By Selene Ramirez
My first religion wasn’t Christianity. It was Santeria. Santeria is the worshipping of saints. We had a Bible, but it had little to no value to us. We never read it. It was more like a household item that needed to be dusted once a week. In other words, in my home, the devil was a regular and Jesus was a foreigner.
From the time I was born to my early teenage years, my home was always filled with all different kinds of saints and materials to worship and praise them. We were taught that everything was made possible, not because of our faith in God, but because of our worship and offerings to the saints and our “so-called” ability to see into the future.
The reading of tarot cards and the keeping of remnants of coffee in cups and cigar ashes were normal practices. And when we weren’t acting as santeros (as priests of this religious cult) to our family, friends, and friends of friends, we would consult with our own santero for healing, advice, guidance, and leadership.
When I was eleven, I went to see a santero of my own. He told me that someone had put a curse on our family and the only way to lift the curse was by offering my virginity to him. It was at this tender age that I was sexually molested. This continued until the age of twelve, when I was invited to a Christian church and encountered Jesus.
After my encounter and surrender to Jesus, things in my life started to change rapidly. I started to learn about Satan’s evil schemes and the differences between good and evil spiritual practices. I stopped seeing my santero and soon discovered that he had molested multiple young girls in our neighborhood. Together, three other victims and I pressed charges and testified against him at trial. He was found guilty and until this day remains in prison.
Additionally, I prayed for my family to be forgiven and delivered from their wicked ways, and they were. All of them now have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
GOD’S GRACE – GREATER THAN MY HISTORY
Selene, like many of us would have liked to have said that the work of God’s grace was one immediate and completely done deal. But in reality, the personal salvation was just the beginning of a deeper work that had only begun.
The greater understanding of grace often happens in the daily working out of our faith. Leaving behind a filthy past allows us to see yet even more dirt that still needs to be touched by a miraculous and life transforming Christ.
CONTACT US for support in getting past your history and letting the gracious love of god pursue you.
A STEP CLOSER
I wish I could say that these victories fully changed my life for the better. Unfortunately, after all of the trauma I had experienced my self-worth and confidence were at an all-time low. For over a decade, I struggled with my sexuality and looked to relationships with both men and women as a way to strengthen my confidence and self-worth.
On top of that my eating habits were poor and exercising was pretty much non-existent. Living my life this way was emotionally and physically draining. It all took me a step closer to turning to God once again.
Thankfully in my pursuit of God and my hunger to grow closer to Him, I learned of stepping into His image. It is a ministry that empowers women to have a Christ-like image both inside and out. The ten-week curriculum is focused on physical, spiritual, and emotional growth. Weekly topics address the many issues women face, helping them through their struggles and giving them encouragement.
Read more about the ministry of stepping into His image, and learn how you can start this ministry in your community.
I became aware of this ministry at Mariners Church of Huntington Beach, a church where I attended regularly. The reason I first participated in stepping into His image (siHi) was because I wanted to be held accountable as I pursued getting closer to God and taking care of my body. I struggled believing that my relationship with God wasn’t based on my performance. It was extremely challenging to let go of old habits and to trust God.
The song Hands In The Air by Raquel Roque Herring communicates the celebratory spirit of those who experience God exceeding expectations. Get this song — It’s great for your next workout.
God exceeded my expectations. He revealed areas in my life where I was lacking self-control. He replace the confusion I had with my sexuality with clarity. Through the ministry of siHi I also learned how to realistically apply healthy eating and regular exercise to my lifestyle. I began the journey of understanding that God is the only one who defines me. But — this was just the first step.
A SECOND STEP
After a few years, even though I had come a long way in my relationship with God I still found myself wanting to please others. I relied on the opinions of others to define my happiness. This lead me to feel disappointed, hopeless, useless, and above all, worthless. I knew I still needed more help to solidify my identity, confidence, and self-worth in my Creator, my Lord and Savior – the one who never lets me down.
So, I registered to participate in siHi again. I needed to be reminded of what God says about me. With each passing session I found myself gaining a deeper trust in God. By the end of this second siHi session, I was filled with gratitude. Jesus was no longer a foreigner in my life. He had become my best friend and my biggest cheerleader. It is reassuring to know He lives within me!
THE HIGHER CALLING
Through all of this I’ve been equipped to now serve as a stepping into His image leader. What do I do? Each two-hour session begin with a thirty-minute group workout. Once the workout is complete we join together in a topical group discussion. I co-lead (along with another siHi leader) this group discussion. It is a time to encourage women, pray for them and speak God’s Words of life into their lives.
I believe in this ministry. I serve in it because I want to help others the way I’ve been helped and celebrate all that God has done for me. Together, we encourage each other through vulnerabilities. Beyond the group ministry I also provide one-on-one care. I pray with individuals and give them the extra affirmation they need.
I know God has given me an ongoing calling to continue to help others understand that in God’s eyes they are beautiful, loved, secure, confident, bold and worthy to be His children. I believe He will continue to open opportunities for me to share His love. I know God will continue to use me to help siHi grow!
QUESTIONS FOR GROUP DISCUSSION AND PERSONAL REFLECTION:
- The Bible talks about training children from an early age in the wisdom of God. How do early childhood influences impact the life of a person into adulthood? What early childhood experiences still reflect in your life to this day?
- How do you feel a fitness program focusing on physical, spiritual, and emotional growth can make a stronger impact than one that simply addresses the physical only? What makes accountability an important component in physical and spiritual growth?
- Selene now leads siHi programs and helps other women. How can you make helping and serving others a more significant part of your life?
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