BAPTISM STORIES

When I was in 3rd grade, the power went out, and I got really scared, and that's when I knew that God is the only one who can save me. I know that I'll be okay whenever anything hard happens in my life because I trust God. I want to follow Jesus because I want to go to heaven. Getting baptized means that I am putting my trust in Jesus and letting everyone else know, too. My parents, my Nana, my Uncle Darin, and my Auntie Sara have helped me take the steps in my life to know Jesus. When I put my trust in Jesus, He will always protect me and help me.

When I had my 2 children, I knew that it would be important to start going back to church. I hadn't been since I left my catholic school over 20 years ago. Luckily, we found our very close friends Seth and Lauren Sanderson through the preschool we chose. They introduced us to Christ Community Church, and we've been all in ever since. I used to be religious when I was young, but fell off that path going into my teens. I've felt very lost and not accepted since then. Until coming here, I didn't feel like I'd found "my people." All of a sudden, I feel like I've found "my people." Just always kind, loving, welcoming. I owe everything I have now, especially the friends that are more like family to me, I owe it ALL to God. I see that now. I'm asking God to wash away my sins and for his forgiveness. I'm going to dedicate my life to Jesus and raise passionate disciples to the best of my ability. I want my kids to know that no matter what, they are always loved and accepted by God. That Jesus is our Savior and King.

For most of my life, I struggled with anxiety and worry. But over the past few years, my life has changed in ways I never expected. My husband and I began attending church together, and through that, I slowly started to grow in faith — reading the Bible, praying, and learning who God really is.

One of the most defining parts of this journey happened a few months ago when my grandpa, who was my best friend and a man of strong faith, passed away. It was a devastating loss, but through it, I experienced God’s presence more clearly than ever before. I was able to be with my grandpa every single day in the hospital, and I was by his side as he took his last breath. God gave me peace in the middle of grief. I truly believe that experience would have felt entirely different without Him.

Over time, I’ve noticed that I don’t carry the same level of anxiety I used to. I feel more at peace, and I trust that God has a plan for my life — even when I don’t fully understand it. Baptism wasn’t something I thought much about until more recently. As my husband and I continued to grow in our faith together, we both felt led to take this step — together. For me, baptism is a personal commitment and a shared step of faith with my husband — a way of declaring that we’re choosing to follow God together and trust him with our future.

I was baptized when I was very young. My family went to church inconsistently up until I was out of high school, when I stopped going altogether. Looking back now, I knew church, but I didn’t know God.

I didn’t always see it at the time, but God was at work in my life. Lining things up and writing my story in a way that can only be attributed to him. For instance, bringing my now wife, Cassidy, into my life, who, six years later, suggested that we start attending church again. I now realize that although I didn’t see him, I didn’t talk to him, and I didn’t thank him nearly enough, he was still hard at work calling me back to him.

Through my journey to Christ at Christ Community Church, as well as through my wife, Cassidy, I have realized the guidelines that God has laid out for a meaningful life and a loving relationship with Jesus.

To me, being baptized means the death of the old me, the death of a life that I was living for myself, and the birth of a life where I live to serve my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is my public statement that he is my king and will live my life for him.

I have been blessed to be raised to know God. My parents have taught me about Him for as long as I can remember. I’ve grown up learning about God at home, church, Epic, and at BSF.

One day, I was just sitting in the bath, and it came to me that I wanted to surrender my life to Jesus. It was just a quiet moment when I realized that I wanted Him to be my Savior and to follow Him with my whole heart. God has been opening my eyes more and helping me understand Him in a new way. I’ve been trying to align my life with God, learning more about Him, copying scripture, and reading my Bible.

Last year in Epic, we memorized the verse Matthew 28:18–20, and it always stuck with me. “Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

This verse reminds me that Jesus is always with me, and that He wants me to live my life for Him. I’m thankful that He has been with me my whole life, and I’m excited to keep growing in my faith and following Him.

Before I put my faith in Jesus, I cared more about what other people thought of me than what Jesus and God thought. When I was younger, I went to the old Christ Community before they moved here, but we got busy and never really got the chance to get back into it. Before, God and his scripture didn't make sense, and then I started youth group and really started to enjoy it. Our family started going to church, and I saw my sins. I prayed, confessed my sins, and let Jesus take over. Now, I feel stronger in my relationship with God, more at peace, and confident. I don't feel stressed nearly as much, and I feel like he is my true north, so I can live a pure and true life. I’m ready to be baptized and give my life to Jesus!

Before starting my relationship with Christ, I lived a secular lifestyle where nothing I was doing involved God. I lived for myself until I met my husband. At the end of 2024, I cried to my husband about life and its hardships. The feeling that my life was hitting a wall felt heavy, and the call to know who God was came to me.

In early 2025, I received my first Bible from my husband, and I dove right in, talking to God daily and involving him in everything. It wasn't until I started to feel a conviction of a huge vice in my life that I knew God was speaking to me, and he provided that strength to finally quit. Later, I found out my husband was praying to God for this, and I knew only God could make these changes in my life. We then gave ourselves to God and accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

Since then, I can truly say my life has changed. I reach for the word daily, practice forgiveness, and fast. My husband and I enjoy serving each other as God intended. We found Christ Community Church so we could grow in our faith, find support, and belong to a community. I know there will be trials and hardships in my journey, but as Genesis 22:14 says, "On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided."

I have always grown up in a Christian home where my parents take me to church. I was dedicated at Christ Community Church when I was a baby. When I was growing up, I went to Kidsworld, where my connection to God began. I have learned over the years that when I make this commitment, I will have eternal life, and He will always forgive me. Also, I know that God is always with me, no matter what. I know that God is the King of all Kings and has blessed me with a loving family and with His protection. God also brought me a friend who loves Jesus and has brought me closer to him. I want to follow Jesus because he is always there when I need him, and I want to follow Him and His ways. I am getting baptized to show I am putting my trust and faith in God.

Also, this is one of my favorite verses because it reminds me that God is full of goodness and comforts us. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, NIV)

I came to Jesus directly in 1994, after years of practicing an empty faith- where I did not know Jesus personally but engaged in church life.

I was invited to a Baptist church, and the place was rocking. The preacher asked if anyone wanted to step forward and have a relationship with Jesus. The Holy Spirit moved me, and I stepped forward

God is a promise keeper to me and someone totally trustworthy. He has washed my past sins white as snow, even though I am not worthy. He calls me his own. His obedient death on the cross showed me how much he really loves me. I want to follow Jesus because, left to my own devices, I will wander. I desire my father to be pleased with me, and Jesus teaches me how to love so I can accomplish his will.

Being baptized means that I connect to Jesus from his death through his resurrection. My sins and old ways are dead. Washed away, and I now live by the spirit.
Cleansed from my sin and now acceptable to my creator.

My life has been different since I trusted Jesus. God is producing perseverance in me that I never dreamed possible. The words of James 1:12 will ring true in my life. “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” Each new trial I face produces in me a strength that is not my own. My future is secure.

