BAPTISM STORIES

I used to climb through life like a reckless climber on a cliff with no rope. If I could orchestrate the next moment, I could spare us messes, delays, and heartbreak. Control became my quiet idol, the one thing I prayed would never fail. Yet the more I tried to steer the ship, the rougher the seas grew. My wife and I traveled the world, moving through jobs, climates, politics and expectations. It was beautiful, but beauty sharpened into tension the moment I refused to surrender.

Backlash followed us - in whispers and shouts: doubters, anxious relatives, friends who wanted our marriage to fracture under judgment. I realized I loved the control more than the people it was meant to protect. I spoke harshly, planned rigidly, and judged quickly. I was a man who believed he could unfold the universe by sheer will - and that belief left me lonely and heartbroken.

God began to untangle the knot of my certainty not with thunder but with a creak - the slow, honest creak of surrender. The turning point arrived not as a dramatic bolt but as a quiet admission: I was not in control. The who, what, why, where, and how of my life loomed large, and the truth was brutal: my hands did not hold the weather. Shocked in recognizing this opened a space for grace to enter. Grace softened my fear, peeled away armor, and invited trust.

We relocated to Saint Charles on March 1, 2025, choosing a place to call home near family and grandchildren. We joined Christ Community Church in September and began attending regularly. At first, anxiety roamed the pews with me, strangely in a space I once believed I knew - this was unfamiliar territory. I realized evil had taken up residence in my life, trying to keep me marching a path that offered nothing but dissatisfaction, anger and isolation.

During Pastor Jim’s sermon, I collapsed on a bench, overwhelmed by the sense that I didn’t belong and wasn’t good enough - almost running out to the car! But, I chose to stand up spiritually, to tell the storm that God’s presence and strength will quiet it. Suddenly the noise subsided. The sermon’s mercy spoke louder than my fears, and I felt my heart loosen. It was the first decisive moment in October 2025, the day a changed South African man began listening to God’s voice.

Group meetings followed, promises like warm coats on a cold day. I wrestled with feeling unworthy, a residue from a thirty-year-old vow to be baptized and a sense of having to earn a place in a church I already called home. On March 22 this year, Pastor Jim preached on Identity through the Cross, and I realized my trust issues - shaped by a troubled parental marriage and my first marriage’s disrespect - were not the map, but the terrain I needed to walk through with the cross as my compass. I learned faith grows by choosing trust in my partner, and by letting God’s will shape us more than my plans ever could.

Now I pray aloud and journal daily. I feel Jesus beside me, guiding my steps, a gift I once doubted I deserved but now accept. The circle of family and friends from our community group has widened into a supportive network. If evil is real, so is God, infinitely stronger. I am not perfect, but I am growing in him, with God as my guide and rock, and Clare and I navigating this journey together.

This boy from Benoni has found a light in the faith of a patient God, a light that points toward heaven while we walk the earth with grace. I move forward - hands open, heart hopeful, eyes on the horizon of a life led by trust in Christ.

Now, I trust more. My circle is deeper and kinder. I surrender the wheel I once clung to and let him steer. Evil lost its grip; I find strength in prayer, truth in community, and a love that grows stronger with each shared burden. The journey has begun, but I know where I belong: with Jesus, beside Clare, toward heaven. This is my new yes. This is my forever.

About this time last year, I was put into what I saw as a life or death season. When God knew I was facing something that felt stronger than I was, he surrounded me with new people he knew would eventually invite me to Christ Community and lead me to him. In the particular season I was in, it required me to feel more alone than I ever had been before. I decided to give church and the bible a chance. What originally started as a situation where I figured things couldn’t get any worse, became something that is now a big part of who I am today. Without even realizing it, that big book I picked up and that church I had always driven past became the beginning of a completely different path for my life. What I now know as the life path. God is now my forever light on my life path that I never could imagine being as bright as it is now. Our father is my healer. He has helped me to heal my mind and body after a lifetime of anxiety and depression, as well as an unhealthy relationship with food throughout middle and high school. I want to follow Jesus for his sense of direction, the ear that listens whenever I need to lay something down, and to have a teacher who teaches me not only how to have life, but also who I am through him as I become renewed and forgiven through him. I have quickly learned that a life with Jesus is far brighter and filled with so much more joy than a life without him. Getting baptized today is truly one big thank you to our father. When I thought my depression had won over me, God stepped in and gave me fresh breath in my lungs. He brought peace where there was once anxiety, and laughter and joy where there was once emptiness.This is the beginning of my journey and an official recognition that I am willing to continue to trust the way Jesus is leading me. I know my life will continue to be changed by putting my trust in him. As everyday, I trust that he is in control, taking me by my right hand and leading me toward what he knows is better for me, instead of allowing me to lead myself back into the darkness.

I started learning about God more in 3rd grade, because in school I was not the best of students . My great grandma past away and also my papa was in and out of the hospital, so I needed God more so I put my faith in Him. My family has always taught me about God from praying to learning scripture I have always wanted to be apart of Him and the first time I made my decision was when I was in kindergarten.

Putting my faith in Jesus Christ made me feel more safe and secure. My favorite thing about God is He will always love me, always forgive me, and protect me. The bible verse that encourages me is Psalms 91 because I shall fear nothing . I believe Jesus died for my sins and I am grateful that He made me clean.

I first asked Jesus to lead me about 2 years ago. That's when I said my surrender prayer. I said it and didn't follow up like I should've with baptism. Since then, he's helped me find a job to get on top of my finances, and put me with a group of people who are followers of Christ who are musicians who are looking to write and play to honor him.

I've made a promise to God to stop my drinking and that he would help me stay accountable. Because of this, I need to complete my promise to him to guide my life totally. That's why I decided to get baptised. I've accepted that Jesus is the way and the truth, and that my life is in shambles without his guidance, and I need to make a covenant with other followers for support. Evil will tempt me, but God will show me the way to keep on track. I will devote my life to him. Thank you Jesus.

For much of my life, I knew who God was, but it wasn’t until recently that I truly asked Him to lead my life and become the center of it. Through prayer and reflection, I realized that I cannot rely on only my own strength and understanding. I asked God for His forgiveness and invited Him to guide my steps each day.

As a nurse, I have the unique privilege of witnessing both the fragility and resilience of life every day. I have seen moments that medicine alone cannot explain like patients recovering against the odds, families finding peace during unimaginable circumstances, and hope appearing in the darkest situations. Those experiences have strengthened my faith and reminded me that God is always at work, even when we cannot see the full picture.

I want to follow Jesus because He has shown me what unconditional love, grace, and purpose truly look like. I know that following Him does not mean life will be easy, but it means I will never walk through it alone. I want my life to reflect His love and compassion in the way I care for others.

I am grateful for my fiancé, Arthur, who has encouraged me in my faith journey and helped me take these steps toward a deeper relationship with Christ.

Being baptized is my public declaration that I belong to Jesus. It is an outward expression of the faith and transformation that has already begun in my heart. It symbolizes leaving behind my old life and stepping forward in obedience to Him.

Because I have put my trust in Jesus, my life is different. I have hope, purpose, and peace that do not depend on my circumstances. I know that God is guiding my path, and I want to spend the rest of my life following Him.

I grew up in a rough family situation and struggled throughout my life with alcoholism and addiction. I was also born with a heart condition that I have struggled with the complications of my whole life. I have been through so many trials, and I came to a point in my life where I couldn't believe in a God that would allow so many terrible things to happen. When my parents died, I couldn’t handle the loneliness, and I got deeper and deeper into my addictions. Finally, there came a point when something in me said no more. I knew I would die if I didn’t stop. I call that moment my God Shot. At the time, I didn’t think that though. It turned out that one of my heart valves had failed, and if I had kept going the way I was, I would definitely have been dead.

I got the help I needed and was introduced to God through the people in Alcoholics Anonymous. I still struggled to believe that I needed him to get better and live a good life. I started praying anyway, and I felt a little lighter. Then my best friend, Shelly Raddatz, asked me to join a group with her at her church, called Rooted. Through the lessons and the work we did together and with the help of all of the amazing ladies in the group, I finally realized I needed his forgiveness, and I needed him to show me his plan for me because my plans weren’t working. I have thought long and hard about what being baptized will mean for me, and I think that it will represent a washing away of my sins and my chance to let go of the guilt of my past that plagues me. I look forward to celebrating my decision to follow Jesus.

Believing that God has a plan for me and knowing that there is a reason I am here is why I want to follow Jesus. I have lived for so long without a purpose and now I feel that I have one.

