Sara Tauber

I was born and raised into what I believe was a very unstable and unusual family. The Bible was never preached, nor verses cited, the only thing I knew was the Lords’ prayer. This was instilled in me at a young age because both of my parents were raised as Catholics. At the age of ten my mother gave her life away to the addictions of methamphetamines, cocaine, marijuana, and alcohol. Needless to say I did not grow up in the ideal household. Shortly after my thirteenth birthday, I was declared a ward of the state and was removed out of my mother’s custody. I was immediately placed under the guardianship of my father who had divorced my mother when I was three years old.

My father, Scott and his wife, Jenice, then tried enlisting Christian morals into me and made church a priority. I, of course, rebelled and took everything that they said at face value. At the age of fourteen I began attending Lakeside Fellowship and continued to rebel. I didn’t understand how God could love me so much and allow me to go through so much in the previous years. Fortunately at Lakeside I met some compassionate, trustworthy, loving and generous people. On April 22, 2007, Pastor Dave preached on the joy of Christ and had an open microphone for people to share what Christ had been doing in their life or share their testimony. I know then that I needed to accept Christ as my personal Savior. I got up during the service and told Pastor that I was ready to make a life changing decision. We then went into the hall and prayed and I accepted Christ into my life. I felt a WHOOSH feeling; that everything was going to be okay.

I thought that after being saved my life was going to then be easier. However, that was not the case. 1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” This verse provided me with the closure in knowing that there are going to be trials but that God will never give us more than we can handle.

I then grew a desire to be baptized. I had talked to Pastor about it and set up a date for it to happen. A little over two years after accepting Christ into my heart I was baptized on June 22, 2008. After my baptism and making my commitment to God public I have made some significant changes in my life.

Since my salvation I have realized that a person’s upbringing doesn’t have to affect the individual’s future. I have begun to rise above my past insecurities and now have a desire to please God. I know that trials will come but I also know that Christ will always be there. I now look forward to church on Sundays and youth group on Wednesdays! I now try to live by Philippians 4:8,9 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”