I grew up going to church, and as a young teenager, I remember having a deep desire to ask God to be a part of my life. I was 13 years old when I asked God to be my savior and lead me from that day forward. My faith and relationship with God were very strong for many years, but in the last few years, I went through a very challenging and dark time in my life where I truly believed God was no longer present or cared about me. My relationship with him was non-existent, and I was living life on my terms. It wasn’t until I hit what I believe to be rock bottom that I cried out for his presence again. In October of 2025, I once again asked God to be my savior, forgive my sins, and guide my life with His forgiveness, grace, and love. Since then, I can truly say my life has changed, and I once again feel God’s presence and see his glory in every part of my life.

I have been going to Christ Community for almost 7 years, and I have made lots of friends. I grew up in a Christian home, and I know that God will provide for me. I know that God loves us and that he loves me more than anyone else will.

Before I knew Christ, I carried a lot of heaviness in my heart. I tried to handle everything on my own, my worries, my pain, and my fears. On the outside, life looked fine, but inside I felt lost, hurting, and searching for something real and steady.

My decision to surrender to God came during one of the most painful seasons of my life. I didn’t know where to turn for comfort, and one day I finally cried out to God, asking Him to heal my heart and guide me. He answered. I felt peace and warmth I hadn’t felt in years, and I knew it was from him. That was the moment I surrendered and accepted Christ into my life. God also placed two important friends, Janelle Nelson and Lauren Sanderson, in my path. They invited me to Christ Community Church, where my faith began to grow. The sermons taught me gratitude, helped me reflect, and showed me how to love like Jesus.

After giving my life to Christ, everything began to change. I felt hope, joy, and purpose again. My children and I pray together every day, and it has brought us closer. Our home feels more peaceful, and our faith grows stronger daily. God has surrounded us with people who encourage and lift us up. I chose to be baptized to declare my faith in Jesus Christ and continue growing in him. I trust God’s power to guide and save us. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” — Proverbs 3:5–6

I was a lost and sad soul. Unsure of who I was and my purpose here on earth. I always felt something was missing. I was searching for strength and hope. I finally found what I was longing for through Jesus Christ.

I knew some friends who went to this church. Jason, Valesia, and Nolan Bunger were among them. Their faith was inspiring. I felt a connection. A sense of belonging. Communion was offered during a service, but I needed to learn what that meant. It was a few days later, I stood on my back porch, stared at the sky, prayed for forgiveness, cried, and surrendered myself to Jesus and took my very first communion.

God has given me the strength to keep fighting for my health. He has given me hope and purpose. He continues to bless and watch over my family. He has made me feel whole and less afraid of the unknown. He has restored faith and love in my heart. I will continue to follow the path He has for me and commit to building a deeper, personal connection with Jesus Christ, my savior.

Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

I grew up in a Christian home and was saved at a very young age. I believed and trusted in Jesus as a young girl, but my faith wasn't tested until I went off to college. In a new environment, I struggled to find my place. As a college athlete I spent every weekend traveling on top of school work and practices so I had a hard time finding a community of believers. My identity became my success at my sport, and fitting in with the crowd. When these were not going well, I felt completely alone and unhappy.

My decision to surrender to Christ happened over-time and I can thank the roots my parents helped grow in my childhood, as well as certain friendships that the Lord placed in my life for bringing the light back into my life. When I graduated I moved to St Charles. It was very important to me to get plugged into a church/community group of believers. I found CCC and met my closest friends who love the Lord wholeheartedly. They've encouraged me in so many ways and I am so extremely thankful to have them in my life.

Now, my identity is not rooted in anything I do. My value does not change with my performance. I am rooted in the love of Christ and what He has already done for me. His sacrifice on the cross has set me free and I am walking in that freedom today.

Before I gave my life to Jesus, I didn't know Jesus at all, I was going through lots of anxiety about what other people thought of me.

At the end of my 7th grade school year my little cousin Isla was diagnosed with cancer. Seeing her live for Jesus was incredible to me. Then my freshman year of high school I was pulled from class and told that she was not going to make it through the night and we were going to say goodbye to her. Watching her take her last breath was probably the worst thing I ever had to do. I remember later that night asking God how could you do this. We prayed for you to heal and help her. She dedicated her life to you and you didn’t help her. A week later I met this amazing person Avery who was close with Isla and we clicked immediately she made me realize that God answered our prayers just not how we wanted it to be answered. I didn’t truly understand what Jesus had done for me and what God was doing in my life until my sophomore year of high school when I went to fall retreat and felt the love and presence of God and surrendered my life to him.

Avery continues to show me how God works and how Jesus really does love us. She has helped me see the amazing things God is doing and showed me how I don’t need to put my energy and effort into what others think and things of the world. Jesus has shown me true unconditional love and grace that can never be compared. Hebrews 12:2 says Jesus is the pioneer of faith.

Growing up, I experienced people who claimed to follow Christ but caused real hurt. As a child, I remember praying, “God, if these are the people in Your Heaven, I don’t want to be there.” That wound stayed with me. It made me hesitate, kept me at a distance, and convinced me that maybe God wasn’t for me.

In college, everything shifted again. After a breakup, my boyfriend took his own life. I blamed myself. And I blamed God. I walked into Fellowship of Christian Athletes not searching for hope- I walked in ready to argue with the pastor. I wanted answers. I wanted accountability. I wanted to know why a God who supposedly doesn’t give us more than we can handle would ever allow something like that.

But Pastor Mike never pushed me away. He walked through the questions and the anger with me. And over that year, I surrendered my life to Jesus- not in a dramatic flash of light, but in a slow, steady softening of my heart.

And then came the next 15 years. Marriage. Motherhood. Careers. Responsibilities. Expectations. A life full of blessings, but also full of the quiet, heavy realities that no one prepares you for. And in those years, I often felt like I was failing every day- failing as a wife, failing as a mother, failing as a daughter, failing as a friend. I told myself that once I finally got it “right,” once I was strong enough or spiritual enough or put-together enough, then I would get baptized.

But God has made something beautifully, unmistakably clear to me:

Baptism isn’t a declaration that I’ve arrived. It’s a declaration that I belong to Him while I’m still becoming.

I fail daily. I fall short daily. But every single day, I open the door again and invite Jesus in. Baptism, for me, is a public confession that I am choosing Him right in the middle of my imperfections, not after I’ve overcome them. I want anyone who feels like they’re “not ready” to know this: God does not wait for us to be finished. He meets us in the journey.

This step is my reminder to lay down what is too heavy, to stop carrying things I was never meant to carry alone. We often say, “God won’t give us more than we can handle,” but the truth is-He never asked us to handle it without Him. We’re meant to go to the Father, to place the weight in His hands, and trust him to carry what we can’t.

I’m being baptized today because He has never failed me… even in the seasons when I felt completely undone. And I want my story to tell someone sitting exactly where I used to sit: You don’t have to arrive to come to Jesus. You just have to open the door. He’ll meet you every single time.

I was raised in a Catholic household, was baptized as an infant, and always “knew” that God existed. Knowing that I needed to put my trust in Jesus was something that took longer, for I thought I could do it all on my own terms. I started to realize how much I needed Him about 14 years ago while struggling with infertility issues. I began praying more, and really listening to what God had to say. That is when I saw how faithful He is, and that trusting in Him would bring me more joy and fulfillment than I could ever realize.

