My Cultural Identity and Relationship with God

Cultural identity influences every characteristic of a person, both outward and inward. My cultural identity consists of various factors. I was born and raised in the United States, specifically in Tennessee. While I was born in Nashville, I lived most of my life in Athens. My parents are also from Tennessee. My father grew up in Nashville, and my mother resided in a small-town called Englewood. At the beginning of their marriage, they did not want children since my father already had my brother from his previous marriage. Nevertheless, after six years, they decided they did want a child. Therefore, on August 30th, 1999, my mother gave birth to me, a healthy baby girl. 

When I was two years old, my family decided to move to my mother’s hometown and build a beautiful house on my grandfather’s farm. While living on the farm, my family, for the most part, was just an average middle-class American family. I grew up in a household that spoke only English. My father worked for a company called Frito-Lay, and my mother owned a daycare named Macy and Friends, which she eventually shutdown to start working at Denso. Both of my parents are very religious. As a result, every Sunday, we went to our local church with the rest of our family. 

o me and those around us, we were a typical, happy family. However, when I was in the third grade, my parents, unfortunately, got a divorce. This event devastated me because I could not understand how my beautiful family could be destroyed so quick. However, my parents, even after being separated, still had a strong belief in God, and they always told me that I needed to trust in Him. Hence, during this time, my religion and church community became very valuable to me. As a child, I was a devoted member of Mount Harmony Baptist Church. 

However, the separation of my parents altered where and when I went to church. While with my father, I would attend church occasionally, and when I did go, my father and I would visit various churches. Eventually, we became members of the Englewood Church of God. This type of worship was strange to me because it was my first time experiencing it. At my original church, our community was more relaxed with our song choices and preaching. Englewood Church of God, on the other hand, was more enthusiastic. During the weeks with my mother, I would go to Mount Harmony Baptist Church every Wednesday and Sunday. 

Although attending two different churches was odd at first, I ultimately learned to appreciate and enjoy both. As I grew older, I began to make my own choices in terms of church. Despite the fact I am a very committed Baptist, I decided to attend Mount Harmony Baptist Church on Sunday and Englewood Church of God on Wednesday. I did this throughout my high school career, and I was very dedicated to it. I feel as though my commitment to God and my church during this time was very beneficial because it assisted me in becoming the person I am today. Currently, I am a strong, robust twenty-year-old attending Lee University. While at Lee, I am majoring in Elementary Education. I aspire to teach because I would love to use my strengths in a way that would give back to my community and help children who are in need. 

To clarify, I trust that I could utilize my connection with children to not only help them love school but also to build their confidence. Moreover, I believe my joyful and patient personality would allow me the opportunity to make a positive change in a child’s life. My goal is not only to educate but to inspire as well. I want to motivate children to study hard and chase their dreams. I trust that when I become a teacher, God will use me as a vessel in which I will have the opportunity to be His voice and His hands. Cultural identity is vital when it comes to how we see ourselves and determining our place in life. My cultural identity embodies who I am as an individual. It has assisted me in gaining a closer connection to God, discovering interest, and choosing a future career. I trust that as I continue my journey, my cultural identity will always play an essential role in my life.