God saved my life

Hello, my name is Naila Fulton. I attend Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons School and I’m in the eighth grade. I was born about three months early on Sept. 12, 2007. I weighed one pound and five ounces, and I had to stay in the hospital for about two months. The doctors said that there was a high risk that I would have cerebral palsy or Down syndrome. But I pulled through, and I got to go home to my family. I was always in church, that was practically my second home. I was the little, tiny girl who could sing and pray, but ever since I can remember I’ve always wanted to be a pastor.

My faith has played a huge role in my life; it’s what keeps me grounded. I truly believe that God saved my life and I know that I would be nothing without Him. I find comfort in knowing that He has a purpose and a plan for my life. God has been consistent and faithful throughout life’s inconsistencies. He’s always there for me and He empowers me. He’s truly my best friend. I can talk to Him about everything and if I need help He helps me. When I was 11, I preached for the first time. I was overwhelmed with nerves (but) ...  I knew that God would help me even though it didn’t feel like it.

Since I was raised in the Baptist Church, I never would’ve thought that I would attend a Catholic school! Although some of our beliefs are different, I love attending my school. Religion class is one of my favorite classes. I love being able to discuss my faith with my friends and be so open about my beliefs. I also like praying before each class because I feel like it prepares us for class and it allows us to clear our minds and get ready to focus. Being able to go to Chaplin’s Corner is really fun because any questions I have, I can ask our school priest about them. Sometimes he comes into our religion class to answer our questions as well. Days when we have Mass are probably my favorite days. They are usually very quick school days and then in Mass you have to focus on what you are doing. You just get to relax and all the stress of the day just melts away.

Having a Catholic education really means a lot to me, because I get to be myself and talk about my faith and my church. I’m excited to go to high school and meet my new religion teacher. I’m hoping to obtain my ministerial license in the next few years. On top of that, I want to get a doctorate in theology. Currently, I’m a youth minister, a local preacher, a student, a martial artist and a child of God. My ultimate goal is to serve God with all that I am and fulfill His will.

Naila Fulton is an eighth grader at Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons School in Schenectady