My Testimony

       

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity." (1 Tim 4:12 NIV)

First, I would just like to say, I have never publicly shared my testimony, not with family, friends, or most commonly in church. This blog has been a work in progress and by starting it has helped me find the courage to share it with others. I have racked my brain many times trying to chronologize it in my head, deciding to leave parts out, but I have realized that my testimony is mine and all the parts make me who I am. So here it goes….  I was born in Chicago, IL on December 11, 1996. Most people think they have me all figured out when they look at me, but they have it all wrong. I was adopted as a newborn and legally at the age of four. I was born premature, weighing in at two pounds, eight ounces. Before I went home with my parents, I needed to get big and strong!

So, at two months old, Winfred and Lutisha Handy brought home a baby girl to Waukegan, IL. I went with the only family I would ever know, the best family a child could be born into. I’ll be the first to say I have had a calling on my life before I came into this world. I know this well because in Jeremiah it tells us “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:4 NIV) Everything that has taken place in my life since then has been ordered perfectly by my savior, JESUS CHRIST!

My mother is incredibly loving and has fostered many children. Many children have come and go but growing up I was the only girl. I have four brothers: Leo, 30, Freddie, 28, Malcolm, 24, and James, 22. I love them so much! I had a great childhood. At the age of five I lost my father to cancer.

Let’s fast forward to the age of 14, this is when the sneaking around, peer pressure started, this was also the age in which I entered high school. Although, I was raised in church my whole life. MOST of us was right?! I faced difficulties adjusting to life in my teens. Growing up in church is meaningless unless you have a personal relationship with God and get saved. At fourteen, I just became a freshman and I had slowly distanced myself from my childhood friends and got around the WRONG CROWD! I began sneaking around, lying to my parents, smoking/drinking and dating. This started on the weekends, when I would go to my friend’s houses. I did all of this at their houses because they were lenient, emotionally present, or simply put my mom “did not play that!” If I can be honest, I knew what I was doing, I thought it was living my best life! Meanwhile, Satan was setting me up and I fell right into his traps. On December 2, 2011 was a wake up call for me. I went to a party about twenty minutes away from my house. It was a Friday night and we were ready to turn up! In my BC (Before Christ Days) I was the life of the party, I drank, and loved being around people. That night a group of us walked in and I started drinking. My first drink was with two Hispanic guys, that offered me and a friend some vodka. After that, I began mixing light and dark liquor. The devil’s juice FORSURE! About two hours later, I had alcohol poisoning. My naïve tail didn’t know anything about drinking limits or consumption levels. Back then I was only 100 lbs. My mom was called and then rushed me to the hospital. Not only could I lose my life that night, but I vowed to never drink again. Later, when I reached adulthood it never appealed to me again. Ephesians 5:18 states “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion, instead be filled with the Spirit.” Meaning, we cannot be sober-minded and drunk. Three years later, at the age of seventeen. As I reflect back on thus night, I still cringe because GOD spared me and for that i'm incredibly grateful.

 It was the summer of 2014, the summer going into my senior year. I began distancing myself away from toxic people in my life, but I was still lost. Earlier, I mentioned how I lost my dad at the age of five to cancer, his death left an unexplainable void in my life. This lead to me being in toxic relationships with guys. I was looking for love in all the WRONG places. Looking back, I was expecting young boys, because they weren’t men to give me a love only the Lord could.

 In 2015, I reached a milestone and graduated from high school. I started college and grew up. In college, I got it together and promised myself that I would make good grades and become the first in my family to go to college. I changed my lifestyle and mindset. I rid myself of friendships and relationships that no longer served me. My first semester in college I applied myself and made a 3.5 GPA.

On January 9^th, 2017, I got saved all and gave myself to JESUS! Hallelujah.  The best thing that could have happened to me. Always knew GOD was calling me, but I was running from him. I remember after the last guy I talked too, I said “GOD, I’m tired of getting my heart broken. He replied saying “Daughter, come on in. I won’t never break your heart.” That summer I switched churches and was under a new profound leadership. I began to grow in god immensely by going to bible study and diving in my word for myself. On July 9^th, 2017 I got baptized and witnessed a beautiful moment of spiritual rebirth.

 Earlier this month, I graduated from the College of Lake County with an Associates of Arts Degree. In the fall, I will be attending Marquette University to complete my bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a minor in Africana Studies. I am in a wonderful place, it is the lord and me! “The cross before me, the world behind me.” I want to encourage you to keep going, wherever you are in life. I can only hope that my testimony blessed you and tugged on your heart to share yours one day!

Be Encouraged, Nikia A. Handy