My
name is Christina Michelle Bell and I was born February 27, 1985
and soon began to sing at the early age of four. My first solo was Kim
McFarland's "Just Ask In My Name", which was given to me by Ms. Judy
Battles who would sit me on the top of the organ bench and had me sing
whatever she sang. (She
will always be remembered).
 As I
got older, my exposure as a singer began when people called the church
and requested for me to sing for various functions throughout the
Shreveport/Bossier areas. When asked how old I was, people would tell
my mother that I couldn't possibly be that young and singing, and that I
had to be telling lies! (I thought that was funny!)
At
the age of eight years old, my mom made me sing in the Shreveport
City Wide Youth Rally. I painfully recall begging her to let me stay at
home or go to work with her so that I wouldn't have to sing, but of
course that did not work!
When I turned twelve, I had the opportunity to sing my first solo in the
City Wide Youth Rally. When I finished singing, I opened my eyes and I
saw people crying out to God asking Him for forgiveness. When I later
saw the tape, I even noticed my brother crying, and that is when I
realized that God had blessed me with a wonderful gift.
During
middle school, I began singing in the school choir called the Choral
Ensemble. While I was in the choir my grades dropped and I stopped
focusing on school and started focusing on boys and music. For three
years I struggled to get out of middle school and only by the grace of
God I got out of middle school on time.
Our
group, Zie'l, was formed while I was in the eighth grade and we sang at
almost every concert, social function, funeral, wedding and anything
else that you could think of. At that time, I was just singing because I
enjoyed it and was without the understanding of who God really was.
My focal point was on myself and what I could bring. I wanted to make
people shout, instead of allowing God’s anointing to flow through me and
break chains off of His people.
High
school was one of the most dreadful moments in my life because I was so
scared that I wouldn't graduate with my class. Since boys had become a
major factor in my mind, I continued not to focus on my education. My
tenth grade year was a blessing from God, being that I passed all of my
classes with flying colors and I thanked God along the way!
During the middle of my high school junior year, I switched schools
because I was tired of struggling and I wanted to catch up with the rest
of my class. Being a graduate of Woodlawn High, I graduated a year late,
but I graduated with the understanding that I couldn't pay attention to
everyone around me. I realized that they were not my prize possessions
and soon graduated knowing that I didn't need friends to validate my
life.
My
high school junior year was when I decided that I was going to really
live for Christ and become true to God. When I decided to change my life
around, some of my friends laughed at me because I stopped doing things
that glorified Satan. It was so hard at times because I wanted to go
back and do wrong, and so many different obstacles came my way. I knew
that I had to pass the test that God was presenting to me, so I
fought the devil everyday and let him know that he was not reigning over
my life. I started reading and understanding what God was saying to me
through His Word. “Now I’m a living testimony for Him. Every time He
says go minister to them, I’ll get up and I’ll go out and tell them
that’s how He saved me”.
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