I saw changes in my life, but still wasn’t fully devoted to serving him. During the last year or 2, I committed to going to church regularly, and making Christ Community the home church for my family. I quickly saw Jesus work in the lives of my kids, and was dedicated to pouring all of my resources into helping grow their faith, and I put my own on the back burner. Then this last year I’ve had perhaps the toughest season of all in my life, and I really leaned into my faith and into trusting Jesus with my whole heart. I started praying more, reading my bible daily (and following along with Bible Savvy),
doing devotionals, and worshiping him every day. And WOW – I saw just how faithful He is and how He has gotten me through my darkest times. Through him ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE! Just as Psalm 23:4 says “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me”

I want to thank my mom Pam Liebig, brother and sister-in-law Corey and Valeri Liebig, cousin Holly Taritas, and uncle Bob Kozinksi for being amazing examples and faithful servants of our Lord. They have all been incredibly impactful in my walk with Jesus.

God has always been an important element of my life. Growing up my mother and grandparents were strong advocates of Christianity. God has always been a factor in my life but it wasn't until recently that I felt convicted to pursue baptism. I was dedicated but never officially baptized. Ephesians 2:8, 9 kept in my mind. I knew when I felt the time to pursue baptism it would be made clear.

The decision to pursue baptism is fueled as I am about to get married. I always said I would know when it was time to pursue my faith further. As my marriage is coming up on December 20th, the decision to be baptized was made as I begin a new chapter in my life intending to guide my family through God.

It has been apparent that God has been guiding me through my life as I look in retrospect. Through peaks and valleys, dark & gold threads are woven, closed doors & open doors, and protection. With pursuing faith more in this new chapter in my life I will remember that he is always guiding me. I will be attending Christ Community more often with my future wife, and family that currently attends regularly.

Growing up in a religious family is one of the biggest blessings I could have been given, but it also led to feeling like I had never experienced a personal relationship with Jesus. I spent lots of time wrestling with doubt and anxiety.

When I was seven my life changed quite a bit when we took in a baby boy through foster care. I realized the immense joy he brought me was a gift from God, and that God loved me enough to do that for me. Then two years later my foster brother reunified with his family and left for good. I was grieving and angry towards God and I stopped trying to maintain a relationship with him altogether. Then early last summer I went to middle school camp at SBR. I felt God's presence and love, and I decided I wanted Jesus to be the king of my life.

Coming to Jesus has brought so much peace and joy back into my life. I am incredibly grateful for my family, my SBR camp counselor, Isabella, and my close family friend, Lisa Gonzalez, for being role models of inspiring faith. They have loved me so well. I still get anxious and rely on myself sometimes but the Lord says, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” -Mathew 11:28

The first time I truly wanted God to lead my life was earlier this year, the weekend before Easter service at Christ Community. I was working as a personal trainer at a fitness studio when I met Nicole Johnston in one of my classes who invited me to Christ Community to check it out. I was very hesitant at first, but eventually I thought it was a good idea.

I had grown up around people in my family who believed in God but it never really felt like it was something for me as a kid growing up. Although, I always knew there was something missing in my life. I lacked drive, purpose, the feeling of belonging, and oftentimes I didn’t really know why I was here or where to turn when things were bad. Since my parent’s divorce when I was younger it always felt like I was being stretched thin from trying to be a people pleaser. I kinda fell into that role but I still felt empty and depressed. When I finally gave church a try and showed up to the young adults meeting on Monday I was honestly surprised at how much I actually liked it. I finally felt like I was becoming who I was truly meant to be with Jesus as my guide leading me forward. After that I kept going to Christ Community and my faith kept growing as I finally decided to give my life to Jesus and take my first communion that weekend before Easter.

It’s been such a blessing to be around such authentic and joyful people that want nothing more than to lift each other up. Taking this next step to get baptized feels right for me as I continue to grow in my faith and continue to realize my true identity in Jesus.

I have always believed in God growing up. I went to church and got confirmed as a child. As I got older and went to college and lived on my own, I did not attend church. God was not a priority in my life.

When I met my future husband, we began going to church together. Then when we had children, we went pretty regularly. They went to Sunday school and then attended a Lutheran grade school. As they got older, we didn’t go as often.
It wasn’t until I started taking a nine-month Bible study from a woman I really respected that I started to understand that I wanted to follow His commands and teachings because He wants to have a personal relationship with me—one where I confess and repent of my sins.

I have gone to Celebrate Recovery and learned to rely on God for overcoming anorexia and alcoholism (praise God!). I am still leaning on Him to help me get over other hurdles in my life. I keep praying and know that He will answer.
God is my creator, and I am to glorify Him in all I say and do—to show that I believe in Him by how I treat others, by showing the fruits of the Spirit. I want to follow Jesus because He died on the cross so that my sins are forgiven. Because He loves me so much, I need His help to show that same love to others.

I want to show God and others that I believe in Him by trying to glorify Him in all I do, so others can see Jesus through me. I think being baptized is a good representation of that and a declaration that He is the Lord of my life.

I hope to remember to put others’ needs ahead of my own and to love others with the agape love that God has for me. My daughter, Nicole Johnston, really came to faith and devoted her life to God a few years ago, and that has had a real impact on me. I am also doing another Bible study with her, my sisters, and my nieces about how we are to love others as Jesus loves us, and it is making me realize how selfish I can be. I’m trying to be more like Jesus every day.

I really like Ephesians 2:8–9, which says, “God saved you by his special favor, when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast.”

Before surrendering to Jesus, life was scary. It felt overwhelming, and sometimes I was not sure how much more I could take. Family, financial, work, and romantic situations had taken a toll on my spirit, and I felt incredibly heartbroken.

Through the trials and tribulations I had experienced, I found myself talking to God more and more. Through every uncharted and stormy sea I sailed, I prayed to God, and I found he was always listening. Not only listening, but delivering. The more I started to see God’s grace showing up in my life, the stronger the urge I felt to strengthen my relationship with Jesus. I actually started to feel really silly. How could I only talk to my Savior when I needed help?

On June 8, while laying a loved one to rest, I was particularly touched by the words the pastor spoke. It was a time where I felt absolutely terrified about the future, and more heartbroken than ever before. When the pastor asked those that wish to surrender to Jesus to raise their hand, mine was one of the first that went up, and I took that very seriously. I surrendered my life to Jesus on June 8, 2025.

From that moment, the rapid rate at which God’s grace continues to show up in my life and deliver me from all my worries is a feeling I can only try to put into words. I knew I had to show more obedience to Jesus, so I started attending Christ Community again. I was unsure of how welcomed I would be, but thankfully I felt such a warm, welcoming blanket of love wrapped around me. I had to keep coming back for more. With each service I get to learn more about Jesus and the truth of how loved I have always been.

When I reflect on my life, and the way I have been able to sustain myself and my son, always having everything we need, and now- always feeling so loved and at peace, how could I not believe Jesus is the King of my story? Having the opportunity to worship at Christ Community and learn about the truth of Jesus has filled my heart with so much peace and joy. I feel more loved than ever before. I have always believed in God, yet felt like a puzzle with one missing piece. Now I am complete. Thank you Jesus, and thank you to the pastors at Christ Community.

