, so I moved around often as a kid. One of the most memorable experiences from my childhood was being very involved in the church in my town in south Georgia. It was my first time being part of a church community. Then I moved away from that town to Maine. 

      Along with the move, my parents’ marriage started to fall apart. As we continued to move around, I became more distant from God and lost faith in Him and the people around me. I came to USF in the fall of 2022 and I met a campus minister at the beginning of the semester. I realized that I had a lot of misconceptions about what a true relationship with God looks like. I thought God was distant and I didn't see a need to have a relationship with Him. As I continued to go to a Bible study and seek God for myself, I started to understand God's love for me. In October 2022, at the end of the church service, I prayed to give my life to the Lord. I felt like God was speaking to me that day and asking me to fully commit. 

      After giving my life to the Lord I felt a great sense of joy and excitement. Knowing God had accepted me as a daughter was an indescribable feeling. Soon after, I was baptized in water. I grew with a boldness to proclaim the Gospel that I never thought I would have. I started sharing the Gospel around the USF campus and I went on a spring break trip last spring to share the Gospel at UCF. Everyone at Cornerstone has been so encouraging and supportive with my walk with the Lord. Having the support of a church family has been one of the greatest experiences. Life still has its challenges, but now that I’m walking through life with God alongside me, I know I’m never alone and I have Him to lean on.     

-Kyla