Learning to use God as her safety net

by Katie Basso

A lot happened at CIY this year. Like, a lot.

First off, for those of you who don't know. CIY stands for Christ in Youth. They have different camps for different age groups. The one I am specially talking about is CIY MOVE, which is for high schoolers. I have been blessed to have attended four CIY MOVE camps in my lifetime. Well, more like three and a half, but that is a story for a different time.

This year was big for me. I was pushed outside of my comfort zone by going with my new church and knowing almost no one. It was hard, and at some points it made listening to God more difficult.

But He made something very clear to me. I'm still holding onto my addictions. I haven't let them go yet. I'm like a little kid with their blanky. It's like a sense of protection for them. That's how my addictions are for me. I know that if something happens, I will have these things to fall back on. They will always be here.

But God doesn't want me to use them as a safety net. He was me to use Him as a safety net.

At the beginning of the week everyone was given a red piece of yarn. Later on we were told that this piece of yarn represents a sin that's holding us back, or something that we need to let go of. There was a big metal circle placed in the front of the theater we were in, and in the circle was a heart. We were challenged to come up and tie our yarn to the circle which represented us, and then to the heart which represented Jesus.

My string represented my addictions.

And I couldn't do it. I couldn't tie the string. I wanted to so badly, but I felt that if I did I would be lying to myself and to God. So I didn't do it. I still have the red piece of yarn with me. I haven't let it go.

Addictions are just symptoms though. I still haven't figured out what mine are symptoms of, but I am praying that God reveals that to me. I trust He will when the time is right. Until then, I'm leaning on Him instead of my addictions. They are still there in the back of my mind, but I'm slowly getting better at going to God first.

Introducing our new blog manager, Sarah Beth

     Hello wonderful ladies!

     I’m so incredibly excited to be writing to you all today. It’s been such a journey to get to this point, and I’ve been extremely blessed for this opportunity! 

     For starters, my name is Sarah Beth…. Yes, Beth is my middle name, and yes, I go by both names. People always wonder why I introduce myself with my first AND middle name… Some people tend to think I’m just really fond of my middle name and want to share it every chance I get… as amusing as that is, it’s the farthest thing from the truth. As a child growing up, I was called Beth (which is a whole different story for a whole different time I can hopefully share with you all at some point!) unless I was in trouble, then I got the full name. Yeah, don’t play, you all know what I mean! As I got older, going solely by my middle name became more difficult and honestly just a pain in the you know what. So, my first and middle name got combined and “Hello, I’m Sarah Beth” became the norm. Yes, I’m the girl with two names! For a long time I hated this… I hated that I had to explain why I have two names and why some people call me Beth and others call me Sarah. I hated that I wasn’t “normal." 

      Can any of you relate? One small, simple difference can lead to monstrous insecurities and lies about yourself… Yep, that’s where I was at for a long time.

      But… as I continue to grow up and grow into the woman God created me to be, he reminds me that I’m beautiful, ALL of me, including my name. And I know that at some point in my life, my story of having to struggle with the two-name-dilemma will be a testimony and a word of hope to someone! And if my story can help one person see their true value, worth, and beauty then all the struggle and hardship I’ve endured is totally worth it.

     This is exactly why I’m here girls… not to just simply share the struggles of my two-name-dilemma, but to share my story and my heart in hopes that it will touch and inspire you girls to know your true beauty, worth, and value. Those truths are something I’ve struggled with for a huge part of my life. They’re something I still struggle with some days, but God helps me combat those thoughts and feelings that go against His truths and helps me focus on who HE says I am. And for those of you who have struggled with this too, please know you’re not alone!

     Okay, I’ve shared a bit of heart and hopefully you can hear more of that later! What I really want is for you beautiful ladies to know a little about me and who I am…

·         * I’m 26 years old (most days I don’t feel this old, so I don’t like to claim it!)

·         * I love peanut butter… and chocolate! So naturally, I think Reese’s is the greatest candy EVER!

·         * I love fried pickles… like a lot. They’re the sole reason I attend the State Fair, I’m not even kidding.

·         * I can’t whistle. Despite my boyfriend’s greatest efforts to teach me.

·         * Yes, I have a boyfriend. He’s amazing. Really amazing. I definitely have A TON to share with you girls about finding a good man and what to look for... and what to wait for! I’ve been EXTREMELY blessed to say the least!!

·         * I work with special needs children, specifically kiddos with Autism. They’re so great : )

·         * I’m finishing college online, working on my School Psychology degree. I’m attending Southwestern Assemblies of God University. It’s an awesome school, any of you close to college age should check it out!

·         * I have 7 siblings, 5 of which are adopted. (again, great story for another time!)

·         * I have 7 nieces and nephews.

·         * I love to run. I’m still perfecting the art of running, but it’s a great prayer time for me… God spoke to me about working with this ministry during one of my run/prayer times! It’s a great story I would LOVE to share!

·         * I have a slight addiction to coffee… that doesn’t agree with my budget… the struggle is real.

·         * Reading is one of my hobbies.

·         * I have the most amazing friends. They are hard to find, but God provides!!

·         * My family is my heart. And they are the greatest people in the world.

·         * My newest passion: writing….

     I’m gonna run with this last bullet point for a hot little minute.

     I’ve always had an interest in writing. It’s been something I’ve thought would be fun and would think “who knows, maybe someday," but never thought it would really be something I’d do. About a year ago or so, God started placing this desire and passion on my heart for writing. Not just writing to write, but to write and share my story. Accepting my story and past has been a huge challenge for me; I’ve dealt with shame, fear, rejection, you name it. I have a special place in my heart for young/teen girls struggling with their stories. I know how difficult things can be, but at the same time I know how God can walk you through those times, heal you, and give your life purpose! I know because He did it for me. I’m not a special circumstance; this is what he longs to do for all of us. God wants to and WILL use your story to speak to others about His never-ending, never-failing love. This is what he’s doing in my life right now…

     Girls, please don’t keep your stories in or think they aren’t valuable. YOU are the vessel God will use to show his love. YOU are the vessel God will use to give hope. YOU are the vessel God will use to change lives… Yep, I said it, HE WILL USE YOU TO CHANGE LIVES. Read it again. And again. And don’t forget it.

     You are valuable. Your life is valuable. Your story is valuable.

     Take a leap of faith with me girls and continue to share your stories and hearts! If you haven’t yet, start now! Not only do I want to hear them, but I can’t wait to see how God will use your stories and your words to reach others!

     Let’s embark on this journey together, it’s going to be amazing :)

All my love,

SB