Sophie

My name is Sophie, and I live in Bangor, Northern Ireland. My parents split up when I was a young teenager, and my brothers have been gone since I was fourteen, so I feel a bit like an only child, which can be difficult sometimes. My mum and I are the only two Christians in my family now; this has been one of my biggest struggles as most of my childhood memories are of me and my family in church, reading our bibles together or praying round the family dinner table. Now I find it very difficult to share my faith with my family as they are not very supportive of my faith. My biggest prayer is that I can be a light to them and show them the love of Jesus through my words and actions.

Throughout adolescence, I struggled with a lot of anxiety; I couldn’t understand how some people could get on with life and I just wasn’t able to do that. Since then, I have been on a journey of giving all my anxieties to God again and again. I have learned how to find peace in God's presence and to keep moving forward at my own pace. Becoming a Young Life leader has largely shaped me into the person I am today. Being surrounded by a group of leaders who genuinely love what they do, and do it because they love God, has been a huge inspiration for me and my faith.

Now a Developing Global Leader, I have been accepted into Belfast Bible College to study theology. This has been a long-held dream and I am overjoyed it is happening. My hope is that after I complete my theology degree, I can become a long-term missionary as a teacher.