Jennifer Penar:  

Jesus has made all the difference in my life. I was born in Lawrence, Kansas in March of 1980. My mom has said that the dogwood trees were blooming when they brought me home. My early childhood was fairly happy. I remember really liking pre-school and kindergarten, and having a inborn love for music and the arts, even at that young age. Public School (1st through 6th grade) was often rough. Tons of crap happened to me, and I caused some, too. But I've forgiven all who bullied and belittled me, and once I was older, I did my best to make amends to those -I- hurt as well. It was the summer in between 5th and 6th that, at a church summer camp, a counselor explained the amazing gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, and I gratefully accepted it. I'd love to say that changed me overnight into a wonderful person, but for the most part, I became a Bible thumper for those first few years. I alienated far more than I loved. I was home schooled 7th through 12th, and graduated in the top 2% of the nation for the GED in 1998 (which isn't quite as illustrious as it sounds, but I'm still happy with my efforts). During that time I was very active in my church's youth group and choirs, and thanks to church camps in the summer and the occasional retreat, my faith really began to grow during this period, as well as my sense of who I was, and who I could be. And my understand of grace and true forgiveness, and how much we ALL need it, and need to extend it to others ourselves finally got through my legalistic little head. After finishing high school, I wo...Expand for more