Hello, my name is Natania and I’m in Grade 6. I was born into a Christian family and never really thought much about my faith. I liked to think that I believed in God, but in all honesty, I don’t think that I did. My parents had a connection that introduced my sister and I into a 7 day overnight experience called Beacon Bible Camp in Muskoka. We had about 2 lessons a day and I remember that I used to write down important notes about each lesson in my notebook. This camp made me be aware and feel God’s presence around me. It felt like a warm sensation washing over me. Once I told my parents about this, they signed me up for a second year there. Once again, I felt closer to God, but not as significant as before. One night, I felt especially grateful for everything. I prayed to God and expressed my love for my family and friends. Then I thought that I should appreciate God and tell Him I loved Him as well. I was in the middle of the sentence when my voice broke off. It took me a moment to realise that it was because I didn’t mean the words I was about to say. I broke into tears and tried saying it until it meant something to me. That night, I promised to love God forever. I feel so loved and thankful that Jesus died on the cross for me. I mean, I’m just me and He’s… God. Although I promised to love him forever, my faith has had its downs. Recently, I felt disconnected with God, but I kept my promise and kept on trying to get closer to him, despite the gap I was feeling. I was trying hard to be committed to my plan on getting baptised. Now, I know that if you try hard enough, things will work out. I thank my Mom, Dad, Sister, and friends from school for helping me throughout my journey. Although you may not have known you were helping me, it was simply your kind words and actions that helped me. A verse that kept me focused on my journey through faith (that was taught to me in Beacon Bible Camp) was Psalm 139:23-24: ‘Search me God and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts, see if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the life everlasting.’ Thank you for listening.