Mrs. Katie Bochenek

I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior when I was about 6 years old. I had grown up in a Christian home and was raised in the church. However, it was not until I was in 8th grade that the impact of my decision was made known to me. I remember my 8th grade Sunday school teacher telling us, as we were finishing up our last few lessons of 8th grade before heading into HS, that we would walk out that door and face trials. He told us, that unless we have Jesus as our Lord and Savior we would not make it far past that door. I will always remember the trials that God had myself, and my family walk through as the next handful of years played out for us. Most of those trials revolved around my mother getting sick on and off through HS and on into my early college years. I knew God was working in my heart, I knew the truth of my faith and my need to utterly depend upon my Savior as the author of my life. I saw God at work though, his answered prayers, his miracles. Finally, I went off to work on my MA at TEDs and spent time, away from my family, on my own, developing the intimate part of my relationship with God. My mom was going through cancer during these years. My faith was tested again, but God, in his tender loving mercy carried me through. He taught me what it really meant to be beloved. Even when the world seemed so dark, he was ever faithful. I am not perfect, but I know that I serve a perfect Lord and Savior who has given himself for me, a sinner. I am still learning as I follow the plans he has set before me, my faith is still being molded day by day as he is constantly teaching and growing me to be the woman he has designed me to be for his kingdom glory.