This is my testimony in short. I had to write it out for my application with GMI (Gospel Missions for India)

Hello. My name is Lydia and I've grown up in a Christian home. Ever since I was a young child I've been taught about God and wanted to be a Christian. As a girl of 9 years old I was terrified of hell and was having nightmares. I prayed every night before going to sleep that God would save me, but I never really understood the concept of sin, repentance, forgiveness and true salvation. Because I was too shy, I never spoke about it to anyone outside of my closest friends who were my own age and just as confused as I. I was frustrated at God for not saving me, and looking around me at some of the people in my life, I finally said, "If THAT is a Christian, I'm never going to be one." With that I quit trying. I quit caring. But God never gave up on me. He kept prying at my heart. One of the girls from church wrote me a letter asking me if I was saved and if I actually understood salvation. I wrote her back with No and No. Two days later on November 12th 2002, I was at youth meeting when the same girl returned me a letter. I read her simple explanation of God's simple plan , and with tears running down my cheeks I went and knelt behind an old shed and cried my heart out to God, giving it to him. At 11 years old, I was still shy about my new faith and told my mom by writing her a letter. Almost a year later in October 2003 I was baptized and joined my church, The Rhinelander Congregation. After that life was "easy". I kinda just went along with it. In June of 2006 we had Roy Daniel here from South Africa for our first Youth Conference. One of the last days Roy preached a sermon called "A cake not turned." It was about Christians whose life had not really been turned. He asked for those whose life fit the description to raise their hands and he would talk to them afterward. I felt I should raise my hand, but my pride would not let me. I'd been a member of the church for a couple years already, what would my friends think? But as soon as the meeting was dismissed I knew I could not push it aside. My whole body was trembling. I knew I should have gone. Suddenly I realized it wasn't too late. Roy left with those who had raised their hands, but I could still get right with God myself. Fleeing to the woman's bathroom, the only place of peace and quiet, I cried out to God one more time and told him my life was ALL his. He could do anything he wanted, take me anywhere he needed, and make me into something he could use.

Since that time I've been through ups and downs, been through the fire, and been reminded that "When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." More recently, with getting out of school and turning 18, I'd been praying seriously about serving God for a time across seas somewhere. I wanted to DO something with my life. It didn't seem like anything was coming up, and finally I said "Ok, fine. God, if you want me to just stay here in Rhinelander and face the life you have set before me, then I'm willing to do whatever you want." A couple days later Steve Rusk asked me if I would be interested in serving in India. I thought about it for a while and finally spoke to my parents about it. My dad greatly encouraged me to go, and my mom gave her blessing as well. It seemed that God was just waiting for me to surrender to him, and then he opened a beautiful door.