My name is Caitlin Cochran and I’m a sophomore at Avon Grove. I grew up in the church. I went to church and Sunday school every week. I learned the Bible stories and memory verses. When I was really young, church was just what I had to do, it was part of my life. I really didn’t understand why we had to go to church I just knew we were supposed to go. The older I became, the more I began to realize what church meant and what Christianity really was. I slowly began to realize that God was real and that Jesus did die on the cross for my sins. In my mind I knew it was true but I didn’t believe it in my heart yet. I knew it up here in my head but not in my heart. I didn’t really have a relationship with God until I was older and started youth group. I was extremely excited on my first retreat. It was at this retreat that I finally committed my entire life to God. I put all of my faith into Him. Since then my life has had its ups and downs. The most challenging event in my life so far has been moving three hundred miles from Pittsburgh, the place where I was born and grew up, to here. I really wasn’t happy at all when I heard that we were moving and my friends were really upset when I told them we were moving. I worry about my friends because some of them have stopped going to youth group since I left and some of my friends like to argue with each other and now I’m not there to keep the peace. One of the hardest parts of moving was going to a new school knowing almost no one the first day. Every so often I start to wonder why in the world am I here and what does God have planned for my life. I really would like to know that but I guess I’ll just have to wait and find out. Whatever reason God has for me being here I know it will be something beneficial for my life because Romans 8:28 says “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him and who have been called according to his purpose.” It took me awhile to finally accept that this is my new home, but I realized that there’s really no point in living in the past, it isn’t going to get me anywhere and this is where God wants me to be right now, and I just have to trust Him.