photo courtesy Amy Haake
I felt like I was in a dark place, deep within a hole. An abusive relationship from my past led to depression and anxiety, and I started my freshman year of college with a big emptiness in my heart needing to be filled.
I had tried to fill this emptiness for years. I thought the love I needed would come from guys, and so I treasured those relationships. I even wondered if God might fill the emptiness in my heart when my high school friend would drag me to church. But I didn’t get the answers I wanted in high school.
I was still going through rough times when I went to Bowling Green State University as a freshman. A new friend brought me to her Cru Life Group, and when the girls asked for prayer requests, I asked for peace and acceptance of my circumstances. It blew my mind how much peace I immediately sensed as they prayed for me. That caught my attention, and I continued to go to Life Group, and attended as many Cru events as I could that year.
At the beginning of my sophomore year, I attended a Women’s Weekend. After being around the community of women for those 48 hours, and seeing how their faith made them a light to others, I realized that’s what I wanted. I finally knew more about who God is and how to have a relationship with Him. I accepted Christ at the end of that weekend.
I like the entire chapter of 2 Samuel 22, but the 20th verse stands out to me. It says “[God] brought me forth into a broad place; He rescued me, because He delighted in me.” That’s just awesome. God likes me so much that He’ll take me from dark places and put me some place awesome. God rescued me when I was far within a hole – and I haven’t been in that place since.
If I’d told myself two years ago that I can trust God and that He’ll take care of me, I would’ve thought that was impossible. But through my friends in Cru, I have learned more of who God is and how to have a relationship with Him even during rough times. The love I always needed is from God. He delights in me and He has brought me forth into a new place.
Amy Haake is a junior from Mason, Ohio studying high school math education at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio.
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