On the third page of a thin navy blue booklet is my profile information and identification: Isabella Chow, citizen of the United States of America. This little passport lists some of my most important possessions, but I know deep down that my true identity is not that of a citizen of the United States of America. Above all and forever, I am a citizen of the Kingdom of God, jus Sanguinis et Jus Soli. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay Raised in a Christian home with three older adopted siblings and two younger siblings, I remember the morning when I accepted Christ as my Savior and Lord. . On a family mission trip to Malaysia, my parents called me, when I was six, into their room, asked me several basic questions about salvation, and led me in a simple prayer. As soon as I could read, my older sister passed me her NIV Picture Bible, which my parents encouraged me to read every morning. Every Saturday, my father held family devotions, which usually consisted of off-key singing with YouTube music, an enthusiastic worship band (pots and pans, wooden “pestles,” maracas, tambourines, and dance scarves), Bible readings, and popcorn prayer. In keeping with the Psalms, we “shouted for joy to the Lord” and “praised Him with loud cymbals” (Psalms 98:4, 150:5) – so loudly, in fact, that neighbors sometimes ventured out to investigate. ! Under my parents' guidance and education, I continued to mature physically and spiritually, and at age eleven I was baptized by our pastor in the backyard swimming pool. Church families, homeschool friends, and even non-Christian teachers came to celebrate, and the afternoon was filled with testimonies, gifts, a barbecue dinner, and a party by the pool. A dear aunt and her family from Malaysia were also present at my baptism. Aunt Nancy had been diagnosed with colon cancer and was recovering from radiation therapy. For several months, our family showered her with love and care – making her carrot and beet juice for her breakfast, carrying her outside to bathe in the morning sun, and warming her blankets in the the dryer when she was shivering from the cold. Even in her most painful trials, Aunt Nancy never complained. Devoting entire mornings to reading the Bible and praying, she truly illustrated the life of a heavenly citizen, whose strength was drawn from the grace of God alone. Unfortunately, after a year of unbearable pain, his heart broke unexpectedly. I lost not only an aunt, but also a spiritual mentor and friend. Furthermore, witnessing such a sudden death traumatized me. Hours past my bedtime, I would lie in bed each night, gripped by irrational fears of darkness and death, worrying that my father or mother, like my aunt, would die in their sleep. When I fell asleep, it was only to wake up again from 3 a.m. nightmares, unable to sleep again until I checked that every member of the family was still breathing. These episodes of fear lasted for several months, but the light shone once again when God whispered into my heart that He alone is the giver of life. He alone holds my family in his hands; He alone has the power to take life. All my anxiety and fear neither added a single minute to life nor subtracted a single minute from life. Gently the Lord taught me to trust in His perfect ways, not giving in to fearbut to faith and abandonment. 1 John 4:18 ("There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear") became my lifeline, as I openly declared the Lord's promises each evening before go to bed. My journey through the valley of the shadow of death has certainly been a difficult time, but, as always, God works all things for the good of those who love Him. Before my aunt passed away, my Christianity consisted primarily of Sunday services, family devotions, and somewhat inconsistent personal devotions. Of course, I fully trusted and strived to live according to the Bible, but I still had to realize the abundance of life promised by Christ in John 10:10. Learning to overcome my fears by listening from my spiritual ears, so to speak, as I discovered the secrets of communing with God throughout the day and recognizing His voice. Depending on Him for peace and refuge has opened my eyes to the reality of His comforting presence and ever-present help in times of darkness. In short, God became real to me. Since high school, certain influences, besides my family, have further solidified my faith. A local class of worldviews is not the least of these influences. Combining credits in literature and composition, Western civilization and/or history, Bible or philosophy/theology and, in grade 11, art appreciation, courses examine, over eight semesters, Western thought and culture of the period Greco-Roman until the 20th century. century. To say that this course challenged and changed my thinking is an understatement: discussing the books of great thinkers, from Paul E. Little to Francis Schaeffer to Plato to B.F. Skinner, solidified the foundations of my faith and m made it possible to analyze societal trends from a critical point of view. educated perspective and equipped me with evangelical conversation starters. Additionally, Rev. Booth, our teacher since tenth grade, became a valuable mentor and role model to me, through his advice, nuggets of wisdom, and prayers. River of Life youth group has also become a second home to me since I joined in eighth grade. Growing up alongside sometimes nerdy Asian siblings who can be just as obsessed with SAT and Super Bowl scores, but even more fanatical about following Jesus and reaching the lost, has been a great blessing. When I started a youth group in Morgan Hill last year, my advisor, Esther, not only taught me basic leadership skills, but also spent countless hours investing in my spiritual life during of our pre-study dinners every Saturday. No matter if meetings failed or I overlooked an important detail for a community action, she never criticized my abilities, but helped pick me up as I learned and bounced back from my mistakes . Thanks to Esther's affirmations of my intercessory gifts, I also relaunched our youth prayer team last December with another counselor she had connected me with. As with any new endeavor, leading a prayer team has had its own challenges and learning curves, but serving under the leadership of loving and godly mentors has been a tremendous blessing to me. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers.Get a custom essayAs I look back on these past years of spiritual formation and look forward to an even greater adventure, I realize how important growing up in a teaching family is to the God-fearing home has been. I don't.