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Tricia Kovely |
Calender Planning
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This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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949-351-8026 |
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When I was a little over a year old, my dad left my mom for the nanny. My parents had 3 beautiful children together and he decided he didn’t want it anymore. This began my struggle for significance and love. Thankfully the next year, my mom was set up on a blind date with Mark, by her best friend. Mark had been previously married but didn’t have children. He was brave and married my mom and her 3 kids just 2 years later. We were pretty involved in a Methodist church. From the ages of 5-11, I remember spending Sundays and often Wednesday nights at church playing with the other children. My family began to get busy when I turned 12 due to gymnastics meets, football games, and other sports we were involved in. The more our weekends filled with sports, the less they filled with church. Finally we became the Christmas & Easter church family. At about the same time, my best friend started inviting me to her Youth Group. My parents allowed me to skip gymnastics on Thursday nights so I could go to church.
When I got into high school I had two types of friends, the Christians and the non-Christians. I would party with my non-Christian friends and go to church with my Christian friends. I was a cheerleader and craved attention and popularity. I only dated a few guys, but always had a crush on someone. Many times in my search for love and significance, I chose a guy over my girl friends. I burned a lot of friendships, but never stopped long enough to care. I would find a new crush, a new best friend and move on. By the time senior year came, I was onto my fourth best friend and after being on Varsity Cheer for 2 years, I was cut from the team. I didn’t know who I was anymore. My identity was found in being a cheerleader and I wasn’t that anymore. I began to party every weekend since no longer had games to cheer at. I tried to find my identity in partying and drinking made me feel wanted by guys. I started dating Gavin in October and by December he had cheated on me with his best friend’s girlfriend.
The lower I felt, the more I indulged in flirting and partying with guys. My goal and focus for the last 4 months of senior year was to date as many guys as I could. During the summer after high school, I began to seek God and started going to my old church again. I started praying about where He wanted me to go to college. I decided to apply at Azusa Pacific. After making the cheerleading team, I knew I was headed on the right course. While waiting for Azusa’s admittance letter, I grew impatient and decided to move to San Diego to go to school and party instead. After 2 months of living in a co-ed dorm, partying 4 nights a week and feeling completely empty, I decided to go to church. I knew in my heart God was the only thing that could fill the emptiness but I chose to try everything else first. That first Sunday night at Horizon Christian Fellowship, God changed me.
Shortly after, I lost my job and got another one at Ruby’s Diner. I prayed that God would provide a way out from the partying. My new job scheduled me Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. By the time I got home, all my partying friends had left to party. On January 8, 2000, I gave my life to Jesus. I wanted to be made new and whole. I was tired of feeling used and broken. I began to pray if God still wanted me to go to Azusa Pacific to become a teacher. He guided me to Vanguard University instead. My years at Vanguard grew me into a woman who was after God’s own heart. I grew in my understanding of who he was from spending time with him and from the wisdom of my professors. I continued on to get my teaching credential. Through Vanguard, I started attending Rock Harbor Church. I quickly jumped in and started to serve in children’s ministry and then Mexico ministry.
During that year, I met my husband who also served in México ministry with me. We have always been passionate about serving those around us and after serving in México ministry for over a year, we felt called to serve those in our backyard. That is what brought me to Christian Surfers Newport Beach. Living for Jesus is an awesome adventure. To see him provide the ways that he has is such proof that He is a good and loving God. I’m grateful that my search for significance and love ended the day I met Jesus because He truly is ALL we need. |
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