My Friend Katie

My friend Katie's story is sadly a common one. Katie grew up in a home where her mother had a faith and her father just went along with it. She grew up going to church so always believed in God. At fifteen years old she fell in love with a boy who was a christian. They got very serious and at 15 Katie lost her virginity. Her boyfriend made demands and since she loved him, she felt like she had to go along with it. One day she decided she had enough and that the physical aspects of their relationships had to stop. He proceded to pressure her making her feel used instead of loved.

She went to Young Life camp where she met Christian friends that invited her to a Bible study. She gave her heart and her life to Christ her Junior year of highschool and decided that she had to make the hardest decision and let her first love go. It was very hard for her but the guilt of their relationship became too much for her to handle. She finished highschool going to Young Life and being involved with church.

Katie got into a Christian college and played volleyball. A lot of the athletes only went to the school because of sports opportunities instead of their faith. After the first volleyball season the athletes were off their non-drinking contracts. They all decided to celebrate and Katie had her first drink...which turned into many. That night she was raped and left by all of her "friends". Because of the experience Katie continued to "numb" herself by drinking and trying drugs. She quickly deteriorated into the college party girl who drinks, smokes, and is used by guys. Katie tried to get out of her cycle by herself but quickly realized it was impossible. Two christian guys continued to befriend her, and finally confronted her about her problem. She broke down and knew she had allow God to come back into her heart and heal her from the inside out.

Katie made the decision to spend her first part of her summer at Washington Family Ranch since she gave her heart to Christ at this camp only a few years earlier. Katie came as a new creation in Christ and said, "My life has taken full circle, and my focus has been on Christ and his power to heal and love. I feel that is is my calling to do the same unto others." She came in June and I was able to get to know her. She had such a great experience that she came back in August to be on the Zip/Swing team. Katie is full of energy and love.

It became clear that Katie had a lot of areas in her life that God needed to heal. She decided to get baptized and wanted me to be a part of it. This was my first time baptizing anyone and it was an incredible thing to be a part of!

The question for Katie was, "What do you want to leave under the water?"

Her response: "The hurt that others have done to me and the hurt that I have done to myself. The fact that I felt raped and used by too many guys and that I found my value in others. I want to leave those things under the water so that I can restore my virginity and help others find the love that Christ has.