Elena

I was born and raised in Greece. My family and I would visit an Orthodox church only for special days like Christmas and Easter. Sometimes my mom would take me to church on Sundays, although I never asked or understood any of it. I thought that if my deeds were good enough I would go to heaven.

When I came to USF, I was not right with God and I was simply living college life, going to parties and seeking attention, but I was never really fulfilled. In the summer of 2020, after many days of waking up feeling lonely and empty, I attended Cornerstone where I met a lot of people that helped me begin my journey with God. I started to get to know Jesus more and more and my life began to change as God showed me His purpose for me.

One year later, I fell short and fell back to sin. My life had never been darker than that. I stopped going to church and reading my Bible. I tried to hide and keep my life a secret. But even through my darkness, God was still there for me. I experienced Godly sorrow which led me to confess to the pastors of my church. They prayed for me and I repented. I knew I was forgiven and no longer felt the guilt of my sin. That was the moment I truly got to know God’s mercy and His unconditional love and the freedom that comes with what Jesus did for me on the cross. I grow closer and closer to God everyday, but there is no finish line. Giving up my will and my own desires is a choice that I am called to make every day. I am very grateful for the way God has helped me grow in almost 3 years and I am so excited to see what He has in store for me as I am a new creation in Christ!

-Elena