When my life feels like it is falling apart, when I feel like day after day and the next is going to eat away at me slowly, I turn to God. I have not always had God in my life. In fact, for most of my life, I rejected God and Jesus Christ. I pushed them away and turned to ungodly ways like tarot and witchcraft. However, when I found God, he welcomed me with open arms and I was forgiven. I found meaning in life and was able to live day after day and the next feeling surrounded by love and hope. With the forgiveness of God through Jesus Christ and the holy spirit filling me with confidence and hope, I am able to tackle many challenges and obstacles in my life. A time when I relied on my faith in God was with my mother. My mother is someone who drinks a good amount and tends to act careless around us. My childhood was filled with hatred and anger which carried on to my teenage years. Before I found God, I alienated myself from my family, I felt that nobody was by my side. However, after I found God, I could ask him for advice through prayer and reading the Bible. And all of a sudden, I got my answers. He would talk to me in many ways, usually in my dreams, but he gave me everything I needed. I asked him why my mother was like this, and he answered. It was like an angel in disguise. It was where I would least expect it. It was my Uber driver. He told me that we all are struggling with our own problems and we can only help others out and forgive them because we are all sinners. Later that night, as I opened the Bible app, I was reading Matthew at the time, and I read the words “do not judge, or you too will be judged”(Matthew 7:1). It was just as I had learned, I cannot judge my mother because that is not my place just as she needs time to work things out herself. Ever since then, I have become content with the way things are now. With all the familial struggles that I have faced, I don’t resent my family based on the past. I have accepted the way things are and how they got there and take it as God’s will. Knowing that whatever path God has sent me on is the best for me, I can walk down that path with trust and hope for what lies ahead. By thinking this way all the time, I can tackle any obstacle or challenge that blocks that path because I know that I will always have God by my side to fight any battles. Submitted by: Mylah H Garnett Email: Mylahhortence@gmail.com

Coming from a single-parent and low-income household has taught me many things in life. With me, my two sisters, and my mother, we have always tried to watch out for each other. However, despite all the needs and many wants, in most cases, the wants could not be fulfilled. This was a struggle when going through school. While it might seem cliche, seeing my friends being able to follow the clothing trends and getting new toys monthly made me feel left out. Especially going to their houses and seeing many things that I did not have. This was a difficult thing for a young girl to understand. However, after one sister then the next were born, I was able to see myself from a different perspective. I saw myself in my sisters, not getting everything they wanted, and of course, some tantrums when they didn’t. But what I also saw, was my mother doing what she could to support us all. It taught me to be appreciative of what I have and even feel lucky and blessed to have what I do. I even felt privileged. After finally being able to feel this way, I felt compelled to put myself forward to help my community. I participated in and even ran multiple service projects, I got closer to God and began to work for myself. Every now and then, I still get upset if I can’t get something I want, but I always try to remind myself about what I do have. I also teach my little sisters what I learned so they can get that guidance from a young age. By doing so, I hope to reinforce learning within myself and pass down the appreciation I feel. Submitted by: Mylah H Garnett Email: Mylahhortence@gmail.com

My community is very important in shaping me into who I am today. I like to think of myself as confident and a resilient person in all I do. I want to take the initiative on things such as tackling problems and getting involved. Being a first-generation low-income student, attending college is a huge step for me and my family. Being the first time my mother and I have gone through this process, it is a challenge for both of us. She always tells me not to worry about the cost of tuition and that she has it covered, but I know that deep down, it is a lot for her. However, this has not stopped me from trying my hardest to be the best I can in all I do and do what I can to support my community. One way I serve my community is through organizing and participating in community service projects. One of which I did my freshman year for the Salvation Army. I called it the “PB&Jathon.” I got dozens of students from my school to make thousands of PB&Js to donate to my local Salvation Army. It was one of the most amazing things I have seen. So many students came to help in the event I organized to help out the people in need. But what was even more amazing was seeing many students who participated in creating their own projects to help serve our community. Even though I try my best to support my community, my family still has their own needs. I have two younger sisters who have aspirations just like me to go to college but that will be tough on my mother. For many schools, tuition without financial aid is far out of reach. However, I know that no matter how much or little aid we receive, she and I will both work our hardest to reach our goals. One goal I have is to help my community and it’s needed. A large problem in mine and other communities is bullying. It is something that has been through generations and across the country. Being a part of the student council, it is my duty to make sure the school is safe for our students and make constant improvements in student life. A way we prevent bullying is through making posts on social media or making posters at our school. Bullying is a serious issue and we handle it accordingly. A way that I deal with bullying on a personal level is through Christ. By sharing the gospel and my own experiences, I can help people gain confidence and hope. For myself, I always remember that the Lord is with me through all my struggles and will help me face any challenge. In the case of cyberbullying, I have two younger sisters chronically online. I teach them about how to trust and not trust someone online and what to do when being bullied. I make sure to tell them to unadd or block that someone if they are facing cyberbullying and also tell them not to cyberbully either. By taking these precautions, I can make sure that both my sisters are safe and not harmed by the actions of someone else behind a screen.