Some verses from the Bible that make me think of my journey are:
“Some became fragile through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble and he saved them from their distress. He sent out his word and healed them.” Psalms 107: 17-20

“They cried to the Lord in their trouble and he saved them from their distress. He brought them out of the darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains.”
Psalms 107: 13-14

When I was freed from the bondage of my addictions and realized who had saved me:
“Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.” Psalms 107:21

“I will not die but Live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done.”
Psalms 117:17

Ever since I was a child, I remember believing in God. I also remember living with chronic illnesses. In fifth grade, I surrendered my life to God, but I did not feel confident enough to be baptized publicly.

As I grew older, my list of diagnoses grew, but so did my relationship with God. There was a time when I lost hope and felt overwhelmed by my pain. I even attempted to take my own life. After that experience, I realized I no longer wanted to die. Instead, I wanted to live and find hope again.

Through that difficult season, I grew closer to God and slowly regained hope for my future. He has been my guide, my source of strength, and the one constant in my life. His love, grace, and forgiveness have carried me through some of my darkest moments.

Today, I want to publicly declare my faith through baptism. I want to show both God and myself that I am surrendering my life to him and trusting him to lead me wherever he calls me.

I am especially grateful that my dad is being baptized with me. His encouragement gave me the confidence to take this step. My grandmother has also been a constant inspiration through her strong faith. Their support has helped bring me to this moment, and I am excited to continue walking with God.

Before I realized how much I needed Christ in my life I felt alone. I felt like I had no friends (even when I did have friends) like something was missing. My parents introduced me to Christ when I was young. I didn't really understand how much I needed him and how much he could and would impact my life. I was always anxious and would overthink everything. But when I started talking to Jesus about my thoughts and feelings I always felt a weight lifted off my chest.

Now that I have accepted Jesus as my Savior and King, I have become a better person inside and out! I have become more patient, loving, caring, and happier. When I start my day with devotionals and reading the Bible, it shapes my day and attitude! It's like I can feel the Holy Spirit inside of me!

My family goes to church and believes in God and we talk about him, but I didn’t feel like I knew God. I was more concerned with getting what I wanted and making myself happy than considering others.
One day I thought that I needed to read the Bible because it felt like I was excluding him in my life. It felt like God was reaching out to me. I knew it was special, because I began bringing my Bible to school and studying it with friends, who also got more interested in learning about Jesus.
Before I knew him, there were more important things in my life and now God is the most important thing in my life and I want to continue to get closer to God.

I didn’t know Jesus at my youth and I just went through life like normal. But when I graduated High school I thought this is it I’m free to relax and live the rest of my life, but that’s a lie. I realize that I’m growing up to be an adult and my life after high school has just begun. After high school I was struggling with lust and anger. Since I play games a lot, that’s were most of my anger came from. I struggled with lust by watching porn when I’m alone in my room. I’ve felt like these sins were normal but I didn’t realize that they’re slowly killing me in spirit. 2 years after high school, I got my first job at a cement factory. I worked there for 3 months and got fired because I was lazy. When I got home after, I felt angry and I blamed myself and calling myself a failure. Then after a year of finding jobs, I got my 2nd job at a warehouse. I’ve worked there for a year and a half and got fired there as well for being on my phone too much. Then when I got home I was heartbroken and angry at myself. I was calling myself a lazy piece of garbage and a failure. I struggled more and more with my sins and I felt that this is it for me. But when my mom went to hospital that she got a stroke and came back that she lost the ability to walk, my heart sank because I feel like I was going to lose my mother. Day by day I struggled on finding a job along with my anger and lust. My anger got worse as I got mad at my parents for little to no reason and my list got worse as I watched porn more and more. I felt like I was nothing but a waste of space in this world. Then my brother came and talk to me and said “I know that you feel that mom and dad are giving up on you, but I will never give up on you.” After he said that,I went into tears and hugged my brother. I never thought I mattered until he said that to me. Then I knew its time to make a change. Then Later that week when I was play games my brother Abel texted me and offered me to go to church with him so I can watch him get baptized. I accepted and me and the family went to Christ Community church to watch him get baptized. When I went there I thought it was a waste of time. But when the songs played and the pastors teaches, I felt a change in me that I did not understand. Then a week after that, my brother offered me to go to church with him, his wife, and his daughter. I accepted to go with them. After the service, it made me think of my choices so I kept going to church with my brother. Then 2 months after going to church, I can feel the difference in my life, my anger is suppressed and my lust has lessened. I feel like going to church made a big difference in my life and I’ve decided to follow Jesus and become a Christian. Then a month after I got a bible and started reading it. So I’m deciding to get baptized next weekend. I feel like getting baptized is telling me that my life is secure with Jesus and my sins are forgiven. My life of getting to know Jesus and how he impacted a lot of people was a blessing and I would be lost without him and my life wouldn’t be the way it is right now without Jesus. In John 3:16 it says “ 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." That verse inspired me to walk on this path in to Christ and I’m looking forward to get baptized and to tell the world that Jesus is with me to the very end. Thank you Jesus for being with me, thank you the blessings and gifts you’ve given me, thank you my family that loves me, cares for me and supports me, and thank you for being by my side since I was born. I’m with you Jesus to the very end.

Before I knew Jesus, I felt lost. I lived in a cycle of seeking validation from everyone around me. I poured myself into school and sports, hoping someone would finally say, “I’m proud of you.” I craved attention, craved to be seen, craved to be acknowledged. Turning to man instead of God pulled me into a darkness that felt endless—anxiety that consumed me, depression that hollowed me out, and a hopelessness so heavy it made me believe my life didn’t matter.

When my freshman year of high school began and COVID kept us behind screens, my mental health plummeted. Life felt like it was happening in slow motion, like I was watching myself from the outside. I started to find comfort in my sadness because it was the only thing that felt familiar. My mom noticed and encouraged me to try a sport, so I joined volleyball. When the coach told me they wanted me on the team, I felt seen for the first time in a while. I threw myself into it with everything I had, not realizing my pride was leading me toward a breaking point.

I pushed myself past my limits until the joy was gone. I convinced myself my worth depended entirely on being good at something—and if I wasn’t good enough, then why be alive. I reached a point where I questioned whether my presence in this world mattered. One night, overwhelmed and exhausted, I finally cried out, “God, if You’re real, help me. I don’t want to live like this anymore.”

Life didn’t magically get easier after that night, but step by step, God began to move. I started asking my grandma questions about Jesus. She explained how sin separates us from God, and how Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection bridge that gap. She told me that love isn’t forced—it’s reciprocated. By the time summer came and college approached, my heart had softened. I surrendered my life to Christ, thanks to my grandma who never stopped sharing the gospel.

I still didn’t know what it meant to live as a Christian. During my freshman year of college, I spent most weekends drinking and partying—my cross necklace catching the light in rooms I knew I didn’t belong in. No matter how many people I met or how many parties I went to, the emptiness always returned.

Sophomore year, during the first week of fall semester, I felt conviction for the first time while I was out at a party. I knew God was calling me to let go of the lifestyle I was living. A few days later, while playing volleyball at the rec, someone mentioned that a guy there was a Christian. My friend told me that he didnt cuss, he didnt drink or smoke, read his Bible, etc. The way they said it made me realize my life didn’t reflect someone who believed in God. In that moment, God flipped a switch. I saw that I was to serve two masters (Matthew 6:24).

Shortly after, I met a girl who invited me to a Bible study through Cru. I started attending regularly and felt like I finally belonged. Through Cru, God blessed me with friendships that taught me how to walk with Him.

As I learned to follow Jesus, He took away my anxiety and gave me peace. He lifted my depression and filled me with joy. He took away my desire to end my life and gave me a new one. I used to hate waking up in the morning; now I see it as a privilege.

I am where I am today because Jesus walked with me through every dark moment. I am living proof that your darkest season is not your final one because the darkness never had the authority to write my final chapter.

Before I accepted Jesus as my Savior I was scared of being alone. I was afraid of death but as I started putting my faith in him I learned:

1) I am never alone. (Matthew 28:20) “and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
2) I am God's child.
3) God has a plan for me! (Jeremiah 29:11) “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

I grew up in a Christian family that was active in the church and emphasized the importance of faith to us. I was baptized as an infant and made a public profession of faith at age 17 following a mission trip to Honduras. If you would have asked me if I knew God when I was in high school, I would have responded sincerely and over-confidently that I knew him.

That changed when I was 25. Following a family vacation, my mother suddenly went into the hospital where doctors discovered metastatic breast cancer. When my two uncles, who were pastors, planned a time of healing prayer for her a few days later, I hesitated. Doubts crept in about what it would mean if God did not heal her. What would her death say about His love for her and for me? After some wrestling, I anxiously prayed for healing on a Thursday evening; early Friday morning she died.