Since surrendering to Jesus, I have been given the gift of relaxation. I can relax and be at peace because I know my God is an awesome God. I can rest and relax because I know I am so loved by Jesus, and he will always provide. Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

I was raised Catholic my whole life. My Mom would take my brothers and myself to church every Sunday when I was younger, but this stopped after my first communion. I went through Catechism class and, to be honest, was excited after my confirmation because I wouldn’t have to go to church anymore. While my inward faith remained strong the next few years, it wasn’t until I picked up a Gideon’s Bible in a hotel room in Nashville that I because to see God differently, as someone to show devotion and obedience to. It was that night that I surrendered my life to Jesus.

Even though I tried to remain devoted to Jesus, my misconceptions about my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ kept me from going to Church. It wasn’t until last February when I decided to try out Christ Community, a church that I had driven by nearly every day of my 26-year life. The people here have been nothing short of kind and supportive in my walk with Jesus, and I’m proud to be among so many faithful individuals.

From what I understand, the Catholic Church treats baptism as an initiation into the faith, similar to how Christ Community Church treats child dedication. As I began to read and understand scripture, I realized that baptism should be saved for those ready and able to proclaim their allegiance to Christ. For instance, in Acts 2:38, it says "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit…”. How can one repent if they’re an infant? I feel that proclaiming my intention to have Jesus as the center of my life as an adult carries more significance than my baptism as a baby.

Since putting my trust in Jesus, I feel a sense of calm, peace, and ready to take on any challenge that comes my way. It also grounds me, as it helps instill the belief that I am not as important as I sometimes feel, for better or worse.

Before Christ, I spent years searching for peace in spirituality, relationships, and self-improvement, but my heart was always restless. I believed God existed, but He felt far away. Anxiety, loss, and exhaustion slowly revealed what I couldn’t fix on my own. I carried shame I didn’t have words for and searched for worth in all the wrong places, not realizing I was really longing for grace.

After having my first child, I sensed a gentle, quiet draw toward Jesus stirring inside me. I started praying in simple, honest ways and listening to other people’s testimonies. Eventually, my husband and I started attending church, and from the very first service I sensed God working in my heart. Wanting to go deeper, we decided to join Rooted.

During Prayer Night in the program, I surrendered. I admitted my need for Jesus and gave my life to him. That night, I experienced his forgiveness and grace in a way I never had before. It became a true turning point in my relationship with Christ, the moment I felt the relief and belonging I had been so eagerly searching for.

Now my life is no longer defined by striving but by surrender. God is no longer distant, but near. My identity is no longer built on my past or failures, but on who Christ says I am. Baptism is my declaration that I belong to Him. My life is His now and I choose to follow Him with my whole heart.

I’ve been coming to Christ Community for almost two years now. Before I really started trusting Jesus, I tried to handle everything on my own. I kept all my emotions inside and hid behind weed, drinking, and acting like I had it all together. Since I was young I struggled with depression and hopelessness, and I isolated myself so no one would see my shame. Eventually I just hit a point where I couldn’t keep going like that. I remembered a sermon here where the pastor shared Matthew 11:28–29, where Jesus says to come to Him when you’re weary and burdened. In that moment of feeling at my lowest, that verse came back to me, and it reminded me I didn’t have to carry everything alone anymore. Jesus had been there the whole time, even when I wasn’t looking for him.

So I started coming every Sunday because I wanted to follow Jesus for real and stop hiding behind the walls I built. My dad and my sisters have been a big encouragement, helping me keep my eyes on Christ. Eventually I want to get started on the Rooted program to deepen my connection with Christ and the community. Baptism, for me, is turning the page. It’s me letting go of who I used to be and stepping into the life God’s been trying to give me this whole time. It’s me finally trusting Him and knowing that even when I felt completely alone, He was right there, waiting for me to come back.

I am a recovering alcoholic addict, and after a 13-year span of total sobriety I relapsed for a period of nearly 5 years. During this time I had a son who is now six years old. It pained me deeply every day to be keenly aware of my mental decline and my total inability to put drugs down. In particular, nights were the most difficult. Putting my son to bed without the ability to read him a book or spend quality time with him was extremely painful. I was contemplating taking my own life on a weekly basis, but I wanted to be there for my son. One morning I had more than I could take and found myself driving to a recovery-based organization where I had not attended for years.

This was the start to my sobriety, but the story did not end there. About four months ago my girlfriend Claire, who was attending worship at Christ Community, asked if I would join her. I agreed, but inside I felt as if I couldn’t subscribe to religion. I grew up as a preacher's kid, and when I went off to college I rejected religion in full. I thought I would never return because religion did not follow a scientific approach and therefore it was brain power over God power. What I discovered almost blew my mind. I found myself weeping in church, feeling as though I wanted to have a deeper relationship with God, and I quickly became open to Jesus and the gospel.

In recent months I have been astounded to witness Christ Community answering the questions I have had for years. All my doubt dissolved; my questions were being answered in sermons as though they were custom-crafted for me. I began asking for Jesus to come into my heart and show me a new way.

Today I find that my program of recovery joined with a new love for Jesus has catapulted me into a life I never could have imagined. When worship ends on Sundays, the new tradition I have with my girlfriend is to go home or go to the park to read the Bible together. This is a lifestyle I never could have imagined, but I give all the glory to God.

My family raised me in Christian home, though I had never truly devoted my life to Christ in a meaningful way. In 2012, I turned completely away from God, thinking I was smart enough to do everything myself and lying to myself that God was not real. In this godless state, I built a successful career. I started a relationship with a non-believing woman, moved-in with her, and we were together unmarried for ten years.

Over time, I began to see the consequences of a mindset devoid of God as its root, both in my personal relationships and at the societal level. God was calling me in my heart to admit that not only was He real, but also that the chaos I was witnessing in myself and many people's attitudes and behaviors was the logical consequence of the absence of God as a standard. Many times, I prayed for forgiveness of my sins and that Jesus would guide me into putting my life on the right path again. He eventually wrote on my heart that I needed to leave the relationship I was in so I could lead a life under His purpose completely. I did not have the strength on my own to do this, but, one night, God broke me down and gave me the strength to end the relationship with the woman I was with. I moved out of my house the same evening. My parents, Richard and Lisa Street, had offered to let me stay with them as I rebuilt a life under God, and I began going to Christ Community with them.

While I don't know what God's next steps for me might be, baptism and becoming a part of Christ Community is my current step in obedience and a life with Jesus in command. It was hard for me to see just how badly I needed God until I understood how infinitely bad all things can get without Him. I thank Jesus for bringing me back when I was on the cusp of complete destruction. In being baptized, I symbolize my choice to leave behind my old way and adopt the way Jesus Christ has for me.

Before I truly trusted Jesus, I really was caught up in lies and what others said and thought about me. I always knew who Jesus was and that he had died for the sins of the world. However, I just didn’t truly understand what it meant to accept that. About three years ago, I was at summer camp with a few of my really good friends. I was so caught up in the fun of camp that I never really stopped to think about Jesus. One of the nights, the pastor went up and started to share his story. I had looked over to my friend and saw how she was so connected and I broke; I realized I was stuck in the darkness and needed to try and change.

