I have an angel on my shoulder that I have kept very busy.

At a very young age I shut all the doors to my heart and stored all the insults all the pain in a special compartment. I never told anyone that when the kids called my freckles fly poo that it hurt, I never told anyone that at the age of seven my teacher told me that I would not make it to year 10. These two memories at a very young age had robbed me of my self-image and confidence.

By Natasha, NSW

Growing up an Alawite Muslim, to the daughter of Lebanese/Syrian migrants I never felt part of my family. I refused to believe something just because my parents believed it.

On April 23rd 2011, my life finally received meaning. My life of all a sudden made sense! Everything that I'd been searching for was found. The night of my Baptism! To me this was not just an ordinary day.

I attended a Public High School. In year 12, I decided to attend a Bible study session during lunchtime, only because my PDHPE Teacher was running it and I was very fond of her. During that session, we learnt about the Ten Commandments. As a Muslim we were always taught about the Prophet Moses and the Ten Commandments. But on that very day it was a true eye opener. I thought to myself, 'if only everyone in the world adhered to these simple laws.' I was intrigued and needed to find out more about God's plan. So, I took the Bible home, knowing I would have to hide it.

By Sean, NSW

I am a 21 year old guy, brought up by a non practising Catholic family. I had a very fortunate upbringing and consider myself very lucky, although my life wasn’t exactly easy. I struggled a lot as a kid, in school, in my social life, suffering from ADHD. I always struggled with my school work never getting the grades, never completing tasks, the teachers never knew what to do and it left me feeling incapable of ever succeeding.

By Natalie, NSW

I grew up in a big Catholic family, so I have always known about God, but knowing about God is not the same as having a personal relationship with him. Growing up, I had always heard many stories around me, but I had never personally experienced God myself. I had just accepted as I was taught that he existed, but had never had an experience that really made me know him and his love, and confirm his existence. I always went to church every Sunday. I was made to because there were no excuses in my family for getting out of going to church. I would say that for most of the time God was in my life, but he was off to one side, just there when I needed him to be there, not too far away but not really close. That's where I wanted him to be because that's how it suited me at the time.

I was once a very bitter lost little girl struggling to find meaning and purpose in a very chaotic life. From a very early age I feared my father, an alcoholic with a very bad temper. When I reached the precious years of adolescents I was faced with challenges that still today I know a child that young should not have to deal with.