Jonny

I was born in New Jersey to a strong Christian family that loved Jesus with all their heart. I moved to Florida when I was 13 and began going to a church where my dad was the youth pastor. There, I attended youth camps all throughout my teenage years. Despite my upbringing I never established a strong relationship with Christ. When I graduated from high school I decided to stay home and work part-time and began attending Hillsborough Community College. During these years, I fell into a strong addiction of alcohol and drugs, and suffered from anxiety which left me failing most of my classes. My parents would try to get me to attend church on Sundays, but I was usually too hungover or high to even get out of my bed. I felt I was such a burden to myself and my family that there were multiple times that I contemplated suicide.

My best friend from middle school and I began to call each other every week to talk about life and sometimes would even read the Bible together. One day he called me and told me that he felt that I knew who Jesus was but that I wasn’t in love with Him. After hearing his perspective, I decided to repent for my sins and give my life to Jesus. I knew things had to change in my life, however it would take time. As I overcame my drug and alcohol addiction I graduated from Hillsborough Community College and got accepted to the University of South Florida. There I met a campus minister from Cornerstone who I began to meet for weekly Bible studies. After we started meeting, I got baptized and began to strengthen the foundation of my new relationship with Jesus. God was teaching me how to become a true warrior for Christ.

I can’t wait to see God’s plan unfold for me in the years to come. I know that if I seek His kingdom that He will make my ways prosperous. I was able to lead several Bible studies this past semester and had the opportunity to see two people come to know Christ! There is nothing I enjoy more than telling people about Jesus Christ and what He did in my life. I want to show people that Jesus does indeed change lives and that whatever struggle we face God is always with us!

~Jonny