I was led on the path to Jesus by my amazing friends and family who helped me understand what Jesus wanted in my life. I surrendered fully to Jesus about a year ago and decided to take my next steps into baptism.

Since then, I’ve stayed consistent with praying and staying connected to church. I’ve helped serve at Vacation Bible School and have been attending both Honeyrock Camp and Lake Geneva Youth Camp which really helped me in my faith journey. Though I've gone through many difficult chapters in my journey, God still loves me so much. Psalm 100:5 says, “For the Lord is good: his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”

I grew up in a home shaped by alcoholism and mental illness, and it left me struggling with self-worth. Through my teens and twenties, I looked for validation in drinking and unhealthy relationships. Even when I finally found a good, stable relationship, I sabotaged it and was unfaithful. The relationship I chose instead became a painful trauma bond, and I convinced myself God was punishing me.

On June 9th, 2025, at my lowest point, I opened up to my brother who was already following Jesus. When I told him I thought God was punishing me, he reminded me, “God doesn’t punish, He teaches.” Those words changed everything.

I went home, fell to my knees, and asked Jesus for help. Since then, I’ve felt a steady peace and a true change in my heart. I see, speak, and live differently because of Jesus’ love — a love I had been searching for my whole life.
I’m getting baptized because I want to fully commit my life to Him and walk with Jesus from here on out.

My family and I used to be a Christmas and Easter only family until I got invited by two of my friends to go to Christ Community. I loved it, there was a lesson, games, it was the best! My mom came too. We kept it up and went with my friends for a while.

After about a month of going, my grandpa who I was very close with, passed away and I got very depressed and had the urge to do things to myself that I could not change in the long run. I was very skeptical about God's way when that happened because I did not think it was his time to go.

The next week we watched church online with my whole family and it hit hard like they were talking directly to me. That was the night I said the surrender prayer. From then on me and my mom have been going to church consistently and even got my sister and dad to go with. This year I have been very into God and his path and I decided with a couple people I was ready to get baptized.

Before I truly trusted Jesus, other things took over my life. The thoughts other people had about me, my grades, and what my future had in store for me were more important than Jesus. Yet all of those things caused me stress and anxiety.

Then I went to SBR this past summer, and I felt Jesus meet me where I was and work through me. My eyes were opened to how he could impact my life, how much more important he was compared to anything else this world could ever offer. I made my decision to surrender to Christ because I saw the incredible things he could do in my life. I experienced how he took away my worries and burdens and how nothing else matters except for what he thinks about me.

Since then, I now know he has a plan for me, therefore I can cast my worries about everything to him. Psalm 23 says, “Even through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Now I know nothing else matters except for God, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing”(Psalm 23).

I have gone to Christ Community Church my entire life. I have attended Kids World, Epic, and Summer Blast. I have been told about Jesus from my family for as long as I can remember and have always loved to pray. One day, I sat in the auditorium with my parents, and I heard the pastor praying the “I’m sorry, Thank You & Please” prayer. I had heard it and sort of prayed that before, but it felt different that day because I knew it was the next step to be closer to God. Now, I am excited to be baptized so everyone can know my decision. I know that even after I am baptized I will still struggle with sin, but by growing closer to God and trying to live like Jesus will help me fight that sin. My favorite Bible verse is James 1:19 because it reminds me of myself. I struggle with talking and getting easily angry, and I love the reminder that Jesus doesn’t want that for me. To help me be a better listener, I enjoy asking people what I can pray for them about. It makes me so happy to pray and share my trust in Jesus with the people I know. It has been fun to follow Jesus and start serving in the nursery at church now too! I love helping the little kids see God’s love too and I hope they can remember me some day when they think about coming to this church!

I grew up in a household where I felt very alone, and isolated. I was not very close with my family and handled many things on my own at a young age. I struggled a lot with mental health when I was younger, and because I refused to tell anyone, it became more and more severe. I often asked myself, if God is real, why would he do this to me? This mindset pushed me so far from God that I became atheist for a time.

My freshman year of high school I hit my lowest point and was hospitalized for severe depression. Around the same time I joined a youth group called YoungLife. This program helped me realize what real Christian love looks like. I found a group of friends on fire for the Lord who valued me for me, and became like a family. I am endlessly grateful that God put these people in my life, because they changed me entirely. I began chasing the Lord and became a completely different person for the better. My depression faded, and I realized that God won’t ever let me down the same way other things in my life had.

I now lean on him in all that I do, and my life has improved drastically. I know now that he has a plan for me, and that I can put my full trust in him. God healed what no amount of medicine and therapy could, and I cannot wait to be baptized and publicly show my love for him.

When I was diagnosed with Stage 2 Thyroid cancer, my world suddenly felt thin and breakable. I had built a successful life and career yet somewhere beneath the surface I sensed an unsettled place in my soul that I had been ignoring.

A dear friend, Brenda Bouge invited me to her Bible study–the night before my surgery. I went searching for answers about life and death and the possibility of salvation. Instead, I found a peace so unexpected it felt like it was waiting for me. The leader Kaye Downey prayed over me with such tenderness and confidence in God’s healing power that something in me softened or maybe awakened.

What began as fear driven curiosity has grown into a hunger for Scripture and the steady guidance it offers. One verse, especially has become an anchor for me:

“The mind he keeps in perfect peace is the one that is steadfast on him” -Isaiah 26:3

My journey is still unfolding, but the peace I now carry most days–feels like a quiet miracle. My hope is to become a gentle light to those who don’t yet believe, so they might glimpse the grace that found me when I needed it most.

Whenever I go to church or pray I feel so happy and grateful for everything and everyone in my life. I was going through a time when I felt my friend group was not the right fit for me. They were leaving me out at times and hiding it from me.

There was a lot of talking behind peoples backs and I prayed that Jesus would help me find honest and truthful friends. This year I am very blessed and grateful for all the people that stepped into my life. God to me is my savior and he has helped me with everything by being by my side and always helping me with hard times.

My family has helped me take these steps into baptism and all the Pastors and the great people I have met from serving. Being baptized means to me that you have surrendered your life to Jesus and he forgives you for all your sins. Life will definitely feel more complete because I know Jesus will and forever be by my side after my baptism.

God has been around me all my life, for my parents used to have me go to KidsWorld to learn but I never really listened. Around the age of 10, my parents bought me an analog clock that has radio stations I can scroll through and so I did until I landed on 90.1 FM moody radio. This radio station had preachers preaching, people doing podcasts, and just sharing the good news. Eventually when I was around 12 I prayed to God and told him I believe and to use my body as a tool to spread his word and allow me to follow in Christ and so I also asked for forgiveness.

God to me is a friend but also family, I just talk to him normally sometimes as a friend and tell him my concerns and just about my life. I want to follow Jesus because of the amount of love he has for me forgiving me for my sins and dying for me. My parents were huge in helping me find Jesus for they are the one who gave me that clock. Getting baptized to me is to make it public I believe and that despite being a sinner I have been saved. My life has been different, much better since I started to believe and know it will still be and through God and Jesus I'll get through life.