Although stunned and briefly wondering whether God had cruelly responded to my prayer, I recall how God clearly revealed that He had mercifully provided full healing for her. Underlying fears about loss and death subsided. This led to one of the most comforting and intimate times with God in my life. I now resonated with Job’s words, “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you” (Job 42:5). I now knew “the Father of compassion…who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble” (2 Cor 1:3-4). This continues to give my life purpose as I serve him as a psychologist and disciple others in the Church.

I am choosing to get baptized to “kneel before the Father” who strengthens me “through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” And I am celebrating that I have been “rooted and established in love” so that I am empowered “together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge” (Ephesians 3:16-19).

I really found Jesus during my Senior year of high school, I knew him before that but really started diving in then. God has done so much for my life because he is the ruler of life, he has pulled me out of so many situations that should have gone way south but because of him they did not. I follow Jesus to live an eternal life and be saved from my sins and the evil of the world. My family ultimately has helped me take these steps as well as some amazing close friends that I have that also go to Christ Community. Getting baptized to me means celebrating the giving of my life to the lord and fully buying in, my life will forever be great because I know where my strength ends and his begins.

I was raised Catholic so I was baptized as a baby. Coming to Christ Community, I remember struggling with the idea of being rebaptized for a few reasons but my biggest hang up was feeling as though I was disrespecting my parents by making a statement that what they chose for me as a baby didn’t count. God calls me to honor my father and mother so how could I do something that may hurt them? I also felt embarrassment and shame that I have been so involved in the church for a long time and being publicly baptized after all this time may raise questions or even doubts about my faith and my commitment in what I have shared with others.

Earlier this year there was a day where I felt like God had peeled the layers off my eyes and made everything clear. Obedience became my primary focus in all things. God did not say pick and choose what parts of his word I want to follow. God made it so clear to me that I was putting other peoples’ opinions above his word, his commands. I was putting my parents above God. I was putting friends, and even strangers’ opinions of me above what God calls me to do. And it all became crystal clear. So in joy and out of love and obedience, there is no more waiting! Baptism is my next step in my walk with God!

I started my Journey with Jesus as a child. As I grew older, I had strayed away and
stopped attending church and praying for a very long time. I became more focused on
materialistic things, working and hanging out with friends. I was selfish and put myself
before Jesus.

My mother has helped me then and now on my spiritual journey. She raised me with the
love of Jesus and taught me about Jesus. She made sure we attended church and
instilled the faith in me that I have today.

My family and I have experienced hardships and medical emergencies. At that time, I
may not have spoken to Jesus, but I come from a beautiful family of strong believers,
who were my prayer warriors. Their prayers, strength and guidance are what got me
through these hard times. As I look back, I see how Jesus was there and the miracles
that he has done in my life. Now as an adult, as I build my relationship with Jesus, I
prayed to him and asked for forgiveness and to lead me in his Light. Jesus is my savior
and has blessed my family and I, even when I strayed away. He was always there.

Attending Christ Community was the best decision I have ever made. It has brought me
closer to Jesus and brings joy to my family. My children love Kids World, Epic and
Refuge. I love seeing their love for Jesus grow. My family has truly become closer to
Jesus. I am so glad we are worshipping as a family and learning about Jesus together,
just like my mother taught me.

As I make my decision to get baptized, I feel in my heart and soul that I am accepting
Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I have clarity and peace as I put my trust in him.
He has guided me as a wife, mother, daughter and friend. Jesus is the way to life. He
represents love, kindness, compassion and so much more. There is so much going on
in everyday life, and we need to be like Jesus. We are his disciples and I am so happy
to share such good news and help others.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. -Matthew 5:9

I was raised in a loving Catholic family and baptized as an infant. Along with my five siblings, I attended Catholic school for twelve years, participated in weekly Mass, received the sacraments, and grew up surrounded by a strong church community. My parents modeled a sincere faith, and because of their example, I always believed in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

But while I knew about God, I did not truly know Him. I was unfamiliar with Scripture and lacked a personal relationship with Him. Looking back, I was more of a spectator than a participant in my faith.

As a young adult, I experienced the devastating loss of both of my parents. Their deaths left a void that I carried for many years. Later, I was blessed with three wonderful sons and worked hard to give them the loving childhood I had experienced. I tried several churches but never found a place where I felt at home. Eventually, I stopped searching and adopted a more comfortable belief in “the Universe” rather than God.

I did my best to raise my sons to be honorable, loyal, and kind men. Yet despite many blessings, I felt deeply homesick. No amount of success, achievement, or busyness could fill the emptiness inside me. There was always a sadness I could not explain, especially in the quiet moments when distractions faded away.

In 2020, I married the love of my life, Riaan. He is a loving, caring, and inspiring man from South Africa whom I met while he was living in Sydney, Australia. Ours seemed like an unlikely match, and it felt even more unlikely that one day we would walk together with God.
Our journey was complicated by distance, COVID, and constant moves. Over five years, we lived in South Africa, Australia, Mexico, Nevada, and Florida before finally settling in St. Charles in early 2025. We knew it was time to put down roots, find community, and revisit faith together.
We talked about God occasionally and explored countless self-help books and worldly approaches to building a meaningful life. Yet something was still missing.

We chose to settle near my family, including my brother Tom and his wife Dianne, who have been devoted members of CCC since its beginning. Because of the respect we have for them and the example they set, CCC was the first church we visited.

We were nervous. We had both been away from church for many years. But from our very first visits, we were captivated.

For me, it felt as though I was hearing the Gospel for the first time.

Each sermon seemed to speak directly into our lives. We found ourselves discussing the message before we even left the parking lot. Then came the sermon, “Would a Loving God Send People to Hell?” That message changed everything.

For the first time, I fully understood that life comes from God and eternal life comes only through Jesus Christ. I realized that Christianity is about far more than simply being a good person. It is about placing your faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and our Savior, surrendering your life to Him, and walking with Him every day.

What I had been searching for all those years was not a philosophy, a self-help strategy, or a better version of myself.

It was Jesus.

Since then, my husband and I have joined a wonderful community group where we have formed deep friendships and found genuine Christian fellowship. We eagerly attend weekly services, study Scripture, and seek to put our faith into practice. The biggest change is not simply what we do—it is who we are becoming.

Every day, we pray that God would make us less like ourselves and more like Jesus. We recognize our need for Him and understand that we cannot walk this path alone.
Both of us struggled with anxiety, stress, and concern over family relationships. As lifelong problem-solvers, it was difficult to surrender control and trust God with situations we could not fix ourselves. Learning to place those burdens in His hands—and truly believe that His will is good—has transformed us.

We are more patient, more loving, less anxious, and more at peace.

Most importantly, the homesickness I carried for so many years is gone.

Today, we are beyond grateful and excited to be baptized together as we publicly declare our faith in Jesus Christ and our commitment to follow Him.

All glory to God.

I grew up in a Christian home. As a baby I was dedicated at Willow Creek Community Church. Two years ago when I took my first Communion I asked God to forgive me and lead me. God is my king, savior, protector and guidance. To me baptism means getting a better relationship with God. God has gotten me through so many obstacles. I want to follow Jesus because he died for our sins, he gave his life for mine. With Jesus in my life I worry less, I pray more and I will be a better person.

I always knew Jesus and believed in him. I went to church and loved learning more about him. I wanted Jesus to be in my story! I trusted Jesus as my Savior and King because I knew I needed him. I wanted to be a part of His family! I am God's child and I know that I am the only me there is! He has a purpose for me!

For a long time I’ve always felt that something outside of what we can comprehend was out there looking over us but I had never made a choice to accept it. Around fall last year it felt like God was calling on me. Just pulling me toward the Bible that was sitting on the shelf collecting dust. It was a feeling that is hard to explain but I couldn’t help but notice it and run toward it. From there I started picking up the bible and trying to read it everyday. I’d miss some days but I tried to stay steady with it. Then one late November day of 2025 after a night affected by alcohol, I was put in a situation that brought me into a very dark place. It was one that was full of anxiety and worry. It was that day that I surrendered my life completely to Jesus. I couldn’t help myself anymore and I needed Jesus to save me and he did. I handed him all of my anxiety and worry and he lifted me out of that dark place. Ever since that day my life has never been better. I truly feel free and feel the love of the Lord with me everyday. Reading the Bible daily and prayer throughout the day has taken the front seat for me. Psalm 16: confidence in the Lord is a Psalm that has stuck with me through all of this. The Lord protects me and I take refuge in Him. I also want to thank my friends, siblings Vince and Claire Morton for being my support system and walking me with me in faith and getting me to Christ Community Church. They have helped me grow in faith exponentially and we can all lean on each other when we have days of doubt and days when we feel all of God’s glory. The Lord has blessed me in so many ways. He’s given me a voice and a platform in the live music I perform locally and the followers that I have gained allow me to talk about the gospel and hopefully guide others to see the light. Getting baptized isn’t just a new beginning for me, it brings me deeper in my following of the ways of Christ and into my faith. Giving my life over to Christ was the best decision I have ever made. I am in the best place I’ve been in my life and happier than ever. I look forward to continuing to learn and grow in the grace of God. And the date, June 21st is more symbolic to me for it was the day my grandfather, Milt, passed away 26 years ago. On the date he passed, I will be reborn.

