My faith has served as a keel throughout my life, keeping me balanced and helping me move forward, ever growing into more of the person I want to be. And my faith has been profoundly shaped by the love and kindness of the Christians that have helped me on this journey, and I am grateful to them all, and to the God who put them in my life.

I know I will never be able to fully express my gratitude for having Dorry and Kaylene as my parents. Most children are shaped in many indescribable ways by their families, and I am no exception. While I am still coming to fully understand my parent’s influence on my life, I do know that their intelligence and faith has had a major impact on the way I view the world and what it means to follow God. Their actions showed me what it means to live out a life of faith. My father is one of the kindest, gentlest, and most thoughtful people I know - Ssow to anger and careful with his words. I try to live up to his example every day; I like to think I’m getting better at it. My mother showed me what sacrifice and love looked like, and demonstrated how to have an opinion that you keep to yourself when needed, a skill I’m still working on. As an Australian, she also made sure I had an appreciation for the entire world, and opened my eyes to the diversity of experience therein.

Lucilla’s love to my family shaped my childhood. My mother worked part time in order to help support the family, and Lucilla took care of my brother and me many hours each week until we moved when I was 8. I don’t remember many specifics of what she did for me, but I know that she loved us dearly, and I know that love shaped me. A God fearing woman, she loved me like her own daughter, and I am forever grateful for it.

I spent my all my school years going to a reformed Christian school in the Washington, DC suburbs. A loving community, I am grateful to WCA for teaching me about the Bible and Christianity, but I am even more grateful for the many supportive teachers who made a huge impact on my life. Going to a Christian school had its pluses and its minuses, but I am grateful for the worldview it helped me develop. One in which it is important to critically examine the world in which you find yourself. One in which there are more important things in life than succeeding academically. One in which it is important to be inclusive and loving of each other.

The foundation shaped by these kind people served me well going into my adult years and college life. I went to the University of Maryland, and attended the same church I was baptized in as an infant and which my parents still attended. I spent the fall semester of my junior year studying at The University of Sydney. It was there that I experienced even more kindness from Christians. On my second Sunday in town, I spent an hour and a half making my way out to the far suburbs to attend the service of the pastor who married my parents. I didn’t tell him I was coming, and when I turned out to his church, he wasn’t preaching there. Thankfully a kind woman drove me to the church plant where he was. He and his wife invited this awkward American to their home for lunch, and made me feel the love of Christ by welcoming me, telling me stories of my parents as young adults, and recommending St. Matthias Anglican Church to me, about a 10 minute bus ride from where I was living. The next Sunday morning I made it to St. Matthias, and enjoyed the service. Thankfully a kind older woman told me that I should probably try the evening service, since that’s when all the people my age attend. I took that advice and went on to join their community of young adult believers, making many friends who showed me Christ’s love, and who I still cherish to this day. It was also the first church outside of my home church that I regularly attended, and it challenged and deepened my faith.

I found a similar community showing Christ’s love when I started attending CPC. I was welcomed with open arms and huge smiles. I was made to always feel at home, and that warmth, love, and kindness from the entire community has kept me coming back every week. I have enjoyed attending CPC the last four years, and growing in my faith among this fully inclusive group of believers.

My faith journey has taught me that life is so much more rewarding when living Christ’s love toward others. While living a Christ centered life may be anathema to a lot of the values that the world believes will make us happy, I have found happiness in my walk with the Lord, and I hope to continue growing in him and to show to others the love I have been shown in my life. I hope the Lord has many years planned for me on this earth, and I know that I want to follow God and do my best to glorify him with my time here.