By Nicole Lee

Almost everyone has heard of the expression, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” but how many people can actually say that they believe in that?

In life, it is inevitable to avoid difficult situations that may make you think twice about your perspective on life or just question your trust in faith. Many people tend to doubt themselves or God whenever something bad happens to them.

In my case, towards the end of my sophomore year of high school, I never felt that it was fair for me to have to face all the difficulties I’ve had to endure. I had always blamed myself for not being a better person and that was the reason God had to punish me. At that time of my life, God never played a huge part of my life. It took a loss in my family to make me have a whole new perspective on my faith.

I moved schools at the start of junior year and the thought of entering a Catholic school made me have my doubts on what to expect. As the year went by at The Mary Louis Academy, not only was I able to learn and grow as a person, but also my faith grew.

I now looked at God as someone who did not punish me for all the wrongs I was doing, but in a sense was pushing me to do my best and making me stronger.

Now, as a high school senior, I decided to receive all my three sacraments (Baptism, First Holy Communion and Confirmation) because I feel as if I’m old enough to understand what I am believing and putting my faith in.

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Nicol Lee is a senior at The Mary Louis Academy, Jamaica Estates. She was recently accepted into the University of Notre Dame’s leadership development program.