I was baptized as an infant by my parents and went to church periodically with my family. However, I never understood what it was to have a personal relationship with Jesus, ask for forgiveness of my sins, and follow God's commands. As I have gotten older and after going to Christ Community Church , I have slowly found Jesus and have given my life over to him and have stopped trying to control it myself. I continued to feel Baptism wasn't important as I had been baptized as an infant and continued to come up with excuses about why not to do it. Slowly, with the support of my wife and continued encouragement from my pastors at church , I began to realize how important it was for me to become baptized. Finally, something inside me (the Holy Spirit) kept telling me I needed to be baptized. Jesus is my king and savior and continues to demonstrate his faithfulness and love to me and my family in our daily lives. By getting baptized , I want to show my love , faithfulness and obedience to God publicly. I look forward to developing a closer and deeper relationship with christ in the years to come. As it says in Romans 6:3-4 "Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."

Over the past two years, my faith has grown stronger, and I have become much more
intentional about my relationship with God. During this time, I have spent more time in
prayer, seeking His guidance and asking for forgiveness for the times I have fallen short
of being the Christ follower I am called to be. As I have grown in my faith, I have come
to realize just how much God means to me and how deeply He has blessed my life.
God is everything to me. He has blessed me with an amazing family, including my
beautiful wife, Karly, my son, Eddie Jr., and most recently our five-month-old daughter,
Khloe. Every day I see evidence of His goodness and grace, and I am grateful for the
countless blessings He continues to provide. One of the biggest reasons I want to follow
Jesus is because He is worthy of all my love, devotion, and trust. I am also motivated by
my desire to be a godly example for my children. I want them to grow up knowing who
Jesus is, understanding the sacrifices He made for us, and developing a personal
relationship with Him. My own faith journey began with the influence of my grandfather,
who played a significant role in laying the spiritual foundation of my life. He made sure
our family attended church regularly and taught me about Jesus from a young age.
Because of his faithfulness, I grew up knowing and loving Christ, and those lessons
have remained with me throughout the years. Although I was baptized as an infant, I
now feel called to make the decision for myself and publicly declare my faith through
baptism. This step represents my personal commitment to Jesus and my desire to live
my life for Him. It is an opportunity to show others that I love Christ and have chosen to
follow Him wholeheartedly. I believe that placing my complete trust in Jesus will
continue to transform my life. As I surrender more fully to Him, I know He will guide me
to become the husband, father, and man He has called me to be. I expect to worry less
and trust more, knowing that God is in control of every situation. Through faith in Christ,
I am confident that I can face whatever challenges come my way, because with him all
things are possible.

Before following God, I didn't always have confidence and would often overthink a lot. I felt like I was under a lot of pressure. I first went to church after being invited by my friend from tennis. It was amazing, I loved the message and the music, and teared up from being overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit. My dad had also been going to Christ Community for a couple weeks, so we also went together as well.

After following God, I have felt a lot more at peace. Knowing that my stress and problems are not mine alone has brought me so much peace and helped me so much. I feel like I recognize my sin so much more, as I was unaware of it before following God. I now try to live as stated in Ephesians 4:32, "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Trusting in Him means I will try to live the life He gave me to its fullest.

Jesus has always been an important fixture in my life. Attending Catholic school kept God in my life daily, for which I am grateful. I have called on God in good times and in bad. In struggles and in successes. In gratitude and in need. I thought I understood what it meant to be a Christian and to be a follower of Jesus, but even though I had what I thought was a deep, meaningful relationship with Him, I was missing something. The Surrender. I continued trying to control every aspect of my life and then talk to God about it afterwards. I was leading the way, rather than handing everything over to him to lead me.

My husband, who is very strong in his faith, introduced me to Christ Community. I had expressed to him that I had been searching for many years not only for a church community, but a place where I felt I belonged…a place where my faith could grow. I had no idea the impact Christ Community would have in my life. By the end of the very first service I attended, I knew I was home. God spoke to me loud and clear! What an incredible blessing to feel called, loved, and forgiven.

Since then, I have experienced a profound deepening of my faith. I read the Bible daily, and I’m proud to admit, I ask lots of questions as I work toward a deeper understanding than I had before. I pray all throughout the day. Certainly, there are moments of dedicated prayer time, but I am so happy that all my thoughts and actions revolve around God all day long. I crave His intervention. I want to keep my ears open to him and trust where He takes me. God has even shown me where I can combine my skills as a former teacher and childcare provider to serve Him by assisting with the development and organization of the KidsWorld lessons across all campuses! Yet another way He is front and center in my life. What better way to express my love, faith, trust, and devotion to Jesus, than to be baptized. Choosing to be baptized is a pivotal moment for me. It’s a meaningful opportunity to be united with Christ and live in intentional obedience to Him. I can’t wait! I’m beyond grateful to God and Christ Community Church for the chance to be baptized and for the many blessings in my life.

I loved the Lord ever since I could remember. I grew up Greek Orthodox, where the tradition is rich and the Byzantine hymns are so beautiful. The ways in which we celebrated holidays, especially Easter, were bar none. I loved celebrating that Jesus conquered death. We sang a hymn titled Christ is Risen. The lyrics are as follows:

Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling upon death by death
And to those in the tombs
Bestowing Life

I understood that there is eternal life after death with Jesus, so we no longer have to fear death. This was very comforting to me. However, in our scripture readings and hymns, there was quite a bit of mention that Jesus died for our sins. I didn’t understand why God sent Jesus to be crucified. That just seemed like a cruel and silly choice for God.

I wanted to understand why Jesus was sent to earth and why He had to die. In college, God put Christian friends in my path. I asked them many questions, and they pointed me to scripture. Throughout the course of a year, it finally clicked that God gave us grace, through Jesus, who came down from Heaven to be the Lamb of God and take on all our sins. What a gift, I thought, that God wants us to be with Him, and we don’t have to earn our salvation by “doing good”. He loves us unconditionally, and He gave His only Son to die to take the penalty for our sins. My heart was filled with joy! I was blown away by His loving-kindness. It was sophomore year of college that I accepted Jesus as my Savior and King.

However, after college my life was fast-paced, and I wasn’t intentionally seeking God. I had a loving husband, a great job, and fun hobbies to fill my heart. As a married couple, we also had twice as many family obligations. I was more interested in nurturing my ego and horizontal relationships instead of my vertical relationship with God. To put it as author Pete Scazzero states in his book, “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality”, I was a first-year Christian for 12 straight years. I had idols in my life that “got me through things”. I was filling the God-sized hole in my heart with things that came more naturally to me including affirmations from my husband, my orchestra teaching career, and my fitness. God took away these idols in my life when I became a mom to three amazing boys. It was then that the Holy Spirit gently whispered, “I will fill you up”. He showed me that He was the Guardian of my soul, and that He is all I need – not my other go-to sources of ego supply. When there is less of me, there is more of Him. He is faithful, and my shame is lifting.

God is faithful and our one True Love. I am reminded of the duet, “You’re All I Need to Get By” sung by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. If you replace the human lover who is being praised with Jesus, it then becomes an infinitely better love song. Several lines go as follows:

There’s no, no looking back for us
We got love, sure ‘nough, that’s enough
You’re all, you’re all I need to get by.

Word substitution:

There’s no looking back for me.
I have a Love that is surely enough.
God, You’re all I need to get by.

This version doesn’t have the same ring to it, but it rings true.

In 2015 we found Christ Community. We are taught that Jesus loves us no matter what we feel our own worth is, and that there is no mistake too big for God. We can bring it all to Him. I am excited to be baptized on Saturday! I am grateful to be His daughter, and I pray that the Lord opens my heart daily to hear what His plan is for me. I pray that when I share my story, as Big Daddy Weave sings, “You would hear hope that wouldn’t let go and a Love that never gave up.”