I always wanted a better relationship with God. One day, I brought it up with my mentor, Mrs. Julie, who has been involved at Christ Community. I told her my intentions with God. She introduced me to the church, and I met wonderful people there. I started coming to youth group every Wednesday and church on Sunday. I felt like I was starting to get closer to God. One Sunday service, I remember Pastor Clayton prayed for us about asking God to forgive us for our sins and to speak to God about being ready to surrender our lives to Him. In that moment, I told God I was ready to surrender my life to God and have a strong relationship with Him. Telling God how I felt and asking Him to lead me in the right direction felt right to me. I decided to take a class about baptism, and I was ready to take my next steps with God and what He has planned for me moving forward.

I've grown up in a Christian home. My mom has been a Christian since I was born and my dad and my brother got baptized 3 years ago. I attended Epic and Kids World classes. I've learned a lot of God's good news from the bible and am able to apply it every day in my life and share it with my friends outside the church. Even though I've grown up at Christ Community Church I knew that before middle school I wanted to get baptized like my brother. So one Sunday my parents asked about what we learned about the message after the service and it was all about putting faith in Jesus to have a relationship with God. Then I asked my parents if I could get baptized by Christmas and I can have the best gift this year and this is SALVATION! I know my life won't be perfect and easy. But all I know is that Jesus is always with me to guide and give me all the wisdom to live like him. My favorite verse in the whole entire bible is John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life". Therefore, I am so excited to receive this best gift this season and this is my salvation and I pray and praise God for this decision that I made through his moving spirit on me. And I also thank my family and my Kids World teachers for all the guidance for the next step of my life.

I’ve struggled with anxiety and depression for a long time and when I graduated from college in April, my mental health took a hit. I was feeling lost and anxious all the time and felt like no matter what I did I couldn’t make it stop.

During a low time of my life, my mom was consistently there for me and told me to spend time outside. I started going on daily walks and just started talking to God, asking Him for help and to make the anxiety stop. At this same time, one of my closest friends, Heaven Velez, got baptized
at Christ Community. She and I have been friends for about ten years, and seeing the peace she gained from reclaiming her faith was inspiring. After attending her baptism, I decided to keep showing up with her every Sunday. Without her help, I would not be where I am today in my faith journey and that’s when I decided to surrender my life to Jesus.

Now that I have a relationship with Jesus, it hasn’t taken away my mental health struggles, but it has helped me realize that I am not alone in them. Regardless of where I am at in my battle, I have Jesus by my side. He was there with me when I was in the valley, and I know he will be there when I’m on the mountain top. A verse that is important to me is John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” When I experience anxiety, I lean into my faith because I know God would not put me through something I cannot handle and Jesus is walking beside me through it.

Before I trusted God, I was very distracted and wasn't focused on God. I was more focused on how my family and friends who weren't followers viewed me. When I was growing up, both of my parents were alcoholics. This really affected me and my walk with God because God wasn't their sole focus. Eventually, a few years later, my parents ended up getting divorced. My siblings and I, and my mom, ended up moving in with my grandparents.

During this time, I began attending church more frequently. After attending church regularly, I began to learn and hear the truth about Jesus and all that He has done for my life. I started to understand that he died for my sins and that he loves me for me. And that he put me on this earth for a purpose, and he has a plan for me. Since hearing and understanding what God has done for me, my life has taken a new direction because I surrendered to him.

I now go to a Christian school. I am surrounded by Christlike people. And I have set healthy boundaries that have changed my life for the better. James 1:3 says, “because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” This verse speaks to me because your journey is never perfect.

I grew up in a Christian household where my parents and two older sisters were baptized. My understanding of Christ has profoundly shaped my journey. A pivotal moment in my faith occurred in June when I volunteered at Camp Commotion and met Lucy Cox. I felt the Lord’s presence through her as she led younger children to Christ, which brought me closer to God after a difficult start to 2025. Earlier that year, my family experienced a house fire that destroyed our childhood home. Despite this loss, my time at camp renewed my faith and resilience. Throughout the weeks I volunteered, my love for God and understanding of my life's purpose deepened. This led me to ask God for forgiveness in August 2025.

God is my Lord and Savior; he is my rock and one I can depend on in life. I want to follow Jesus because without Him, I would not have been able to overcome the challenges my family faced. Being baptized means I am publicly committing to my faith and expressing reliance on Him at all times. I believe my life will be stable when I trust in him, and I will find peace in knowing I do not have to question why difficult things happen. My life will be different because with faith, I will no longer be alone, and I will be in the glory of the life He has given me.

My current journey of faith began in early 2024. I had not felt at home in any church in years yet still had faith in God. I was 63, started having panic attacks and was desperate for help. My prayers were answered when God gave me the strength to go to my first psychiatrist appointment as well as my first therapy session.

About a month into therapy my therapist suggested I find a church to meet like-minded people. Christ Community Church had been recommended so, God with me again, I walked into a new, very big church. I was immediately mesmerized. I felt like I found a home.

I joined Rooted and met the most wonderful group of Christians. Each person in the group cared about me, wanted to get to know me better, and invited me to get togethers. They accepted me into their hearts flaws and all, no judgment.

God has walked alongside me into Care Night, as well as Kids World and Asperion to serve. He knows I suffer from anxiety disorder. He is All Knowing-my Father.

At home I surrendered my life over to God. I feel so much better, worthy of his forgiveness. God has a plan for me and I am ready to follow his path to find out what that plan is. Being baptized as an adult will mean I have a clean mind, body and soul and am accountable to serve God with love and gratitude for all my blessings.

Before I put my faith in Jesus I was putting things over my faith. I payed more attention to things that didn't matter and things that weren't important. During March of 2025 my mindset changed all of a sudden because of a mistake I made and it made me think deep into how far I really was from the lord. Then my sister introduced me to refuge at the Aurora Christ community campus and I started to feel closer to Jesus and I felt reconnected to the word so I surrendered my life to Jesus. My life changed so much after that and I started to think more about my choices and thinking about what would Jesus say about the stuff im about to do or say and I also started to put the lord in every situation im in. And now I know I want to continue to get closer to god and the baptism is going to be the best decision I can make

Before giving my life to him, I knew Jesus. As a child, my grandmother, Ruth, made sure I knew him, but over time, I fell away. I thought I could live my life without Jesus / Christianity, as long as I made decisions based on right and wrong.

Of course, what I didn't know is that when we appoint ourselves as judge, we tend to bend the rules for convenience's sake, and culture becomes our moral point of reference (and it's not a very good one).

That path brought me to many dark places. I was "happy" on the surface, but just below was struggling with abandonment, guilt, insecurity, lust, and pride. By the time I went off to college, I had learned to bury those feelings with sin, otherwise known as a "party" lifestyle. When my mother was diagnosed with cancer, I fell even deeper into bad behaviors, and when she passed away - instead of running to God, I ran to what I knew the world had to offer.

I was lost, but Jesus found me in that darkness. A few months after she passed, he gave me a vision. In a dream, I was falling and saw death quickly approaching. In my final moments, I repented, "Jesus forgive me for all I have done. I choose you as my Lord and savior." I woke up and a tsunami of emotions rushed over me, like all of the pain I had been ignoring could finally be felt.

