Personal Narrative: Growing Up In A Church

I am one of those kids who grew up in the church, whose parents never let them miss a Sunday School class or youth group on Wednesday nights, who enrolled them in a private Christian school for over 11 years. I was also one of those kids who was honestly indifferent about it all. I did not fight them on it often except occasionally when I was just really tired and wanted to skip a Sunday to sleep in. I loved the Lord and understood the gospel. I loved the school they put me in for those 11 years and am very grateful for it even though I hated it while I was there. I was the kid who did everything right, the goody two-shoes as I was called in jr. high. That was just me and everyone knew it. I was the perfect child on the outside. I never took any risks, was a good friend to everyone, and got incredible grades. However, nobody really knew what was going on inside my heart.
I have had a lot of problems and challenges I have had to overcome during

My church is located in an extremely tiny office building in Orange, California. My parents helped start it three months before I was born, so I have grown up in that church. My aunt is the youth director, her husband is the worship pastor, and her father is our head pastor. They are not family by blood, but they basically are. They come to family dinners every Sunday, go on family vacation with us, and spend Christmas with us. I know everyone at church and everyone knows me; I absolutely love that. I love the tight-knit community that it is. That church and my private school have given me the best foundation for my faith. I went to that school from pre-school through 8th grade. I knew everyone there and everyone knew me too. I was involved in everything. I was a cheerleader, did every school play, girl scouts, was ASB Vice-President; it was what some people would call my “glory days”. I was a very active child. I did soccer, gymnastics, and ice skating. I loved being outside and