Contrary to common belief, saints are not perfect. The saints simply seek Christ more than anyone else. The saints understood the need for Christ in their own lives through their own experiences. St. Teresa of Avila did not live a perfect life, although she tried to do so after her conversion. St. Teresa, after living in the world, realized her desperate need for a personal relationship with God, but she was by no means perfect. Teresa Sánchez Cepeda Davila y Ahumada lived in Avila, Spain, where she was born in 1515 and lived during the Reformation until her death at age 67. She was canonized in 1622, forty years after her death. Saint Teresa's grandmother was forced to convert from Jewish to Christian during the Inquisition. Without the conversion of her grandmother, Saint Thérèse would never have become a Christian saint. His parents were pious people and demonstrated great integrity. They always said their prayers and made sure their twelve children did as well. Unfortunately, at the age of twelve, Saint Teresa's mother died in childbirth, which created Saint Teresa's fear of marriage. Saint Teresa had a special relationship with one of her nine brothers named Rodrigo. Saint Teresa once said: “When I read the stories of some saints who endured martyrdom for the love of God, I concluded that death was a small price to pay for the total joy that they they received in return when they were taken to heaven. » (Starr, 2007, p.6). Rodrigo taught Saint Teresa all about chivalry and they spent many hours reading about the lives of the saints, never thinking that Saint Teresa would accomplish just that. As a girl, Saint Teresa strove to be worthy of God, just like her brothers and sisters whom she loved. Instead of acting like she was a princess with the other girls, her and her brother Rodri... middle of paper ... she became stronger, which can inspire many people to do the same. , J. (2013). Teresa of Avila, reformer and contemplative. Retrieved from http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bio/268.html Pettinger, T. (September 22, 2010). Biography of st. Teresa Avila. Retrieved from www.biographyonline.net/spiritual/st_teresa_avila.htmlStarr, M. (2007). Teresa of Avila: The book of my life. Boston, MA: New Seeds BooksTeresa d'Avila: Our patron saint. (2013). Retrieved from https://saintteresa.episcopalatlanta.org/Content/Teresa_of_Avila_Our_Patron_Saint.asp Rabb, T. (1993). Renaissance Lives. New York, NY: Pantheon BooksZimmerman, B. (1912). Saint Teresa of Avila. In the Catholic Encyclopedia. New York, New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved from http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14515b.htm