I talked to God and told Him that I wanted two things from Him. The first thing was that I didn't want anybody to have an opinion about my transformation. I wouldn't listen to anyone about how to dress like a Christian, what music to listen to, what shows to watch. I only wanted God to help me out. You see, in my past, I had tried to change my ways for God. I got too bored with this Christian lifestyle, so I fell right back into sin a lot worse than I was before. This time I wanted God to work on me from the inside out. I figured that He knew what He was doing and He would help me out, and I wanted to listen to Him and Him only. The other thing I talked to God about and that was a desire to not move out of the state of New Jersey unless He told me specifically that I had to move. I didn't care what others thought or said.
-DIANA STRICKLAND, excerpt from Chapter One
