You nervous mate? I'm nervous too, it's all right. All right tell us what's your
name and where you from? I'm Sonni and I'm from Tri-Cities. Sonni welcome,
let's give a round of applause for Sonni. It's nerve-racking being up here.
All right Sonni, what did your life look like before Jesus? So my mom had me at a
very young age. I didn't really know who my dad was but she met my stepfather and
they got an apartment and they did argue a lot so it was very like disruptive I guess in the
house and this kind of went on throughout my whole life basically until eighth grade. My
parents got in a big argument and I left my house and I had nobody else to go to. Around this time,
I was doing three sports at a time and this was before covid so I had my coach to call. He was a
pastor himself so I called him and I just spent the whole day with him and when I came back, he
had talked to my father and then so it was kind of I wouldn't say rough but it was depressing and sad
and it was scary I guess but at this time, I also found this girl and she introduced me to God. She
took me to church. We went to youth consistently and this kind of went on for almost a year and
then so we broke up and it was really sad for me because I lost my I had everything before covid,
my coach moved so I had nobody else really to go to and I was lost and I was in a very dark place.
And Sonni, when would you say you so you met God and you heard about Jesus through a girl
right so when would you say you came back properly to church and to Christ? Recently
I actually a couple months last year, Martin, he texted me saying if you wanted if I wanted
to go to life group and I usually tell him, No, I'm busy this and that but I was never really
busy. I just didn't really want to go and so I told him, I was like yeah I'll go and so I
went and I had a really good night with the guys and I went home and I actually prayed
and I prayed for like 10 minutes, I was crying. I really meant everything and actually that night,
I was fighting demons. I heard my name and I thought it was my sister so I come out, they're
all sleeping and there's nobody in the living room, everybody's asleep, it was super late and
so I go back to my room, lay down and I hear my name and gets closer and it's just a strong voice
and I see things and I actually had to sleep with my TV on, then I was too scared to get out
of my bed and turn the light on. So a couple months after that, I came back to youth and I
got prayed for and it really changed my life. It really did. Man, give a round of applause guys.
Sonni, what would you say your life looks like now that you've rededicated your life to Jesus,
you're consistently showing up and you're coming to youth, what would you say your life looks like
right now? It's very peaceful. I wouldn't say it's easy but the people God gives you people,
He surrounded me with guys like Sal, Martin, Zach. I'm friends with kids that I didn't think
I would be friends with and actually there was a life group here at the church and I wasn't
going to go but I actually had a friend tell me to go so and I went and it was life-changing.
Right, give a round of applause. Sonni, so ever since that life group how have you
been stepping up now in your community and in your school? Actually we have
an Unashamed Club at the schools and I became a leader of one of those so yeah
Guys, that's huge. That's huge. Sonni last question, what would you say to kids your
age that are struggling to coming back to Christ? So one thing is commitment but it's
really hard because I never really wanted to go. So what I would say is never give up
and be at the place you don't want to be at because that's the day you're gonna change.
Amen. Thank you Sonni. Thank you so much. Guys, round of applause for Sonni.