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My name is Ryta Jungling
and this is my story . . .
My name is Ryta Mirisciotti-Jungling and this is my story. The Mirisciotti household was an ethnic one with the themes of family first and Christian values. My parents' relationship was one of deep love and commitment, and they passed these values down to my three siblings and me.
My childhood was a happy one and, together with my parents and siblings, we loved life, loved each other and loved God. Church was a weekly event; not going to church each week was never an option. Unlike many children, I actually enjoyed church and found a peace in being there each week. I liked the ritual, the quiet, the time for prayer and felt close to God through my younger years.
My parents were the center of my world and to say that my relationship with my father was close would be an understatement. Being by far the youngest child, we spent a lot of time together, going to operas, art exhibits and even town council and professional organization meetings. My parents and entire family supported every activity in my young life, from music, to acting to tennis. They were always there. Yes, I am a Type-A, Overachiever.
I was on top of the world at the time of my college graduation, looking forward to a big career. My life took a sudden turn, when two months after graduation, my father suffered a massive heart attack. I prayed to God to spare my father. Thankfully, he lived. During his recovery, he suffered a massive stroke that left him paralyzed on his right side and unable to talk, but his brain function was still keen. The next two years were full of therapies, doctor appointments and homecare. I was thankful to God l that at least my dad was still alive. He had even learned to walk again and scribble with his left hand to communicate although he never regained his speech.
Two years later, my father died suddenly when a large clot dislodged. In seconds, he was gone. The profound sense of grief and loss that I felt at that moment is inexplicable. After his death, I immersed myself in my job, my life and taking care of the additional needs of my devastated mother.
At 25, I had it all by society's standards - a great job, new car, my own home and a Masters Degree, all while working hard and taking care of family. A significant relationship with a man, however, eluded me. Despite my best efforts to appear 'okay' with it, I was lonely and depressed. I had drifted from church and more importantly from God. Though I didn't realize it, buried my grief and was angry with God for taking the most important man from me and at such a crucial point in my life. I was a sitting duck for what happened next.
Shortly after my 30th Birthday, I met a man who seemed to be 'the one'. Within two months, I was emotionally hooked and blinded. It was glaringly apparent to others around me that this was an unhealthy relationship. Five months passed, I found my inner strength and I walked away. The following seven months were full of depression, isolation and a sense of, yet again, grief and loss. Why did God do this to me? What was wrong with me? I must not be perfect and therefore unworthy. Although I told myself I still had a spiritual life, I was far, far away from any relationship with God other than a questioning one.
As the seven months passed, I began losing weight. After 5 months, people stopped saying how good I looked and began asking, "Are you okay? Don't you think you should eat more for lunch?" Some didn't tip toe around the subject and said "Ryta, you DO realize that eating disorders can strike at ANY age?" I assured them that it was not the case with me. Inside, however, my fear of food, fear of the scale and fear of gaining back my excess weight overtook my life.
Intervention on the part of family and friends got me to an assessment at an Eating Disorders Clinic. I was in denial that I had a problem but my family was told that I was 30 days form death. I know now that so many people prayed for me at that time, but I saw nothing of God in it all. I was depressed, lonely and now someone was going to force me to eat… the most frightening proposition of my life at that time. My family was scared and so was I.
As I sat down fearfully for my first meal in the unit, I am certain that God spoke directly to me and very plainly told me. "It's okay to eat." This was truly a turning point in my rehabilitation. In true Type-A, Overachiever fashion, I went through the treatment program in record time and was out of the hospital in 10 days. When I returned to life 'outside', however, I let the man I thought I loved back into my life. The unhealthy relationship turned abusive. It was subtle at first, but after the first physical blow it only escalated. I almost died one December night and by all reasoning, I should never have been able to fight off a man that was 150 pounds larger than me. I did and I lived. Once again, God showed His power in my life that night.
I spent another three years of my life struggling to free myself from this unhealthy relationship until one day when I pulled into my driveway. Exasperated, I talked to God for the first time in 10 years. "God, surely this isn't what you had in mind for me! What do you want from me? Show me." From that moment on, my life changed. It isn't without challenges, but I realized since then that He is ALWAYS with me. He didn't spare my life three times for me to sit quietly and not reach out to others in need, so I shamelessly talk about my experiences and how God changed my life.
I finally did meet the true 'man of my life', my husband David. During our first chance meeting and subsequent dating, something amazing happened or should I say, didn't happen. There was no 'drama', no 'danger', no major issues to overlook or excuse. It was truly easy, natural and real.
Shortly after we began dating, David asked me how I felt about attending a service at Orchard Hill Church. I was open to experiencing something new in my, still somewhat absent, religious life. This was so different from the church I was used to attending that, at first, it didn't 'feel' like church. I immediately identified with not only the music, but also the message. The messages were impactful to me and struck a chord in life's reality. The messages were not only based in scripture, but somehow spoke to my real life right now. Having had my share of 'real life' experiences, it spoke to me very completely.
Our attendance at Orchard Hill brought an entire new dimension to our relationship as well. Knowing that this man I loved had a relationship with Christ only made him more complete as a partner to me. After three years, we married and our marriage has been a constant evidence of God's kind, loving and giving hand in my life. I have enjoyed being part of women's Bible study and David is now part of a group of 12 men who study the Bible together on a weekly basis. Our involvement here at Orchard Hill Church only confirms that God works through people.
I remember the 'Aha!' moment in my life - the moment when I realized that even though life can often be very difficult, leaning on God makes it possible to weather the storms. We realize that our lives are so much better because of our relationship with God and His Son. Inviting others is so important to me because I want them to experience the peace and joy that I have come to know through the love of a caring heavenly Father. We see others, friends and family, who struggle in portions of their lives or whose lives are missing something. We try to meet them wherever they are in their own spiritual lives and invite them to types of events or services that may speak to them. We want them to get the message that life is so much better with God and Christ in it.
My life is better because God is present in it each and every day. These past 6 years, specifically the last four with David, have been 'the beautiful years' because of it. My story is not over and each day brings me an opportunity to share what God has done in my life. I get the joy of doing it with my true soul mate and partner who understands this as well. My name is Ryta Mirisciotti-Jungling and this is my story.
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