I knew at that moment he was real, and I had to pursue him at all costs. It has taken me time, and I have failed in hundreds of moments since, but I continue to feel God encouraging me to take the "next steps". My brother Aiden & a family friend who is like a sister to me, Toria Landau have been huge spiritual influences on me during this time as well - loving and learning in obedience with Christ. Along with countless others. Shout out to my Rooted Group, led by Scott Soukup!

God's faithfulness fuels my determination, and has allowed me to relinquish anxieties that I, in the past, would have let stop me. I am no longer chasing the pleasures of the world, but "Seek[ing] first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33), knowing that while on His path, He will provide all that I need.

I want to be baptized because I believe in God and I want to follow Jesus with my whole life.

When I pray, I talk to God about what is going on in my life. I ask him to forgive me when I mess up, and I ask him to guide me through hard times. I know that God is the Creator of the world and of heaven, and he has blessed my life in many ways. He made me, my family, and my friends, and I am thankful for all of them.

I want to follow Jesus because He gave his life for me. He showed the greatest love by surrendering his life, and I want to live my life for him. My mom, my dad, my brother, and my church have helped me grow in my faith and support me in taking this step.

To me, being baptized means surrendering my life to Jesus and trusting him completely. It means choosing to put my life in his hands and to follow Him every day. I'm excited to show my faith and to continue growing in my relationship with God.

Before I trusted in Jesus I didn't feel valued or I felt out of place all the time. Then my friend Maddy Bisbee introduced me to Christ here. I never felt alone. I always felt warm inside when I first started going. I heard the truth that Jesus died for our sins and that he is there for you and loves you no matter what so I surrendered my life to him. My life changed from the way I saw things. It was eye opening to see that a-lot of us were living in doubt and sin and a-lot of us never had someone to tell us that were not alone that the silent battles no one sees is in the hands of Jesus. Since then I can say that I’m a lot closer to Jesus than I was before. I can also say my life has changed now. When something happens that affects me I'll still be disappointed but knowing that I'll always have someone like Jesus to lay all my problems down to. He has given me and my family unconditional love. Now knowing that Jesus is there ALL THE TIME I also joined a church group and now involved in the church my life has changed so much thanks to Christ.

Before I was a follower of Christ, I was going through the motions of life and trying to find purpose.

As I was living the life I the way I wanted to, playing college lacrosse, working a couple odd jobs and working on my flight training. I put so much trust into myself and my own physical body that I thought I could do it all alone. Turns out I was wrong about that and I tore my ACL, rendering me useless for lacrosse, jobs and my flight training for a while. I gave Jesus my first prayer to come into my life to fix everything I had previously just lost.

I have not looked back since that day. Every day I live is a blessing I am given from the Lord. I pray every day and my life has significantly changed for the better. After a short period of recovery and rehab I was able to get back into flying to finnish up my flight training, now I flight instruct young pilots at my flight school. I am able to share the gospel and live out a Christ-centered life as a pilot. I met a fellow pilot during my training who attends CCC and together we go to young adult group every monday to talk about the previous sermon.

Following Jesus is the greatest decision I have made in my life. I grew up in a Christian household and chose to follow Jesus at a young age. I continued to grow deeper in faith in my college years, however, I never got baptized.

I'm making the choice to be baptized because I want to follow the example set by Jesus and walk in obedience towards him!

I'm thankful for God’s provision and guidance over my life, my family and friends who have encouraged my decision to get baptized, and for Christ Community Church for helping me continue to grow in my walk with Christ.

Colossians 3:1-4

What God means to me is the creator of everything including me. I asked God to forgive my sins during the Expedition Unlimited trip a couple of weeks ago. I have been questioning my faith up until then and that was when I realized that God wanted me to believe for a purpose and that purpose was to share the gospel with others.

I want to follow Jesus because I want to follow in his footsteps and to spread the word of Christ to other people. My friend Abby has been a huge help in helping me take the steps of commitment of baptism by helping me build a deeper connection to Christ. God has really helped me in the last couple of weeks by having me help people that I normally wouldn't help and also to help spread the word of Jesus to all.

What baptism means to me is announcing that Jesus has washed away my sins and given me a new life. My life will be different by putting Christ first, then everything else second. For it is said in Matthew 6:33 "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

I have know Jesus my whole life. I have been attending Christ Community Church since I was born. After attending KidsWorld on a Saturday evening, I asked my Mom and Dad if I could be baptized. My Dad and I said the surrender prayer together that night.

Baptism means to me that Jesus is king over my life. My Kidsworld leader Mrs. Judy, my Epic leader Mrs. Kim and my parents helped me go through baptism information. I will try my hardest to be obedient to God’s word and kind to others. I know that I’m not perfect, Jesus is the only perfect one. I know that he died on the cross for my sins. I read the Bible daily and my favorite Bible verse is John 3:16. It says “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” I cannot wait to spend eternity with Jesus!

I was raised in a Christian home and grew up knowing about Jesus. When I went to my first SBR camp this summer, I learned more about baptism and what it means. I continued to think about it over the summer and then made the decision to follow Jesus.

Jesus died to forgive my sins and allow me to have a relationship with God. Since I made my commitment, God has become my leader and has taught me ways to be more like Jesus. I’m thankful for my mom, dad, grandparents and pastors who have also been examples of Christ followers.

I want to get baptized so I can show people what Jesus means to me. Baptism doesn’t save me, but is a sign of my commitment to Jesus, who saved me. Going forward, I will try to follow in Jesus’ footsteps and show Christ to others. Getting baptized is an important step in my journey with Christ and I’m so excited for it!

Before I knew needed Christ I was scrunched up on my bed, face and pillow drenched with tears, I have done wrong to others and to Christ. I felt so unworthy, I used to scratch myself up and cry so hard my eyes turn red, my stomach turned and ached, snot running down my nose to my chin, I would try to pull hair, scratch, and push my skin off of me because of how i felt so uncomfortable just sinning and worldly pleasures. (Ecclesiastes 2)

When my friend Chloe Chambers introduced me to Christ Community, it opened up my eyes and helped me understand what love truly is that Jesus showed us. Like the truth and how other people are going to act and how I could work with God and not just on myself BY myself.(Philippians 1:6) It took me some time to find out how God can help you to stop hurting yourself physically and mentally and we need to let go of the past of yourself and other people (Leviticus 19:18,28).

After letting God into my heart I spoke to myself “God first and he will handle it” knowing how much God loves us and that he died up onto the cross for our sins(Isaiah 53:5). My friends from school who is Josh Vonkaenel, Daniel Lawhorn ,Jorge Mazariegos encouraged me to understand more about God and I have been so influenced just to be a leader and to preach out because of them(1 Peter 3:15) They gave me a smile and told me so much more amazing reasons to tell others the truth about God. I would go out in the hallways to tell others “God bless them and that God made them beautiful” Just to see a smile on their face or a nonchalant response but knowing that there is hope for others. I always pray “Good morning” to God because he woke me up every morning and gave us a reason to live.(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) I put on worship music every time I get the chance because of how it opens my mind to God and leads me to God because I love music and listening to secular music would always lead me to the wrong idea when someone says a word that sounds “weird.”(Colossians 3:16) I always thought of Jesus as a friend so I would pray to him about my days and what I could do better just to be with him.

