Ariana Garcia

“ When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of opression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” Isaiah 43:2

I was born in West Covina, Ca where after that we moved around a bit. In August of 2007 we moved to Hacienda Heights into our little three bedroom apartment where nine of us lived. Which was my step dad and his three sons with my mom and the three of us kids and years later they had my youngest brother.

Growing up we attended church at Calvary Chapel Golden Springs . I don’t remember much from attending their besides every year we would attend their harvest festival and my brothers and I were involved in choir. But unfortunately our home life didn’t match our church life. The only “Christian lifestyle” I had was praying before meals which was the same prayer every single time for many years.

I spent most of my childhood listening to my parents argue and watching them fight. Which a child shouldn’t ever have to witness. But unfortunately it was something that would happen constantly. And I think this is where my “Dark Times” started. Growing up my sister and I were really close but because of her own issues she wouldn’t like to be home so she would leave, but when she was brought back she was punished and witnessing that played a role in my life too.

When I was around eight years old that’s when my life really started to go down. From the age of eight to nine that’s when the most traumatic experience for me was happening. I never talked about it until I was 15. That situation made me have trust issues against men. But through the Love and Grace of God he has been working through me to heal that part of my heart. Through those times even though we were attending church I didn’t know about calling out to God or any of that sort. I was young and didn’t understand but I felt I was alone. I didn’t have anyone.

“You intended to harm me, But God intended it for good.” Genesis 50:20

In January of 2014 my family packed up and moved to Victorville, Ca. That’s when the search for a new church began. We attended multiple different churches until one day through this continuous journey we found Calvary Chapel Adelanto. I was in 4th grade when we came here and only God knew the plan he had for me here. But still the home and church life was a struggle. We were off and on until eventually it was just off. We stopped attending and things got worse.

I knew there was a God but I didn’t know God.

When I was in seventh grade my sister left for good and that broke me a little more. My best friend was gone. And it seemed like when I needed her the most that’s when I didn’t have her. Seventh grade is also when I started to really care about my body image, my weight and what others thought of me. If only I knew what God thought of me maybe I would have saved myself from this struggle but unfortunately it didn’t happen that way. I stopped eating breakfast and lunch and would only eat one meal a day. As I got older it got worse but when I gave my life to God I started improving. I pray and have faith one day God will heal me from this struggle. Another struggle which started in seventh grade was me harming myself. I thought it made the pain go away which I know now was a lie from the enemy. I thought it was an escape, but it was just temporarily relief to an ongoing problem. I struggled with this for the next seven years. I pray one day God will heal me from that. I tried finding my worth in boys that left me more heartbroken then the last. I didn’t understand why my life sucked so much and I hated life and myself. I blamed myself for stuff happening to me that was other peoples sin. Multiple times I thought about taking my own life, two of those times I actually attempted. Which God Saved me from going to far in those situations.

“Count it all Joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:2-4

Through all of this we were not attending church but in 2017 we started attending again. At first, off and on again but one day in the youth, Pastor Ralph was teaching about depression and suicide and how the devil lies to us and makes us believe things that are not from God. And that day was when I felt something I never felt before. God got a hold of me and that’s when the work started. In 2018 I officially gave my life to God! Things didn’t improve but I knew now that everything was for a purpose. I continued to come to church and I watched God work in me and my life.

In that same year of 2018 they were trying to put together a youth worship team and I felt like God was leading me to join. But me being the shy girl that I was, I was confused but I still proceeded and I talked with Pastor Ralph and then eventually the team was built. We started worshipping and I loved it so much. It was my place to be away from home. But importantly I loved the feeling and experience just pouring out everything for God. This begun my journey through worship and becoming a worship leader and stepping up when everything was falling apart. I’m lucky to have found my calling at such a young age. And watching God open doors for me to attend a school of worship, when if you asked me about college before I knew Gods plan for me I was very stubborn and would say “Its not for me…I’m not feeling led.” But God has done amazing things in my life since then and watching him work in me and my family is a true blessing. And I thank God for the many opportunities to continue to serve him where he guides me as well as being a Youth Leader.

September 26,2021 I was baptized and made a recommitment with God to continue to live for him. Even though I know that we deal with struggles I feel like I’m not enough and don’t deserve Gods grace, which I don’t. No one does. But I will continue living and fighting against my struggles because I know it’s been paid on the cross. I will continue to pursue him relentlessly and finish the race.

“His lord said to him, “Well done my good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.”

Matthew 25:21

In all of these hard times I am reminded of Job who had everything taken from him. Job had done nothing wrong, but was being tested by God. God was proving to Satan that Job would not sin against Him under pressure. Job did not and gave God praise in spite of the terrible messages brought to him. He had a horrible life let’s be honest…but through every single trial that came his way he praised God. No matter what it was he stayed faithful to God. And God was always with him. And the reason I love this book so much is because I know God is always with me. It doesn’t matter what I go through or what comes at me I will continue to praise God because I know in the end it was all worth it! The enemy can throw anything he wants at me and maybe I’ll stumble but at the end of the day I have peace and comfort knowing God has me exactly where he wants me. He loves me and he continues to choose me every single day of my life. I will always praise him because even though I may not have seen him or felt him with me growing up, I know he was always with me and he will use me and my testimony for greatness. And I will forever be grateful for this broken rode that led me to Him.