Meet Jaycee Poffinbarger

I grew up in a Christian home pretty much all my life. My parents divorced soon after I was born, and when I was four, my mom married my stepdad, who later adopted as his own. When I was about seven, my birth father remarried then cut off his whole side of the family, including me. So for the longest time, I didn’t understand why that had happened until I was in junior high. Junior high was where all of the conversations of identity started happening. I realized that I was placing my identity because my father had left me alone. Yes, I had a stepdad who provided for me and was there; we were never really close until I was further into high school and college; it was just convenient. 

In Junior High, my family moved to a different state and began to attend a church there. While at this church, I realized that my past and what had been done to me was not my identity. My identity was a daughter of the Lord. This struggle did not end there. I continued to struggle with my identity throughout high school and college, but now I can combat those thoughts with what the Lord says about me in Scripture. And I can now positively say that I have two close relationships with both of my fathers, all because the Lord has continually been working on them and me. 

My family moved back to Houston while I was in high school. We found a church quickly. Throughout my time in that ministry, I learned that I wanted to work in ministry. I was able to understand the value of relationships and community. Now I'm in the process of becoming a “real adult.” I just graduated from the University of Mary Hardin Baylor with a BA in Christian Studies. I am currently working as Faith Bible Students Summer Intern, and I am having a blast. The Lord has been at work this summer, and I love every second of it.