Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things have passed away, behold all things have become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17
Hello reader. I know people these days don't like to spend a lot of time reading long stories, so I will try to keep this as brief as I can.
I was born into a racially mixed family. I am the 4th out of 5 children. I was very shy as a child. I was raised in a strong Seventh-Day Adventist christian home and we attended church every sabbath. I was introduced to music during our family worship time. I loved singing songs, but never knew I had the gift of song until I was about 10 years old. My parents bought my sisters and I a Karaoke maching for christmas. They didn't really care for it, but I was intrigued by it. I sat in my room for hours singing the songs on the tape it came with. My mother, overheard me singing one day and she said the Lord spoke to her and told her I was going to be a singer.
As years passed I was immersing myself in Gospel and Pop music. I became very obsessed with the Pop singers of the 90's. I wanted to be just like them and sing like them. I wanted to be famous and travel the world. I struggled with how I looked because I was mixed and my hair was big and poofy. I didn't like my body shape. I was teased by other kids because I was short and frumpy and my hair wasn't straight. I wished so badly to be tall and thin with straight hair. Music became my escape from the world. When I was singing and listening to music I felt free. In high school I joined the choir and was able to sing for many of the pep-rally's and sports events. I had a little taste of fame from those performances. Everyone knew who I was because I sang for so many school events. But, the attention never made me feel happy inside. I was always searching for something else.
When I was about 16, I decided to give my heart to Jesus. I married my high school crush a few years after high school and was still trying to persue a singing career. I wanted to sing Christian music, but I wasn't 100% committed to God at the time. Then tragedy struck me. After only being married for 7 months, I came down with a terrible auto-immune disease called Alopecia Areata. All of my hair fell out! It was horrible. The doctor told me there was no cure and he couldn't do anything for me. I fell into a very deep depression. I managed to make my own wig, and secluded myself from society.
I studied my bible like never before and my relationship with God truly began. I fell in love with God very deeply. I prayed for healing everyday. I studied all of the miracle stories that Jesus performed. One story in particular is the story of the woman with the issue of blood. In Mark chapter 5, this woman had an incurable disease and touched the hem of Jesus robe and he healed her! I remember reaching out in faith in my mind and touching Jesus. I clung to Jesus everyday. And you know what? Jesus did heal me. All of my hair grew back and it grew past my waist down to my hips in only a few years!!! I wrote the song "Have You Touched Jesus" while I was sick, and I finished it after I was healed.
This is the reason why I love the Lord so much and why I have dedicated my voice to Him! It's why I sing. I want to share my story with as many people as I can so they too can reach out and touch Jesus. I recently graduated from Nursing school in May of 2012, and it has deepened my knowledge about disease. So many people need Jesus. I want to be an avenue to share his love with them. God has given me the chance to record 5 christian albums, tour, do interviews on major christian networks, and concerts all over the untied states. Together with my husband, son, and daughter we travel wherever the door is opened, and I get to share my Testimony and sing.
I am not the super shy little girl I used to be. I don't hate the way I look like I used to. Through Jesus, I have seen that I am a child of God and Jesus created me to be the way I am for his purpose. I am married to the most amazing man in the world and have been blessed with a son and daughter who fill me with joy. I attribute all of these blessings to God. Everyday I strive to be a better mother, wife, and christian. I have my devotions every morning with Jesus. I need him every hour of every day. I love him so much. He is coming back soon and we all need to be ready when he comes.
That's my Testimony in a nutshell. Hope you have been blessed!
In Christ,
Athena
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