I grew up Catholic but really spent a good chuck of my life confused about everything. As I grew older, I realized I did a lot based on tradition and things I had just “always done”. I’ve had several trials in recent years. The most recent one led me to Christ Community and Care Night in the Spring of 2025. It was not long before I started to feel welcome and things made more sense than they ever did in my life. I started actually reading the Bible and connecting scripture to my life. I never had a special verse but today the verse that started it all is Psalm 139:13-18. From the minute I heard this verse, I felt safe and accepted with Jesus.

“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!”
Psalm 139:13-18 NLT

I made my decision to surrender to Christ in July of 2025 while praying on a swing near my garden. As I listened to the birds and watched the wind blowing in my garden I was truly amazed. I felt God. The trial I was going through was painful. I said out loud “Jesus, I cannot do this alone.” I’ve endured so much pain and I no longer want to be afraid or fear the circumstances in this life. My group leader in Care Night along with my leaders in Rooted have helped me make the decision to be baptized.

Although I continue to go through trials, after that moment in my garden, the way I absorb and navigate in and out is different. It’s not perfect but Jesus has helped me feel safe in a world where I have not felt safe. I attend regular services and look forward to them. I pray more out loud and with intention. Reading my Bible is important to me and a part of my regular routine. My son and I started serving a few weeks ago on the First Impressions Team. I remember being scared of how big Christ Community was but as I told an Elder couple in prayer last night. “ The longer I am here, the smaller the church seems.” The relationships I have made and continue to make here are special.

Before I truly knew Jesus, my parents faithfully taught me about God. They would read the Bible with me, teach me God's Word, and we would pray together as a family. Even though I heard about Jesus, I did not fully understand who He was, and I did not really care about having a relationship with Him.

Then one day in March, everything changed. God opened my eyes and helped me understand who Jesus truly is.

I believe that He is the truth, the way, and the life, and that He has saved me. My parents have played a big role in showing me who God is and helping me grow in faith.

I have asked Jesus to forgive me for my sins and to help me turn away from them. I am so thankful that He is making me new and washing me clean. As I surrender my life to Him, I want to keep reading His Word, praying, and growing stronger in my faith each day.

I want Him to lead me in all that I do, and I want to keep seeking Him every day. My desire is to know Him more and follow Him wherever He leads me.

What caused me to realize that I needed Christ was my surroundings. My environment was making me have negative thoughts and made me feel pressured to make decisions and insecure about myself.

I had been attending Christ Community Church my whole life, but I did not think much of it and I didn’t understand and couldn’t relate to the Sunday services. Then I started going to Refuge (which is a Wednesday night activity for middle and high school). At Refuge I started to realize that I am not alone and that my peers are going through some of the same things I was. After going to Refuge for a bit I became less pressured and more faithful knowing that God will always provide and always answer my prayer. I was also starting to relate and understand the sermons at Refuge. I was starting to understand the Sunday sermons more and started to understand the Bible.

Some changes that Jesus has made in my life are, he helped me understand that I am not alone and that when I put my faith in Him, He will guide me through whatever I may be going through. Another change Jesus has made in my life is that I now look forward to going to Refuge every Wednesday and attending church on Sundays. I also have more of an urge to go to church on Sundays and Wednesdays to learn more about Jesus and the Bible and worship him.

When I had pneumonia a few years ago, I got really scared and I felt like I could die. It was pretty serious. My lung was diminished and my fever wouldn’t break. I asked God to watch over me and heal me. Many people prayed for me, my family, my friends at school, and teachers. My mom had Pastor Liz and many leaders at Christ Community Church praying for me. Through all the prayers and God’s grace I was healed. My faith became stronger and now I wouldn’t know what to do without Jesus.

God to me is my Savior and my rock. God has walked with me through all my pain and has never left my side. I follow Jesus because he is my Savior and I want to walk with him in heaven. My mom has helped me grow my faith in Jesus and knowing he is my true father. Being baptized means that I’m taking the next step in following Jesus and walking with him through my life.

James 5:16 “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

I have always loved and believed in Jesus. I have been attending CCC for almost three years, and during that time my faith has continued to grow. One day, while lying in bed, I prayed and asked God to forgive me for my sins. I know there will be hardships along the way, but I trust that Jesus will carry me through them.

My favorite Bible verse is 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." As I approach my baptism day, my prayer is to become more and more like Jesus each and every day, growing in faith, obedience, and love for Him.

I was raised Catholic and was baptized as a baby, and throughout my youth went through all the sacraments not knowing the truth about Jesus and the biblical foundation. So I have always known Jesus, but never had a personal relationship with him until later in life. When I was eleven years old I lost my dad and remembered feeling so angry with God, thinking to myself how can such a loving God take my dad from myself, my mom and brothers. My dad was my everything, my best friend, my protector and the only man that I could trust and the only man that fully loved me with every fiber of his being. To say my world was torn apart would have been an understatement.

I was lost for many years and it took some time for me to let myself love Jesus fully again. Through time, prayers and talks with Jesus my anger turned to love and my faith grew stronger again. Time went on and I went through another hardship, a failed marriage. I can remember crying and asking God to give me strength to get through it all and getting down on my knees and praying for Jesus to take over and carry me because it was too hard to stand on my own.

Through my hardships I was blessed to have God-fearing brothers that loved me enough to walk with me and help guide me to Jesus. I know without a doubt that Jesus is my Savior and that I will follow him until my eyes close, and even after that. I prayed so hard if it was in God’s will to one day have a healthy relationship and my prayers were answered. I now have a wonderful marriage of 14 years and am blessed with three beautiful children.

I want to be baptized because I surrender to King Jesus and I want to walk in faith side by side with Jesus and this is the next step in my journey. I’m so grateful and blessed to have a church that loves me and walks by my side and guides me to continue my faith through Jesus.

My mind and soul feels complete when reading: John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

I was baptized in a Catholic Church and didn’t know what that meant. When I was a toddler my mom signed me up in the nursery at Christ Community Church. When I got older I went into KidsWorld and grew up there with Pastor Liz, Kim, Nick and many more. I started to really walk with Jesus after reading the bible and learning through God’s Big Story. Praying with my leaders and friends made God’s word stronger to me.

God means worthy to me, he’s so good. God has made me a better person because I want to help more people find Jesus. I want to follow Jesus because he is my Lord and my Savior, and he will never lead me down the wrong path, when I walk with him. My mom leads me to Jesus by reading the bible, takes me to church and worshipping Jesus. Being baptized to me means to be reborn and walking with Jesus. I want to show him how much I love him. My life will be different because putting my trust in Jesus, he will walk with me, guide me, save me because my trust is so strong with Jesus, he’ll never leave me.

Isaiah 41:10 “So 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.”

I was born into a Christian home, and my parents introduced me to Jesus at a young age. As I learn more about him, I realize that Jesus offers something greater than anything the world can offer. I prayed the surrender prayer and asked him to forgive my sins and lead my life.

God is one of the most important parts of my life. He has blessed me in many ways, including giving me the opportunity to serve in the youth worship team by playing the drums. God helps me every day and continues to guide me as I grow in my walk with him. I am choosing to be baptized to publicly show my faith and trust in him. I know that following Jesus does not mean life will always be easy, but I trust him to help me. I know I don’t have to worry and have peace knowing that my life is in God’s hands.

I started my personal relationship with Jesus 9 years after I had moved to the US, in Saint Charles. I was experiencing a very serious and difficult divorce with domestic violence and living with a permanent chronic pain condition from a prior accident.

I remember very clearly the night I fell on my knees and cried out to Jesus to come and live with my daughter, my dog and myself, to take care of my child while I was going through the fire all alone without any family to support us in any way. That night I fell asleep in fear of what would happen to us and how I would be able to support my child and maintain a home for her. I remember that I had a vivid dream, I saw Jesus on the left being surrounded by young children and one of them was my 8 years old daughter, I remember looking at him and he spoke to me that he is already taking care of my child and that I should focus on the court proceedings and to know that he is also taking care of me.

The next day I knew that I needed to find his home and go to ask for help. I remember that a neighbor talked to me about Christ Community Church. I drove my car around the campus and I was stunned at the sight of Jesus and the children statue because this is exactly how I saw him in my dream. I took my daughter to Camp Commotion and the people did not take money from me. I knew that I was truly in Jesus' hands.

God is everything for me and he has forgiven me and restored my life. God, his Son and the Holy Spirit are my compass while I am navigating this realm and my final destination.

I want to follow Jesus because without him I would be lost as I was before I found him.

