Personal Narrative: A Christian Journey

There are days I wish I could have just grown up Christian; however, this is the journey God laid down for me. For that, I am thankful and would not have it any other way. To truly understand my faith journey, you need to understand where I come from.
I was 14 years old when I wanted to learn more about the Lord. I grew up in a very poor community. I grew up in a very poor community and gang violence was very evident, sharing a 550-square foot one bedroom apartment was what my parents could afford since my father was an alcoholic and both my parents were agricultural workers. Growing up, my house was noisy, not the good way, my parents would yell at each other, yell at my sister and me. I cannot tell you how many times I saw my mother cry. My mother tried to leave a few times, but our culture really frowns upon single mothers. I can still remember waking up in the middle of the night to hear my father banging on the window, after a long night of drinking. “Let me in”, he would yell. My mother in tears would say, “No, you're drunk”. I layed at the other end of the bed, pretending to be asleep so my mother would not have to lie to me saying, “Everything's fine, go back to bed”. My family has had generational alcoholism and domestic violence generations before me. Growing up, I believed my parent’s marriage was
I am a first generation college student. Life after college has not been easy. I’ve learned that I never actually saw God as a father figure. It’s hard to imagine a father being as long as God. It’s been hard looking at God as a father who does not break promises and values my hurt. I’m thankful I am able to have a relationship with God where he not only is my savior, friend, comforter, but also my loving father. I’m thankful for the person I am becoming. I’m thankful I have Christian friends, a wonderful mother, and great pastors to help me stand firm and keep walking. The book of Ingrid has yet to be