I'm Danielle Leonard and my major is Sociology.
When I was two, my biological father died. And then, when I was seven, my step-dad died.
So, my mom just growing up was always, like, really unhappy. She was an alcoholic so, just
always drinking all the time, I was always taking care of her.
When I was in fifth grade, my best friend had died in a car accident. So, at that point
I was just like so done with God and ready to just be like "You took my dads away, you
took my best friend away," just angry, really bitter towards God. I just decided to live
my own way and try and make myself happy.
So, I got into various drugs. It started off slow but it got progressively worse and before
I knew it I was on probation and going to jail. My aunt knew that the only place that
would help me would be to go to church.
The moment that I was there they just showed me the love of Christ, you know. And, despite
what I looked like and, all that stuff, like, they just embraced me and accepted me for
who I was.
So they invited me on a retreat and I got saved and baptized. And, the moment I got
baptized it was like everything I had done was just gone.
So I knew that when I wanted to go to college, like, I wanted to continue in that atmosphere.
I wanted to be in a place where not only could I grow academically, but I could use my testimony
for God's glory and just learn how to share that and just to put the things that He's
given, like my testimony, into my career as well. And I knew that Biola was gonna be able
to offer that.
I'm thinking somewhere along the lines of working in like a juvenile hall or youth probation
center, maybe even running my own youth rehab for kids. I just think that that's something
that God has called us to do is to reach out our hands, you know, and to be servants and
just to show the love of Christ. I just really have a heart to be with the youth and be in
ministry and just missionary work. I just, really just digging my hands in and sharing
that love.
