Every time I feel the spirit...

I grew up in a very church-oriented household. I was always at church for something--preschool, choir, art, basketball, youth group, regular church, Sunday School, accompanying my parents to meetings, and so on. I never really thought about my faith--it was just handed to me. I was a Christian, and that was the way it was. I never questioned it.
My freshman year, though, things started to change. My best friend died from neuroblastoma, an agressive form of leukemia. Then, my sophomore year, I was diagnosed with depression. In April of 2007, though, my dad died very suddenly from a massive stroke. It was the breaking point--it made me question everything I knew about God. If God was so good, why did he take my father away from me? Why did he take my best friend away from me? Why did he make me suffer every day with sadness and anger?
It didn't make sense. The people at my church tried to comfort me, but their "words of comfort" quickly became a veil for trying to find out gossip about what was going on with our family. I stopped going to my youth group because people were much too nosy, and for selfish reasons.
I've grown away from the intense Christian lifestyle I used to lead, which, in the South especially, I feel is a big no-no. (It doesn't help that I have very liberal views on things such as gay marriage, abortion, and the legalization of marijuana--talk about being the black sheep!) However, I do have faith that God exists, and I do still believe in doing good things for other people. I believe that it's important for your spirituality to live in a self-sacrificial manner. Do charity work. Care for others. I believe that it's not all about you--it has to be about other people, too. And don't do things for other people for your own selfish purposes, so that you can recieve the glory--do it because you can and it needs to be done. Do it humbly and with a joyful heart. I've been pleased that there have been so many ways for me to give here at USC and with my sorority. I try and give as much as I can in all the ways I can.

"You only get what you give away, so give away love."
--Sarah Bareilles

Keep it classy and fabulous!
xoxo, Laura