Honestly, I started my personal relationship with Jesus Christ at Christ Community Church, however, I was baptized as a baby Orthodox and I value my faith but the true relationship started at Christ Community.

To be baptized after I accepted Jesus in my life means to be reborn in his Light and endless Love.

My life will have structure and the stability of Jesus Christ's guidance and I will follow his word to serve God with all of my heart and mind.

I was raised going to church with my parents, but I stopped when I was in my upper teens. I just really didn’t know what I believed. At the age of 32 I lost both of my parents 3 months apart. At that point I questioned any belief I had.

About 4 years ago I started to feel like something was telling me that I needed to go back to believing and go back to God. I felt like I was away so long and did things wrong in life that maybe I wasn’t worthy. I started praying here and there and asking questions to friends who have so much faith. I just continued to have this pulling feeling that God is real and he is everything to us.

I have complete faith now and know that Jesus loves us so much that he gave his life for our sins. I feel like it is the purest love that we are so blessed to have. I feel so grateful that God saved me.

I made a choice that I will live the rest of my life living by his words and the way he wants me to live. Since I made that choice I started to read the Bible and started to attend Christ Community Church. I feel so much peace now. It is like a weight lifted off my shoulders knowing God is with me and guiding me. My family has also joined me in having faith in God. I feel so happy and blessed. I know that is the work of the Lord.

I made the choice to get baptized because I want to show my dedication to God and I feel like I’m washing away the old me and coming into a new me with unwavering faith.

Growing up, I knew about God, but I did not fully understand what it meant to have a personal relationship with him. Throughout my life, I faced many hardships that tested my faith and resilience. In one year alone, I experienced a cardiac arrest, the loss of my mother, the loss of my home, and the end of my marriage, as I also struggled with Dissociative Identity Disorder (D.I.D) and the stigma that often accompanies mental health challenges.

There were times when I felt broken, overwhelmed, and uncertain about how I would move forward. Yet through every trial, God never left me. Looking back, I can clearly see that without God, there would be no La'Tressa. His love, mercy, and faithfulness sustained me through some of the darkest seasons of my life. One of the most significant moments in my journey occurred while I was walking down my street where I had lived for fourteen years, crying out to God, asking for his mercy. In that moment,
God reminded me that he saw me, heard, loved me, and had never abandoned me.

A major turning point in my faith came after my cardiac arrest. What could have been the end became the beginning of a deeper relationship with God. During my recovery, I learned how to read and understand the Bible in a way I never had before. I began studying Scripture, seeking God's wisdom, and learning what it truly means to be a faithful follower of Christ. The story of Job was especially meaningful to me because it demonstrated that even in suffering, God remains sovereign and faithful.

As I grew in my faith, God taught me the importance of gratitude over anxiety. I often describe my anxious thoughts as a game of "whack-a-mole"—one worry would disappear only for another to emerge. Through prayer and God's Word, I learned to focus on gratitude and trust him with the things beyond my control. He also provided moments of encouragement and clarity, including a powerful experience while riding my bike that reminded me to keep my eyes fixed on him and the path he was calling me to follow.

The more I sought God, the more I experienced his transforming power. The enemy has tried many times to discourage, defeat, and destroy me, but every challenge has strengthened my faith, character, and walk with Christ. The Holy Spirit continually reminds me of God's promises, including Isaiah 54:17: "No weapon formed against you shall prosper," and 1 John 4:4: "Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world." These truths have become anchors for my soul.

I have come to know Jesus not only as my Savior but also as the One who loves me unconditionally. He has forgiven me, restored me, strengthened me, and given me hope. Today, I live my life by faith in Jesus Christ. Today, I choose to be baptized as a public declaration of my faith in Jesus Christ. Baptism does not save me; rather, it is an outward expression of the inward transformation God has already begun in my life. It symbolizes leaving behind my old life and moving forward in the new life I have through Christ.

I am thankful for God's grace, for the people he placed in my life, for Christ Community Church, my spiritual mom, and for the prayerline I attend online by Pastor Jenkins that hosts prayer for an hour for the past 5 years, they've encouraged me in my faith. I look forward to continuing to grow in my relationship with Jesus and to following him wherever he leads.

Hi, my name is Layla, I’m 11 years old and I started being a Christian when I was 4 or 5 years old. I was with my dad every weekend and went to church every Sunday in Chicago, at a church called Chicago Tabernacle. It was something I looked forward to every week and that I still look forward to today. We moved 3 years ago and had a hard time finding another church until we moved again to Geneva and got told to come to Christ Community Church. I’ve loved it since the very first day and have really wanted to get baptized since finding this church.

I want to get baptized because I have always been told that God accepts you into his life and will take you into his world. He accepted people for the way they are and loves them all the same. He accepts you into his world and you get baptized to become clean from sin and makes you new. His acceptance makes me forget about the mistakes I’ve made and know that I am forgiven. He helps me engage more with my community at church and know that I will always have someone beside me supporting me and someone who will always accept me for who I am. All of the things I have heard he has done for the people in the Bible, is what I want him to do for me and my life.

My grandma has always been there for me and was there on my first day of church when I started. She loves Jesus and is always talking about Jesus and always doing Bible study journals and even started a journal prayer group. She encouraged my dad to find a church again after he moved from Ohio and was starting his career. A lot of my family members go to church and contribute to their belief in God.

Being with Jesus excites me because I get to worship and get to spend time with my friends and be in a supportive community. And be able to be in a place that supports me and my decisions. I love following Jesus cause he supports me and he loves everyone and he is so supportive and I love being able to learn about and go to as many things I can do to express how much I love God and Jesus.

When I was little, I did not really believe in God. My family did not go to church, and I did not know much about Jesus. I also struggled with anxiety from a young age. I was always anxious and worried, but I did not really know where to turn.

Around fifth grade, I started learning more about Jesus through social media and friends. I was influenced to begin following him, and I knew that I believed in him. But looking back, I do not think I was truly following him yet. I would tell myself that I trusted God, but in reality, I was still mostly trusting myself.

During fifth grade, my anxiety was still really difficult. But as I went into middle school, I slowly started to grow in my faith and better understand what it actually means to follow Christ. It was not one specific moment where everything changed all at once. It was more of a journey.

Around seventh and eighth grade, I began truly following Jesus and becoming more consistent in my faith. A few things really helped me during that time. I started going to Refuge, I got a new Bible that helped me understand Scripture better, and my family began going to church. Those things helped me grow closer to God and take my faith seriously.

Since then, I can truly say that my life has changed for the better. My anxiety has decreased a lot, and it is not really a major problem in my life anymore. I feel more confident, more peaceful, and more secure because I know that Jesus loves me, and he loves everyone so much.

I decided to get baptized because I wanted to mark my walk of faith with Jesus. Baptism is my way of showing that I have chosen to follow him and that he has truly saved me.

Lately, I have been reading the book of Psalms, and one verse that has really stuck with me is Psalm 32:11: “Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!”

To me, this verse means that we can be glad in the Lord, praise him, and worship him with our whole hearts. It reminds me that true joy comes from Jesus.

I grew up in a Christian home and have been going to Christ Community Church since I was born so I've believed in Jesus for as long as I can remember. God has taught me to trust him through prayer and reading the Bible. He’s teaching me to love others the way Jesus does. I’m getting baptized to publicly declare my faith and devotion to Jesus.

Growing up, I knew about God, but I did not truly know Him. I believed in some sort of religious concept, but I had no relationship with Jesus. During my sophomore year of high school, I found myself in one of the darkest seasons of my life. I was being mistreated by people around me, struggling with depression, self-harm, and overwhelming feelings of worthlessness. I filled every second of my days with school, work, and activities because I could not stand being alone with my thoughts. Deep down, I felt completely lost. I had no hope, and I hated myself.

Everything began to change one night at a football game when I met some Young Life leaders. One of those leaders was Molly. She was the brightest, happiest person I had ever met. Before she even knew my story, I felt like she cared about me. Looking back now, I truly believe God handpicked her to bring me home to Him. I started attending Young Life and for the first time, I was surrounded by people who genuinely loved Jesus and wanted others to know Him too.

Then God brought Deah into my life, another one of my leaders. Deah was one of the most outgoing, funny, and genuine people I had ever met. She was driven in every area of her life, especially in her relationship with the Lord, but what stood out most was how real she was. No matter how many times I stumbled or struggled, she was always there to pick me back up and point me back to Jesus. Then there were Hannah and Liv, the iconic duo of leaders. They brought so much joy and energy everywhere they went. They led Young Life like it was their greatest privilege and made every girl feel seen, valued, and loved. Even now, while I'm away at college and they're busy living their adult lives, they still check in on me. They helped make it possible for me to attend camp. They listened when I needed someone to talk to. They prayed for me, encouraged me, and held me when I felt like the entire world was against me.

