Drawing Stregth From Weakness Melissa Allen

How, in your life, have you drawn strength from weakness?

Family turbulence, a new school, my grandmother’s illness – all have made me feel weak and sometimes hopeless, but I have emerged more emotionally secure and confident from those challenges.

First, my parents have been married twice and divorced twice – to each other. Their dual divorce has forced me to experience the pain not once but twice, and I learned I must be tough to survive. Witnessing their marital turmoil has led me to recognize that love is pliable, and that trust and faithfulness are the key ingredients in any relationship.

Second, I had to enter a new school halfway through my junior year. This was one of the most difficult things I have ever done. I had become accustomed to my small world inside a Christian school with a graduating class of five. The high school I now attend has a graduating class of over two hundred and fifty students. Walking through the halls my first day at Holly High School, I felt as though I was pushing my way through a sea of strangers. I held the tears in my eyes, forcing myself not to cry. I was completely overwhelmed but had to persevere, to adjust my self-perception and accept my new circumstances with head held high.

Finally, I...