Set Apart SPOTLIGHT: Joy Pedrow

My story is a story of failure and redemption.

I tried to gain fulfillment on my own, and every time I was left searching. I was a happy person, and I had great friends and parents who loved me, but I just felt like there had so be something more. I tried to become the person I thought others would like, but nothing was enough.

Once I realized that my story was not about me, but was about Jesus, only then did I find satisfaction.

At the time, I did not know that God was calling me to be set apart from the world. I believe he had been calling me for a while, but I was to consumed in the world to notice. I was the queen and life was about me.

I was failing, yet Jesus kept pursuing me.

Entering college, I was still looking for fulfillment. I searched, but I never found it. I again turned to guys, but this time was sexually abused. My heart broke. I was depressed and filled with shame, but Jesus saw the situation differently. Jesus kept pursing me.

 

Jesus never gave up on me. He used my broken heart to turn me to him, so he could repair it.

God brought me to a point of utter dependency. I was a freshman in college, in a different state, without close friends, and Jesus used all of this to get me to reach out to him. My whole life I went to church, but I lacked the heart of Christianity, a personal relationship with Jesus. I was not living a fulfilled and satisfied life because I was trying to conform with the standards of the world.

Friends, do you see how crazy this is? I went to church, but I did not know Jesus! I did not know that his love would be the only love that could satisfy me!

I began to finally understand that only through a personal relationship with Jesus could I find complete fulfillment. After realizing this, I learned that God truly loves me, even with my brokenness, and has a wonderful plan for my life.

Before college I knew about God, and I believed in Jesus, but not until college did I make the individual choice to make Jesus the king of my life.

I realized that God was calling me to live a life set apart from the world. What the world defines as fulfilling, is not fulfilling.

Today, I still fail. Some days, I still make myself king. I put myself on the throne every time I do what I want instead of what God wants. Thank goodness for grace and forgiveness! I am learning that relationships are not one time decisions, but are lifelong journeys. I am on a journey to try and make Jesus the main character, and that everything I do would be about him.

I believe that Jesus will use me and my story to help women. I invite you to join me on this journey to fully embrace how we have been set apart. Find your joy in the journey. Check out my posts. Invite other women to join us on this journey.

Experience Jesus. Experience His joy. Experience His freedom.

I hope this post has encouraged you! Be sure to add me on social media and share my blog with your friends! Thanks!

Joy Pedrow is a college senior at the University of South Florida and a blogger at joypedrow.wordpress.com. She grew up in Monroeville, a town outside of Pittsburgh, Go Steelers! She loves journals, mangos, summer, the beach, spanish music, and blogging. She has a passion for ministry. Specifically, she feels called to help women understand the love of God and help them grow in their spiritual journeys. Be sure to follow her blog and check out her social media: Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Bloglivin and Google+. 

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