One of my favorite reminders of God's faithfulness is a small prayer/note Molly wrote for me before she moved away. I have carried that prayer in the back of my phone ever since. It reminds me that God was pursuing me long before I even realized it.

Through these women, God showed me what His love looks like. For so long, I believed the lies that I wasn't enough, but they continually reminded me of God's truth. They helped me understand that I was fearfully and wonderfully made and that my worth was not determined by my struggles, my mistakes, or what others thought about me. Instead of carrying my burdens alone, I began bringing them to Jesus. During this season, I surrendered my life to Him and accepted Him as my Lord and Savior. God has continued to place incredible people in my life, including my boyfriend, Jack. We have been together for almost five years, and he has been one of the greatest examples of faith I have ever known. Before I had a relationship with Christ, I watched him live out his faith in a way that inspired me. Even now, he pushes me to grow closer to God every day and continually reminds me what it looks like to put Christ at the center of your life.

Since giving my life to Jesus, everything has changed. He has become the center of my relationships, my decisions, and my identity. He took the loneliness I once felt and replaced it with peace. He taught me that my circumstances do not define me, He does. He showed me that even in the darkest moments there is always hope because He is with me. I still face struggles, but now I face them knowing that I am loved, chosen, forgiven, and never alone. Being baptized today means publicly declaring what Jesus has already done in my heart. It is my way of saying that I fully surrender to Him as my Savior and King. It is a commitment to continue following Him through every high and low, trusting that He will guide me wherever He leads. Proverbs 3:5 says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” God took a broken girl who felt completely lost and showed her a love greater than she could ever imagine. Jesus saved my life, and I am forever grateful.

Jesus has made himself known to me since childhood. Through his steady love, protection, patience, forgiveness, and guidance, I’ve felt his presence. Seeing how faithfully he cares for me helped me realize my deep need for Christ.

I’ve asked Jesus for forgiveness for as long as I can remember, and I began seeking his leadership more intentionally once I married and was no longer living for myself. I follow Jesus because I feel deeply connected to him and can’t imagine life without him. Many people have guided me, but my wife Amy has been the gentle, steady encouragement helping me take these steps towards baptism today.

Although my family and I have volunteered at KidsWorld and were once part of a community group, baptism remained a significant hurdle for me—not from lack of desire but from intimidation by the size of our church and the thought of stepping onto that stage. For years I carried this longing quietly, wrestling with fear while my wife Amy and my family gently encouraged me forward. I’m deeply thankful our church reinstated outdoor baptisms; that change removed a barrier and finally allowed me to act on a long‑held desire of my heart.

My baptism publicly declares my allegiance to Jesus and marks a new chapter of intentional faith. I pray this commitment deepens my relationship with him, strengthens my daily walk, fills my life with joy and confidence, and that everything I do increasingly reflects and brings glory to God.

Before fully surrendering my life to Christ, I believed in God but often relied on my own strength and understanding. Through prayer, Scripture, and reflection, I began to see how much I needed God’s grace, guidance, and forgiveness. I realized that true peace and purpose could only come from placing my life fully in God’s hands.

Through prayer and time spent seeking God, I asked Him to forgive my sins through Jesus Christ and to lead my life. I decided to surrender my heart to Him and follow Jesus as my Savior and Lord. My family and fellow believers encouraged me in my faith and helped strengthen my desire to take this step and publicly declare my commitment to Christ.

Now that I have placed my trust in Jesus, I see my life differently. God is my Father, my guide, and the source of my strength. I desire to grow in prayer, follow His Word, and live with humility and purpose. Being baptized represents leaving my old life behind and beginning a new life in Christ, trusting Him to shape my character and lead my path.

It was my recent divorce that completely changed my life. The woman I thought that would
never betray me in the way she did destroyed me. To bear a child from another man..... there
are no words. I saw how friends and family chose sides or turned their backs. I've always
believed in God and have had what I call, a “go to” relationship. Like many, when in need I
would only call for him when in need. I know he exists. I have seen His Grace work in some of
the darkest times I have found myself in. He has always provided alternatives or what I needed
at the very last minute. Things or situations where there's no way out .. YES, he provided a
better alternative .I knew right there I need Jesus in my heart and I'm ready to surrender to God.
That I can't carry the weight on my shoulders anymore. I'm tired.

I was born religious and learned about God and the Bible. So I am familiar . I knew for many
years I yearned for spiritual nourishment but just was not ready to surrender. I continued to work
harder and struggle harder doing things on my terms. Now I am more than sure I am making the
right decision, for the correct reasons to get baptized. This past Sunday I met a gentleman by
the name of Eric and introduced himself and his beautiful family. The topic of baptism came up
and he was kind enough to share his story. Not only was it inspiring but after a good 30 -40 min
conversation I knew this wasn't a coincidence. I was certain that I wanted this but I was still
asking myself is this the time. Am I really really sure? In my experience with Eric..... I just felt
something that assured me this is correct. I fought so hard to not break down in front of him.
There was such a peace I felt. Our conversation felt like a blanket that engulfed me in a moment
where I was walking through a cold dark world in sub zero weather. Interestingly enough he and
his daughter also have decided to be Baptized as well.

Baptism not only provides what I like to refer to as a second chance. A now seasoned, mature,
humble Miguel understands right and wrong. The responsibility to live through Christ to become
a better Daddy, a more loving person, compassionate,wiser, to help build others type of human
being. Baptism does not mean my life will all of a sudden be wonderful or my problems will
disappear. On the contrary. One of Satan's puppets (me) is now being pulled away to the Truth
and he will be working hard to trip me up, but each day I prepare myself through my Bible
readings and prayer.

My four daughters have seen so much through my marriage and have been through so much,
They never deserved this chaos in their lives. Although I may not be able to change the past for
them but I can have a hand in directing the present for a better spiritual future for my girls.

My walk with Jesus started when I was a little girl. I was baptized as a baby and have always looked to God for guidance. My mom always made sure she took me to church and would encourage me to pray through everything I had going on in my life. As I grew into a young adult, I became distant with my faith. I felt like I could never truly be close to God. He felt so distant from me and I felt like I was never good enough.

I began to realize that maybe it was the teachings and perhaps there was a different way. I decided to leave the Catholic church and go with a friend to several different non-denominational churches. My faith returned and I started feeling closer to God again. I was loving my walk with Christ. Then in my twenties I got married to someone of a different religion. I completely stopped going to church and praying. I then had two children and didn't like that I was raising them without teaching them about Jesus- but it was a big point of contention in my marriage and a battle I just didn't have the energy to have.

Several years after that, I went through a divorce. It was a pretty hard time that my children and I went through and it made me realize that when I was a little girl going through hard things such as a divorce, I always turned to God. It made me sad that I didn't introduce my children to God, the one that got me through it all. So, I started bringing them to church and slowly restarted my walk, and theirs with Jesus.

Last year was a tough work year for me, but instead of distancing myself from God, I dug in deeper. I just kept praying and trusting that I was in this challenging season for a reason that hadn't been revealed yet. Every day I would pick up my Bible and read. I would watch podcasts and sermons as much as I could. Slowly I started to realize that something bigger was happening. I understand why I had a tough year. God was bringing me closer to him- he was building me, not punishing me. God's timing is always perfect even when at times it did not seem that way.

Getting baptized as an adult feels like the next step for me. This is something that God has put on my heart for quite some time now and I'm so excited to take this next step.

I am growing up in a Christian home and have gone to church for as long as I can remember. For a long time, I thought going to church was just something you did, like going to school or the store. I didn’t really think much about what it meant to have a relationship with God.

I accepted Christ when I was 8 years old, but I think I truly met him in 8th grade when I joined the youth worship team at Christ Community Church. It was during the countdown before my first time playing. The lights were dim and they were playing No Longer Bound by Forrest Frank. I remember praying the “Sorry, Thank You, Please” prayer.

Then the lights came on, and I saw all the smiling faces—my friends, my church family, and people worshiping together. We sang Goodbye Yesterday by Elevation Worship, and I wanted to follow Jesus, live my life for him, and tell others about him.

My life with Christ, he is with me right now and will be with me forever. God has given me the gift of music, and I want to use it to share the joy that Jesus brings me every day. I’ve had setbacks, and I know there will be more, but God has more than enough grace. I know he loves me, and I want to keep growing closer to him every day.

