Children are born with an exuberant expectation of love, a strong desire for truth, and to know what it means to be whole and lacking nothing. But what happens when a craving turns into starvation? A need not met is like hope deferred, making the heart sick. Sadly, so many children grow up with a broken heart and try desperately to fix it. But in that desperation, they are exploited by the enemy with a counterfeit image of love.

It’s no coincidence that a generation so disconnected from those around them is dealing with an outbreak of mental health issues rooted in confused identities. And watching them is a damaged community ready to swoop them up with pervasive lies. The lgbtq banner of “love is love” is truly a mask for a deepening state of self-hatred. Identity and purpose are supposed to be nurtured by love and truth; yet, today, children are met with delusions about what love is and redirected to ideologies that, in fact, make their heart condition worse. There’s no better woman to speak on this pain and hurt than Brityah, who previously struggled with searching for love in all the wrong places. Here is her story.

Growing up, Brit had a childhood like most spent playing sports and drawing heart eyes for the boy she was crushing on. She found joy in connecting with her friends, but grew further away from a home life marred by a string of endless battles between her mother and stepfather. Instead of witnessing true partnership and friendship among husband and wife, Brit watched jealousy and insecurity divide a marriage through competition. No matter how hard Brit’s mother fought, she couldn’t outmatch the presence of her husband – the cool guy, the music producer, and the alcoholic. It was a fight she could never win, not in her husband’s eyes or even her daughter’s.

This dynamic left Brit searching to fill an idolized dream of love – a dream of acceptance and approval. So like most girls, she found her head in the clouds about the boy in school, but instead faced a dust of boys who overlooked her. Those heart eyes became teary drops on a paper, singing a tune of rejection and heartache. On the surface, Brit could overcome anything. She was athletic and strong, but underneath she began to carry around a broken heart.

It wasn’t until high school that Brit experienced her first relationship. When that didn’t pan out, she focused more of her time and energy on playing basketball. Her hard work was paying off on the court, leading her to join travel ball with other talented players her age. However, this new world was laced with a heavy lgbtq presence that shuffled Brit into something that felt familiar and comfortable. Literally and figuratively, she tried out for a new team and slipped into this identity like putting on a pair of basketball shoes. It seemed like a reasonable and natural progression from being a tomboy to no longer dating boys; after all, they didn’t seem to mind this transition. Her female friendships became something more, but it didn’t come without its bumps as she kept it hidden from her Jehovah’s Witness family, who themselves did things that the church also wouldn’t approve of.

The next several years of hoopin’ through high school and college, Brit fell deeper into the lgbtq lifestyle. Did this mend her broken heart? No. All of her relationships were riddled with lies and cheating. But there was no turning back. The daydreams of getting male attention were growing dimmer and dimmer. So, she tried to become the image of a man that she wanted to be with. Safe and secure, the protector and provider. This picture of a man was carefully woven in the depths of her mind, collected from the moments in her youth when she cried out for someone to see her. But to fit this description she would have to take on a more masculine role, changing her style and voice to match. Brit set out to prove that she could be the ‘man’ women needed because she could see them better than any other man could. But her broken heart remained and became hardened from the pain of rejection. It pushed her into a downward spiral of partying, drinking, and depression.

The next step of graduating and playing professional basketball overseas went just as quickly as it came. Brit found herself helpless and unable to climb out of this hole. But then one night as she drove down the I-5 playing gratitude sayings over the stereo, a clear voice spoke directly to her soul. “I see you.” These three simple words saved her. Brit grew up searching to be seen, to be valued, and for someone to pour into her heart. And now Yahusha found her and reached his hand out for Brit to grab in her lowest moments. He is her saving grace, her hope, and redemption. His forgiveness poured out like honey and was like milk to her bones. This moment, with others like it, set her on a path of healing.

Brit’s pursuit took her across state lines to discover womanhood while caring for her grandmother and caused her to put an end to relationships that warred against the new path she was on. This path forced her to deeply reflect on what she truly wanted. The depths of her heart embraced the love and truth she was receiving from Yahusha and with that, she innocently shared, “I’m still kind of lonely. I think I’m ready for a husband now.” Her faith walked her through the door of possibility that she could be a wife and have a family. Soon after, Yahuah granted her request, as if it were already written. Because, indeed, it was.

And here is where the paths of two previously broken people coalesce into one – a beautiful symmetry of interwoven steps laid for the feet of those trusting in Yahusha. A soulful melody joined with a joyful cadence to bring out the praises of Aluah. Brityah and Sta’phan became one and are strengthening one another to be all that Yahuah has created them to be, along the way bringing forth little beats of their own to follow the path that Yahuah has set forth from the beginning.