My Story

This is in, to, from, and for my Dada, Father, and Husband.

1. Hello, my name is Amanda which means Beloved or Worthy of Love in Latin. Let me start my story at the beginning...

On June 10th 1986 I was born into this world in Hamamatsu, Japan. I was the newborn of a young teenager named Hiromi Kon. Later on I was adopted into a Christian and ministry based Navy family. My adoption father is Michael, my adoption mom is Deborah and then there is Ben who is my older adoption brother. He was adopted too but from the U.S.

There are stories I have heard from my adopted parents about my birth ones because they got to meet my birth mom and grandparents. Some things which I have heard about are how my birth mom was small as I am now and how her teeth were really messed up just like mine were, lol, I had to get braces when I was 9 years old. She also had really thin hair like mine when I was really little but now it has become thicker over the years. People when I get my haircut now say it's the thickest hair they have ever seen, lol. My grandparents were really little and cried a lot over me. That's all I know of them and there was no sign of my birth father. Even though he was not around when I was born, I had and have another Father who was and is with me. I long someday to maybe meet my birth family though...


2. Like I said before I was adopted and grew up in a Christian family who went to church every Sunday and prayed at every meal. When I was adopted by them Ben was the first person in my family to actually hold me. My mom says that is probably a reason why we are so close now. Lol, maybe. Another reason is because when I was 5 years old he was the one who prayed with me to become a Christian. We are very close though but I know for other reasons. People have said that they are amazed of our relationship because of the closeness between us. They have also said that they have never seen a brother and sister like us. Ben is and always was the kind of person who led and I always followed behind.


3. When I was younger I was a very small skinny squeaky voiced little girl. I loved playing and imagining things. The toys I played with the most were Lego's and Playmoble's. I also enjoyed climbing trees and making mud pies. I was not the kind of little girl who played with dolls a lot or dress up like some do.
I was also really into making up stories about animals and I liked writing. I remember one being about a Teddy Bear. I still really enjoy writing stories now.
I was very talkative at times and had my quieter moments too. People now and then say I was and am "shy" but I am actually the opposite, lol! Like I said I do have my quieter times but I know those are for a reason.

Growing up my mom home schooled my brother and I. Then when I started first grade I went to a private Christian school. My family and I traveled a lot because of being in the Navy and my parent's ministry. After living in Japan we moved to Pennsylvania. That is where I went to a church for the first time that had a steeple. Back then to me this was more like a place where I went to eat animal crackers and sing songs with other little children. But it was way more then just that which I found out about later on in life. My family and I went to this church for a long time. Eventually we moved to Arkansas because my parents were in a ministry called Campus Crusade for Christ.
Arkansas is where I went to the private Christian school that wore uniforms and where I decided someday I wanted to be a teacher just like I had and have now.
In third grade my family and I moved back to PA and eventually went to another church when I was in 7th grade. I grew up in a youth group and this is where I met my husband Joshua. In 8th grade I went to a school that was right next to the church and that is when 911 happened.
Just before I started high school we moved again and this time to Florida. This is where I went to a new place and knew no one. This experience really taught me a lot about myself.
After Florida we moved to Ohio! And yes again went to a new church. This is where my parents and brother are located now. Living their lives... I realize just like some families we have had our moments but I will always accept them just like I have been by my Father. I've always had this question though, what is a family? Is it just a group of people that grow up together and watch one another become better people? I hope it is way more then just that.


4. Where am I? Well, I'm right here, right now. Who am I you may ask? Well...I am someone who believes in a Love. Who is this Love? Well, His name is Jesus. He is like the wind, I can't see Him but I feel Him. No eye can see Him but I know He is always with me as a living and real person in this moment right now. He is ever present. Why live in the past or the future when I can live in Him in this moment now. Or more like He can live in me right now, in my heart. I have tried to replace Him with other gods but I know that He is the only and true God for me. I cannot live, breath or even grow without Him. He is everything to me. He is all I am.


5. Like I said before I am married. This relationship and story is almost the same as the one I have with Jesus. I had to give up and let go of everything. The first time He brought Josh and I together was at my first youth group retreat when I was in 8th grade. Josh was one of the youth leaders and the son of the Pastor. From the beginning of our relationship there was always something about Josh that really made me want to become closer to him and that something was actually someone, that someone being Jesus. I have not asked Him for a lot of things but I did ask for Josh and He gave him to me but I had to let him go first and let Jesus have him. He has been in and through Josh for me to become closer to Him and to realize that there is no other Husband for me. I have this picture in my heart and mind of how Jesus is a circle and Josh and I are in the middle of it and everyone plus everything is on the outside of the circle unable to touch us and Jesus is the only one that can and that is how it has been in our life together so far. Josh was the first and only person who actually encouraged me to follow my Father's voice and only Him.


6. This is where my story comes to a close for right now. Jesus will always have it continue till He calls me home and leave this world but I want to end it for now with this question to you...

What was Jesus' story? Just like mine, He walked this earth as a human being. His Father also brought Him into this world and He was born out of wedlock (Matt. 1:18) but he was made in Mary who was a virgin. He was also tempted to put other god's before His true God (Matt. 4:1-11) and so many other things happened to, through and around Him. His story is that He gave up His life for His Beloved. I believe that it was for us to know Him just like He knew His Father and for us to let go of everyone and everything including the past and future. Also to stop putting ourselves through pain just because we think we deserve it. This can also be known as putting ourselves through our own hell. Remember, He went through pain on the cross so that we would not have to.
Then allow ourselves to embrace and experience only Him in our hearts right now. Jesus to me is what Heaven is all about because He is everything I want and need. He is everything inside of me that I wish I could be and He always says all the right things at exactly the right time.

"Am I everything you want? Am I everything you need? Am I everything inside of you that you wish you could be right NOW?" -Jesus

"I may not have the answers you're looking for because He is the answer to all my questions." -Amanda