Morgan Robertson February 7th, 2014 English 1102-039 Critical Narrative Foundation of Life For God so loved the

world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). This was the very first verse that I was taught when I was in childrens church. It is also one of the most common verses and even nonChristians have it memorized. This verse is the starting point of my faith and if you do not believe the verse, than you cannot really believe. I grew up in church and in a Christian family. I started at my mothers parents church and then moved to one closer and I have been there since I was nine years old. My faith has changed since I was saved, in elementary school, middle school, high school and how college. No Judging Allowed I started my journey at Meadowview Reformed Presbyterian Church and went every Sunday. I paid attention every week during the Bible lessons and when we did crafts relating to the story. Being a Christian when you are little is much easier because kids are not judgmental and go with the flow. When you are little you are around your family and in most cases they all have the same faith as you do. While you are in school you are constantly learning and teachers dont bring up religion (well at least my teachers didnt). You are constantly learning and doing projects. Kids in elementary school talk about their favorite food, colors, etc. They do not talk

about religion and they will not judge you for it. While in elementary school, it was very easy to keep my faith because I was not around people who were doing bad things or saying negative things. The most negative thing someone could have done was say they did not like your show and tell object. Stand Firm Once I left elementary school I moved up into the big kid school also known as middle school. The place where you have freedom, different teachers and different classmates. You meet people from other schools that have different opinions then you. Kids are getting older, meaner, and more independent. Middle school is critical in this day and time because it is where you start to find yourself in this world. You start meeting new friends and trying new things. I believe middle school is the most influential part of your life. Middle school started to change all of my friends that were Christians and they become more distant and started experimenting with drugs, smoking, and alcohol. However, I stayed grounded and continued going to church. Though it was hard at times not to try things because that was the fab back then I knew if I did I would be disappointed in myself. If you did not do certain things you could not hang with certain groups. It was then I started finding myself and what it really meant to be a Christian. I had to stand firm in my faith and not let others sway me. I also had to reach out to people and be salt and light of the dark world that started to form in my bright little world. Faith vs. Friends Then high school rolled around. People started driving and playing more sports. Students had already experimented with things and have started doing these things on a daily basis or at least on the weekends. Most of my friends were drinking and partying all the time. I was still very involved with my church and youth group. Most of my youth group went to my school

which was beneficial because I knew I had someone to hang out with. High school was probably the hardest for me because everyone around me was drinking, smoking and partying. I really had to stand my ground. Most of my classmates knew I was not involved with those things. However, I did get called a goody-goody at times but I did not let it bother me because at least they knew I was different and was not like them. I had to stand my ground most of my high school years. I got invited to things but I turned it down because I knew what they were going to be doing. It was hard at times because of the peer pressure. However, I know God was with me wherever I went and helped me stand up for myself. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous? Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go (Joshua 1:9). High school made me stronger and helped me stand up for my faith. I had to truly be the salt and light and let others know something was different about me. I am so thankful I did because I can look back and not regret anything I did or did not do. Home Away From Home College is a whole different ballgame. You live on your own without your parents telling you what to do. They are not there keeping me encouraged after a long day or making sure I went to church. Luckily I go home often and I am able to continue to attend my church on Sundays. On Wednesdays I attend Campus Bible Fellowship. CBF is a student organization that meets and has Bible studies every Wednesday from 7-9. This is really helped me in college thus far because it encourages me to keep going and not to give up. It is a nice stress reliever and a time to forget about all the homework. Being away from home is hard because there are so many influences good and bad that are all around me. From people drinking and smoking to cutting class. I have really had to keep my faith while everyone around me is doing things I do not do

and that I know is not right. I try really hard to distance myself and not be around it. I know God is going to help me every day to stand firm and standup for him. Who Am I? Identity plays a huge role in my daily life. I am a different person in class than when I am with my friends. My Christian life is the most important influence in my identity. My faith is my morals and how I believe I should live. Without it I have no idea where I would be today and I do not really want to know. Being a Christian is very rewarding because I am different than other people who do not have the same beliefs as me. If I was not a Christian my identity would not be the same because I would not live the same life or have the same friends. Therefore my Christian walk is the basics of my identity because it tells me how to live, how to treat people, and how to get through each day.

Sources "A Free Bible on Your Phone, Tablet, and Computer." The New Bible.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Jan. 2014.