Grandma Sther as opposed to the biblical name Esther, a result of a typo mistake by the clerk who wrote her name on her birth certificate , a faithful follower of Jesus, took all of the five grandchildren to church every Sunday morning from the time we were nearly walking. I started dating, drinking, having boyfriend after boyfriend, pursuing a life totally in the world, while still going to church on Sunday mornings.
I grew up in a loving family, with very caring and loving parents, and the middle child of two amazing sisters. I was the best in sports, school, music, and everything else. I learned to perform and be my best in what I did so that I could be loved and accepted. When I was 17 years old, I left Brazil as an exchange student. I lived with a very loving Christian family in South Georgia for eight months and had an amazing study abroad experience, as I became part of their family as well as their church family.
By then, I was ready to move back to Brazil. I was 26 years old at that time, still living the worldly life that I was used to: dating, drinking, working and looking for men to fulfill my deepest needs.
This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