Growing up I always loved going to Promiseland/Epic and worshipping God. Also then seeing I loved God I wanted to keep going to church and dedicate my life to Him. I always believed He died on the cross to save me. he washed away my sins and had a plan before I was even born.
My story was when I was having problems with friends, I realized I was angry and was taking it out on the people I love. When I would come home I would be mean and give attitude to all the people I love. I would take out all my stress on them. I also went to the hospital recently and was worried, but I realized I had God in my corner 24/7 and it got me through it.

I know that when I am baptized and follow Jesus, I still will have problems and bumps in the road, but he will make me feel more secure. Also knowing He will always be next to me He will give me strength, because to him nothing is too impossible. I want to follow and be a great part of his plan.
The people who have helped me make this life changing decision was my whole family. And being baptized means to me surrendering my life to Jesus. My favorite bible verse would be Psalms 91 because my parents taught me to say it whenever I am scared and need to calm down.

When I think back on my life, it becomes evident of God’s
faithfulness. He has placed a bountiful of people in my life that
have led me to this point; to make this decision. Ancestors that I
never knew, my mom and dad, priests (Father Theodore), nuns
(Sister Frederic), mentors (Mrs. Schomas), my husband, John,
and the church, all prayed, encouraged, and supported me along
the way.

Deuteronomy 7:9
Know therefore, that the Lord your God is God. He is the faithful
God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations who
love Him and keep His commandments.
He has and is running after me…

Isaiah 43:1
Fear not, for I have called you by name, you are mine.
My life song is, “Goodness of God.”

I was baptized in my early 20’s, but I feel my motive and heart
were not in the best place at that time. Time after time, I am
moved to tears when I witness others making a public declaration
of their faith; especially younger people. What boldness!
My heart’s desire is to be close to God. For me, being baptized is
an act of obedience that He has whispered to my soul to do. He is
calling me to be bolder in both my faith and in my day-to-day-life.

And here I am!

I am an alcoholic who for many years has lived a life of destruction. I had gone through
life Idolizing money and caring only about my needs and my evil desires of pleasure in
the world. I was playing God for too long.

My awakening that I needed Jesus not only in my life, but to be the director of it,
came on September 1, 2024 when my life of playing God and living for myself came to
a crashing halt. I ended up in a 24-hour period being arrested, removed from my house,
loss of job, becoming homeless and eventually led to divorce after 28 years of marriage
and losing all contact with my son and daughter. As many could imagine, being a 58-
year-old man I was lost, lonely and scared, walking in darkness with no strength to go on. For the first time I felt God’s presence inside of me when I cried out, and asked for God to help me and fully SURRENDERED my life over to him with no expectations.

It’s been a fruitful journey so far in my recovery in sobriety but moreover today I have a relationship with Jesus that I never had before and I love it. I have personally experienced God’s unwavering love and forgiveness. I can't wrap my mind around or fully express the feeling inside of me other than that I know without a doubt the Holy Spirit is working within me and has saved me from my road to death.

Before Christ I was a kid who sometimes had doubts about Jesus. Sometimes I felt like he did not listen to me or care about me.

Then when I was 10, I said a prayer and it just felt like it clicked. God started listening to my prayers and revealing himself in my life. Like when my cousin Riley got sick I always prayed to God but he did not always do what I asked. I realized God will do what is right even though it might not look like it.

Ever since then, I know God is always by me even if I do not feel it or he does not respond to what I want. He does everything that I need and sometimes want. I feel like my relationship with God is growing closer every time I pray, go to church, and invite people to come to church and get to know God. So I want to show people the decision I made in my head and let other people know what it is like.

I've been coming to Christ Community Church all my life and often accompanied my dad on the video camera in what is now the chapel. My dad developed a deep faith when I was young, and my parents made sure my sisters and I were in church every Sunday. I always believed in God, loved worship, and knew Jesus was my Savior but for much of my life, my faith was something I inherited rather than something I fully owned.

As I got older, I spent years chasing achievement, perfection, and the idea that if I worked hard enough, I could control the outcome of my life. God was always present, but too often I relied on myself first and turned to him second.

Looking back, I can see countless moments where God protected me, carried me through difficult seasons, and blessed me far beyond what I deserved. Yet it wasn't until one of the hardest experiences of my life - the loss of my mom - that my relationship with him truly changed.
In the midst of grief, my family found ourselves back in church, asking God for answers. Instead, we found something even greater: a deeper relationship with Jesus. Through Christ Community Church, Rooted, and Rick Warren's Daily Hope podcast, my faith has become personal and I see *magic* (aka the Holy Spirit) working in ways I never thought possible.

I've learned that God's greatest work often happens in our hardest moments. What felt like the worst season of my life became the season that drew me closest to him.

I'm choosing baptism because I want to publicly declare that my faith is my own. Jesus has been faithful through every chapter of my story, and I will follow him for the rest of my life.

In the last year, I’ve asked God to forgive me and lead me. I hesitated to get baptized because I felt like I wasn’t ready, but I’ve come to realize that baptism isn’t about being perfect. It’s about trusting in Jesus and following him.

I first truly became a Christian in 2020. Since then, I have been learning so much about God, his Word, and what it means to follow Jesus. Attending Christ Community Church has played a huge role in that growth and has helped me continue deepening my faith and understanding of who God is.

God is my Savior and my King. He has blessed me with so much: a wonderful wife, a loving family, and many gifts that I don’t deserve. I want to follow Jesus because of who he is. He is the greatest example and role model anyone could ever have.

My wife has played a big role in helping me stay connected to Jesus and continue growing in my faith. Being baptized makes it feel official. It is a public declaration that I am choosing to walk across the bridge that Jesus has made for me and follow Him.

My hope is that my life will continue to change as I grow closer to God, that I will become more accepting of things, trusting that God’s will is greater than my own. I hope to forgive myself for not being perfect and to extend that same forgiveness and grace to others.

I know I will still make mistakes, but I also know that God’s love, mercy, and grace are greater than my failures. I am grateful for what Jesus has done for me, and I want my life to reflect my faith in him.

My parents had begun taking me to church since elementary school, around second grade, and though I attended, I never really felt the most attached to the title of Christ follower. I had a serious falling out of religion during middle school, and I ceased attending Sunday service and praying whatsoever. It wasn’t until I graduated high school and began attending community college that I began to gain a sense of independence. With this identity, I began to think much more deeply about life, who I am, and what drives my actions day in and day out.

When trying to answer gaps in my life, I reached back to the lord, tuning in to an online church service at the church I used to attend. I don’t remember exactly what the sermon said that day, but it spoke to my longing for help. I felt a connection to the lord that I had not felt before. My next step was to foster enough courage to ask to attend in-person with my dad. Which, after some prayer, I did. This was the start of my personal relationship with the lord. I had chosen him, I reached out and he answered with open arms.

The weight of the truth of the Lord has taken some time to digest, but an immense amount of happiness fills me to know that through Him, sin is defeated and I am forgiven. Writing this story has been a fantastic reflection of that fact and I live through the lord each and every day. Reading small sections of scripture and trying to contend with the joy that flows through prayer and praise.

Being baptized is a chance for me to express my happiness in the lord to the world. There can never be enough praise sung to his name and I hope that displaying my commitment to the lord in this ceremony will display praise to those in my life who can see the impact that becoming a believer has. I will move forward in service to the lord and to the world post-baptism. This ceremony establishes a life lived through Christ, a moment that I can look back on and remember my decree and the delight in his promise. I fully accept the gift of God and hope to spread his word for the rest of my life.

Before knowing Christ, my life was aimless because the things I wanted to achieve (recognition, money, pleasure) did not really satisfy me. After my children reached the elementary school age, my wife and I decided to take them to the children’s ministry at a church, and at the same time, I also started attending a Christian church in 2014 (the Chapel Street Church), read books on Christianity, and listen to the Moody Radio. The Christian view of the world was a really new perspective and, sometimes, a big challenge for me because I did not grow up in this religious tradition, but in time, things started to make sense, and I asked Jesus to become my Lord and Savior. Several people helped me to make this transition. Among them, pastor Jeff Frazier of Chapel Street Church, pastor Clayton Keenon and pastor Daniel Alex of Christ Community Church. I also joined a small group at Christ Community Church.

Now, I accept in my heart that Jesus is a Son of God, that he is my Lord and Savior and that He is someone I can develop a real relationship with. I accepted the fact that I am a sinner, and cannot earn my way into heaven on my own, but it was Jesus who, through his death and resurrection, invited me into his kingdom.

Because my sins have been forgiven and I am accepted to the Kingdom of God, I strive to be a faithful servant of Jesus. I want to learn more about Jesus to fill my heart with love for Him and to turn away from sin.