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Everything was different
Creative
 Created on 10-21-07
 Views(52)
 Story Rating G
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Holidays were back again and Ella couldn't believe she had really survived the last year. As she reminisced, it dawned on her just how much the past has taught her; about herself, her family, her friends and her world. Her faith was probably where you could see the most change, other than looking at her of course.
Over her 16 years of life, she had enjoyed many moments of laughter, endured the heartbreaking pain of living with an illness no-one really understood, and cried many tears of both joy and sadness. Of all Ella's years, this past year had probably been the one of greatest change. She had transferred schools at the end of year 9, a drastic change that was both completely out of her control and against her wishes, but now, looking back on the year, she could see that it had been one of the best things she'd ever been made to do. She grudgingly admitted to herself that her parents had been right.
Because she moved schools, she had settled into a new group of friends who actually cared about her (they even noticed when she wasn't there and bothered to call and check she was okay)! What really amazed her was that she had been invited to parties and 'get-togethers' as early as week 3 of first term! That had made her feel special, wanted and accepted; three things she'd not felt in a while... Slowly, the walls around her heart were coming down. She was learning to trust and love again.
When a friend had invited her to church, she'd been wary and scared, but the congregation was so welcoming and kind that they soon became a second family to her.
Then she had to summon the courage to visit the youth group. "How many kids will there be?" "Will they be nice?" "What will they think of me?" "Will I fit in?"
There were so many questions were racing through her mind! But, when she arrived and walked through the door, she was met by about 14 bright friendly faces smiling at her and beckoning her to join in the game they were playing. So she discovered a lovely group of Christian youth who were actually excited to meet her and keen to get to know her. This place was so different from the other youth groups she'd been to. The kids here didn't hurt her, taunt her or ignore her... they loved her!
In the midst of this loving environment, Ella learned to let go of her fears and take faithful steps towards becoming the woman God wanted her to be. She also became a part of the Bible study that was on once a week. Here she was actually encouraged to be herself, to be real, not try and be something else just because the world says so. No more lies, smokescreens, or masks, just "Ella."
As the year progressed, she learned more about her God and her faith grew immensely! She became quite a mature, confident and well-balanced young woman of God who tried to be a willing and humble help to others... something she'd not really believed possible, until this year anyway.
God had really changed her. She was no longer the stubborn, hurt, angry and bitter teen that she had been before she moved, but rather a young lady learning to see her past as the key to unlocking her future. She found that the chorus from a song she sang at church explained her journey of faith beautifully:
"Now that you're near,
Everything is different
Everything's so different, Lord
I know I'm not the same
My life You've changed
I want to be with you
I want to be with you."
Still growing and ever-changing, but secure in a hopeful future, Ella had found the strength to smile again, and mean it!
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