I was baptized as an infant in the catholic church, but unfortunately for whatever reason that did not lead to a life with Jesus.

It was not until I started coming to Christ Community with my wife Jackie that I began to realize how much I was missing by not following Jesus. I will never forget the day driving to church when I was asking Jackie how she thinks about God and Jesus, as I did not fully understand the difference. That very service, Pastor Jim gave a sermon about how God is Jesus and Jesus is God. It was as if God knew exactly what I needed to hear at that specific time. Shortly thereafter I made the decision to surrender my life to Jesus, and am so glad I have. At first, I was a bit nervous about this new journey as I felt uneducated compared to others who have been following for so much longer. However, pastor Eric gave a sermon in which he spoke about new followers who might be nervous about diving all the way in and said “maybe it’s ok I don’t have all of the answers about Jesus, but he’s kind of changing my life.”

I have started regularly praying for others and have found so much more thanks and appreciation for all of the incredible blessings God has placed in my life and community. I am so excited about moving forward in my walk with Jesus, and know the best is yet to come.

Before I realized I needed Christ, I walked with so much heaviness in my heart and focusing on the negative side of hardships in my life. My daughter was invited by a friend to Refuge, and she began attending weekly. She would return so joyful and talked to me about what she learned and how good she felt about learning and understanding the bible. She asked me to take her to a weekend service and asked me join her. Took me a couple weeks, as I was lost in my faith; I was raised Catholic. When I finally made the decision to attend, my first service was very emotional and left the service feeling light, I felt a sense of peace and love. I felt like I belonged and felt understood, all this from just one service. It was then when I realized that I needed Christ in my life and surrendered my life to him.

I look forward to the weekend service because as the weeks go by, I feel more and more relatable to Christ. I no longer feel judged, I feel loved, I feel a sense of belonging. I no longer walk with heaviness in my heart. My relationship with my family has improved tremendously.

I now look at my daily life and struggles with a more positive mindset knowing that Christ is there to guide me and not judge me. I look forward to learning more about the bible and getting closer to Christ and joining a great community.

Before I surrendered my life to Jesus, I tried living on my own terms. I leaned on worldly
things, my own control, and my own ways to get through life, but it never worked. I kept
finding myself stuck in the same cycles, feeling empty, overwhelmed, and unable to change on my own. I finally realized that doing life my way wasn’t leading me anywhere good, and I needed something greater than myself.

Everything changed when I laid it all down at Jesus’ feet. I asked God to forgive me and
take full control of my life. I surrendered my addictions, my desires, and everything worldly I was still holding onto. As I began to learn more about who God truly is, my Savior who heals and restores, I felt Him taking away things that had a hold on me. Jesus used different people in my life to help guide me, including the messages I watch from Bryce Crawford and the wisdom of my dad, who goes to church with me. I realized I couldn’t fix myself, but Jesus could. I chose to follow Him because only His way leads to real freedom.

Since giving my life to Jesus, everything has changed. God healed so much in me and is helping me become a new creation. Being baptized now means being washed clean of my past sins and celebrating my new identity in Christ. From this day forward, I will live by the Word of God, no longer doing things my way but letting Him lead my life. I’m walking into this new chapter with Him in full control.

I grew up in a Catholic household, so I always knew of Christ, but I never really lived for him. My family slowly grew away from the church but still held onto the teachings of Christ the best we could, but it was just hard to have a relationship with him without going to church. Without a relationship with Christ, I was living for myself, idolizing many things, and I always just felt empty. Then one day I met a friend who was rooted in Christ, and they convinced me to come to church with them. Since then I’ve attended every weekend because I’ve only found fulfillment in Christ. He’s protected me throughout my life and I’ve had a feeling that it’s time to get baptized. Christ is the center of my life and I let him lead me. I’ve noticed that I’m more calm, I don’t go straight to anger anymore when things don’t go my way, and my overall life is just better with him. I’m surrendering my life to Jesus because he was there for me when I was in a car accident, not only did he save my life he helped me recover mentally, because sadly two people died in that accident and I put a lot of the blame on me. Through prayer and talking to him it helped me get to a better place mentally.

I gave my life to Christ in 2024 after having a prayer answered to me by God that changed me forever. I have always believed there must be a God even though I have had every opportunity to not believe in God.

Growing up, I had a very rocky childhood and when I turned 20 I lost two of my brothers a month apart from each other in 2013. Yet through difficult years of my life, I would still pray every night before bed on how thankful I was for everything I had in my life. But my prayers were so stale. I was not a true follower of Christ and had no real relationship with him.

I cannot pinpoint the exact date, but sometime in the summer of 2024, during my nightly prayer I stopped and said “I don’t even know who I am talking to right now. God, do you even hear this prayer?” I realized I didn’t truly know who Jesus was, the significance of the cross, and why he died for us. I did something that I know now I should never do, but I asked for a sign. I said “Lord if you hear this prayer right now. Show me. I will surrender my life to you, obey you, and follow you.” Two weeks went by, and I forgot I had even said that prayer.

What happened next changed my life from that day forward. Getting in my work truck one morning sitting in the seat next to me was a New Testament Bible. It was facing in my direction as if to say. “Here’s where to start” I instantly surrendered to the Lord in that moment and began my journey. My heart has been on fire for Jesus ever since.

There was a time in my life when darkness felt overwhelming and I had nothing and no one to turn to, yet it was in that very place that I cried out to God and asked Him to forgive me. In my loneliness and uncertainty, He met me with compassion and strength, becoming my Savior and my shield. God protected me from rejection, trials, and the thoughts that once tried to pull me down.

I choose to follow Jesus because He has consistently been the answer in every season, guiding me through my most difficult moments and leading me toward victory. I owe Him my trust, my faith, and my life. Jesus has been the only one who has helped me find real answers, and through Him I have discovered a peace I never thought possible.

Today, being baptized is my public testimony that through His grace, His mercy, and His work in my life, I am standing here renewed, restored, and filled with hope. My life will be forever different because I am placing my full trust in Jesus, and I want to lead by example for my children so they will know that He is the answer. They will see that I overcame adversity solely because of my faith in God. As I enter this new chapter, I hold onto the promise of Scripture:

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” — Isaiah 41:10

My mom and dad always taught me about Jesus and took me to church. As I got older, I started to know Him better. I decided to get baptized because I love Jesus and want to follow Him and have a new life with Him. I know I’m a sinner and that I need a Savior, and Jesus died for me. I have a relationship with Jesus, and I know He is always with me. He has helped me, and I know He will keep helping me for the rest of my life he will never leave me!

Before I let Jesus lead my life, I was stuck in a loop of depression and anxiety. I tried my best to get out of it, but nothing helped. My parents decided to bring me to church, here, at Christ Community. Hearing the pastor preach and watching videos of people's past struggles and how Christ helped them through their problems, that inspired me to surrender to Christ.

Now, I can see Christ working in ways I still can barely fathom. I started reading the bible twice a day, praying once or twice a day. I am happier, free of depression and anxiety. I changed much for the better when I surrendered to Christ, to where my friends and family started noticing. Yes, there will still be challenging days, but now I know that there is a sun at the end of the storm. Romans 5:8 says: "But God showed us His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."