A slight intro to me

I am.  These are two of the most powerful words on the planet when paired together.  It can state anything from "I am hungry" to "I am an alcoholic"  to just "I am".  These are the words that Christ uses.  "I am".  

So I will begin my introduction to you with these words.  I am a Christ-follower.  I am a wife.  I am a mother.  I am a child of God.  

I have never been able to articulate well how my relationship with God came to be because for a while I have felt shame.  It wasn't through some sordid past or degraded event.  It was .... everything rolled into one.  

I was raised in a Christian household and went to Catholic school for nine years, though I would never consider myself a Catholic.  My parents were good to me and always fair.  So why did I hate my life?  Why did I hate who I was as a person? 
I always felt like (and still sometimes do) a complete disappointment to my family and those around me.  I have never been satisfied with anything I do.  I always felt like I should be doing more to help people.  I didn't like the thought of someone not being proud of me.  I wanted to be the center of attention.

As a kid in grade school, I wasn't the most popular and sometimes it bothered me.  I felt like the kids were making fun of me and talking about me behind my back.  In junior high, I still wasn't popular and it bothered me more.  I had a friend who got in trouble and that was the beginning of what I consider a downward spiral for me. 

In high school, I cared less about being popular and faded into the background.  I became a drama geek and enjoyed performing in the school productions.  I had my first serious boyfriend at 14 and that lasted till we were 17. 

After high school, I attempted college for about a month, chickened out and came home.  Where I promptly got involved with another guy.  We dated all of about 2 months (maybe).  

Shortly after, I met the man who would become my husband.  

This is an introduction to me.

I am a woman, a friend, a wife, a mother.  I am me.