My Testimony

So, If y'all didn't know, I've never given my testimony. And then I started my new term at the Institute and was required to give it in 5 minutes or less. So I actually had to write it. And now, I will display it for the world (well, the few who see this) to read. Enjoy!
P.S. If I have known and learned from you over the last 5 years of my life.... I thank God for you every day. So this is for you... as much as it is for me.

My name is Teresa Repair and I am twenty years old.I was raised in a non Christian home with 3 sisters and both of my parents.  My Dad was raised Catholic after he was adopted and I don't think he wanted us to feel pressured to do something that he didn't like doing as he grew up. So, I was not taught about Jesus. I was in sixth grade when I began attending Uturn, Faith Center's Youth Group. I went for friends and because my sisters  did.  However, when they stopped going, I kept going.  I was in eighth grade when I really began to understand salvation but I think I resisted for a while.  However, after going through a very tough freshman year of high school I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior at fifteen years old.  I became involved in our Christian club on campus. Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and I have 3 close friends from that group as well as adopted parents. FCA is where I began to understand what life was like as a believer.  My friend Kelsey introduced me to the first Bible verse that I remember learning and memorizing.


Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:2

This verse opened my eyes.  My sophomore year of high school is when I began conforming to people's expectations.  My sister, at age 16 went into rehab for drugs and alcohol and I began a five year struggle with bulimia and anorexia.  This verse, though I still dealt with those issues, opened my eyes to see the control that I allowed the people around me to have in my life.  I started attending Uturn for God, not friends, praying outside of church, and I became a leader at our Junior High's Youth Group (back in those days it was separated between junior high and high school).  I began irregularly attending Sunday services (when my Dad was home he would give me a ride) and once I got my license I began attending regularly and volunteering as well.  Summer 2009 was a huge Summer for me.  I graduated high school, Aaron Hinrichs baptized me, I went to my first camp, followed by my first missions trip.  Lindsay, my mentor, got married and my niece was born (on the same day). My niece, the light of my life, gave me hope. Hope that maybe I could bring Christ into my family.  I brought her to church every week for the first year of her life.(it's a little more complicated these days)  God completely changed my life that Summer. It took me writing this out to see that.  Currently, I am an ELN intern at Faith Center, I attend the North Coast Bible Institute (I plan to graduate and become a Children's Pastor), I have found a church family full of baby sisters, big brothers, friends, and what I have needed the most, moms.  Currently, I am still the only believer in my family. In the last 6 months, my sister has gotten divorced and dealt with custody hearings for my niece, I've called on the police on my sister for drinking and putting me in danger, my little sister moved in with her boyfriend and is 11 weeks pregnant, and my parents got divorced.  My mother moved to Arizona (and just got engaged to another man) and my Dad works out of town 10 months out of the year with my sister.  By looking at their lives I see the strength I have. Strength I have because of God.  I've remained strong (generally speaking) through the people He has provided and by leaning on Him through everything.  I want my family to see what the Lord has done for me. I want them to see what pain He has kept me safe from and how He has loved me unconditionally.  He has changed my life.  I want them to see it too. He has kept me from the lives that they are all currently struggling to live through and I want them to see that He is there for them.  I want them to see that I don't judge them, that I support them.  I want them to see how God's Love sets them free, just has God has set me free.