Emily's Story

My mom was one of three siblings from My mom was one of three siblings from different dads and I am one of three different dads and I am one of three different dads and I am one of three siblings from different dads siblings from different dads siblings from different dads and um that is something that has and um that is something that has and um that is something that has stopped with me and like my siblings and stopped with me and like my siblings and stopped with me and like my siblings and I think just like the power that that I think just like the power that that I think just like the power that that shows is like truly amazing because she shows is like truly amazing because she shows is like truly amazing because she did something right with us. did something right with us. did something right with us. My mom met our dad when I was seven and My mom met our dad when I was seven and My mom met our dad when I was seven and they love each other very much and he is they love each other very much and he is they love each other very much and he is amazing. I didn't start going to amazing. I didn't start going to amazing. I didn't start going to Saddleback Church until my dad's cousin Saddleback Church until my dad's cousin Saddleback Church until my dad's cousin invited us and we really enjoyed it and invited us and we really enjoyed it and invited us and we really enjoyed it and my parents liked it. It was like nice to my parents liked it. It was like nice to my parents liked it. It was like nice to have something that we would do on the have something that we would do on the have something that we would do on the weekend together as like a family just weekend together as like a family just weekend together as like a family just cuz we were always kind of busy with cuz we were always kind of busy with cuz we were always kind of busy with like sports or school. like sports or school. like sports or school. When I was in high school, I played When I was in high school, I played When I was in high school, I played sports and like was in super involved in sports and like was in super involved in sports and like was in super involved in soccer, but outside of that, I like soccer, but outside of that, I like soccer, but outside of that, I like struggled to find like my friends. I struggled to find like my friends. I struggled to find like my friends. I think that just like led me to like fall think that just like led me to like fall think that just like led me to like fall into the wrong crowd and do things that into the wrong crowd and do things that into the wrong crowd and do things that I like wasn't very proud of. When my I like wasn't very proud of. When my I like wasn't very proud of. When my parents like sat down to talk with me parents like sat down to talk with me parents like sat down to talk with me about like seeing that I wasn't exactly about like seeing that I wasn't exactly about like seeing that I wasn't exactly the same person that I was at home at the same person that I was at home at the same person that I was at home at school, they like came at me with love school, they like came at me with love school, they like came at me with love and like concerned because of my mom's and like concerned because of my mom's and like concerned because of my mom's past. She got pregnant with me at a very past. She got pregnant with me at a very past. She got pregnant with me at a very young age and she's always been super young age and she's always been super young age and she's always been super open and honest with me about what she

open and honest with me about what she open and honest with me about what she struggles what she struggled with in the struggles what she struggled with in the struggles what she struggled with in the past and past and past and how she doesn't want me to fall into how she doesn't want me to fall into how she doesn't want me to fall into those things as well. When I was a those things as well. When I was a those things as well. When I was a sophomore in high school, I joined a HSM sophomore in high school, I joined a HSM sophomore in high school, I joined a HSM life group for the first time. Well, life group for the first time. Well, life group for the first time. Well, really, my mom signed me up. And she was really, my mom signed me up. And she was really, my mom signed me up. And she was just like, "You should do this." And just like, "You should do this." And just like, "You should do this." And having like leaders who are were there having like leaders who are were there having like leaders who are were there to support me and answer any questions to support me and answer any questions to support me and answer any questions that I have was amazing. I still talk to that I have was amazing. I still talk to that I have was amazing. I still talk to them to this day. And I know I could go them to this day. And I know I could go them to this day. And I know I could go to them for anything. That has inspired to them for anything. That has inspired to them for anything. That has inspired me to lead my own life group with my me to lead my own life group with my me to lead my own life group with my mom. It's been super fun just like mom. It's been super fun just like mom. It's been super fun just like leading with her a group of teenage leading with her a group of teenage leading with her a group of teenage girls who are in like the same spots of girls who are in like the same spots of girls who are in like the same spots of life that I was once not too long ago life that I was once not too long ago life that I was once not too long ago and just being able to be part of like and just being able to be part of like and just being able to be part of like that difficult time of their life. that difficult time of their life. that difficult time of their life. Seeing her be there for them the way she Seeing her be there for them the way she Seeing her be there for them the way she was for me is truly amazing and makes me was for me is truly amazing and makes me was for me is truly amazing and makes me want to be more like her. want to be more like her. want to be more like her. I look up to my mom a lot. She made me I look up to my mom a lot. She made me I look up to my mom a lot. She made me see like things in a different see like things in a different see like things in a different perspective and like how the world can perspective and like how the world can perspective and like how the world can be and how bad situations can be turned be and how bad situations can be turned be and how bad situations can be turned into good.

into good. into good. If it wasn't for the love and support of If it wasn't for the love and support of If it wasn't for the love and support of my parents and them truly fighting for my parents and them truly fighting for my parents and them truly fighting for each other and for me, I don't think I each other and for me, I don't think I each other and for me, I don't think I would be in this place in my life. They would be in this place in my life. They would be in this place in my life. They showed me how to love myself in the way showed me how to love myself in the way showed me how to love myself in the way Christ loves me and it truly just Christ loves me and it truly just Christ loves me and it truly just changed my life.