BAPTISM STORIES

In July of this year, I started living at Wayside Cross Ministries Lifespring Women's shelter. They are a Christ-centered, Bible-based program for women in crisis and they provide us with daily Bible classes and one on one counseling with a pastor and mentor. Up until then, I was resistant to accepting Jesus into my heart because I had misconceptions about who God is and I was complacent in being a slave to sin, even though I was always miserable.

After learning about the true nature of God and His son, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and savior. I have come to know God as my creator and Father, and Jesus as my protector and provider, and shepard who came back to find me when I was lost. I want to follow and worship Jesus because He is the king of kings, the greatest teacher, and because it is the least I can do to give thanks to Him for sacrificing His life for me to be welcomed into the kingdom of heaven.

Now that I have a personal relationship with God, I feel happier and I have guidance like I've never had before. I want to celebrate turning away from sin and declare to the world that I am saved and I want to follow Christ for the rest of my life by getting baptized. With this new life I plan to follow God's law and put Him at the center of my life and enjoy the blessings that come and also look to Him for strength when I am struggling.

I'd like to thank everyone I've met at Lifespring, pastor Frank Yonke, my mentor Jill Poel, the residents and staff, and my mom Leslie Lutz, who has helped me so much and is walking my faith journey alongside me.

Psalm 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

My name is Haylee and I am eleven years old. I remember praying to ask Jesus into my heart when I was very little. I am being baptized today because I want everyone to know that I put my faith in Jesus!

Jesus helps me when I am scared or nervous. When I had my piano recital, I was nervous to play in front of so many people. I prayed to Him and he calmed my nerves. Sometimes at school I have a hard time with my friends. When I ask Jesus, He helps me make good choices with my friends.

As I grow up, I know that Jesus will always be with me. He gives me hope and encouragement every day.

Before deciding to learn about and follow Jesus, I was living a life of shame and regrets. I isolated myself from my family because I felt I was not capable of being loved.

I had reached a point in my life where I could no longer take the pain of feeling alone and out of place. It was then when I begged God to please forgive me, to please forgive my mistakes & all the hurt I had caused the people who loved me and had always been rooting for me. I pleaded with God to lead me to the path of redemption. I needed to be free from all my sins, shame, anxiety, addictions and insecurities and all the fears holding me back from beginning my healing journey.

I begged God in Jesus name to help me. Jesus opened doors for me, doors I believed were permanently shut for me and reunited me with my family.

I am so grateful for my entire family who have shown my three children and I endless love.
Since surrendering my life to Jesus, even the cloudiest of days, I now see them filled with sunshine and possibilities.

My children are also walking this new life with me and they too are now able to learn God’s love and what his mercy is capable of.

PHILIPPIANS 4:13 “ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

I will always ask God through prayer to give me the strength to continue my faith journey .

When I was 1 my mom first brought me to church. We attended that church until I was 9. At age 7, I started to pay attention more to what they were teaching and learned about my Lord and
Savior. The last couple years I have learned more and more. We also attend a summer camp called Camp Courage, where I got to learn about God with people my age.

This last summer at camp I really started to pay attention and have fun at the same time. This is where I learned about the surrender prayer and I said it with my group at camp. We had been looking for a new church for awhile because our church was connecting with a different church. We were trying 3 different churches but we ended up at Christ Community and I continued to learn more and more about Jesus, my Lord and Savior. We have been here now for about 6 months.

A couple months ago I started to think about baptism and what that means, I decided I am now ready and Christ Community is a good place to be baptized and continue to grow in my faith.

My favorite Bible verse in 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.”

Before I started following God I was really sinful. I didn’t know God’s word and I did stuff God wouldn’t approve of. In 2024 I went to the Good Friday church service with my family. I learned that Jesus died for me. During that service we wiped black paint onto a white cloth which represented how Jesus took all of my sin away from me. I felt God was actually taking away my sin and I felt his presence with me. After that service I talked with my mom and dad and we went through the “God’s Good News” booklet and we prayed together and I accepted Jesus into my heart.

Since I’ve been learning more about Jesus it feels like I am never alone. I know Jesus is my Savior and protector. I want to follow Jesus so I can go to heaven and worship Him. I know my life will be different because Jesus will lead me through good times and hard times. Even when I mess up I know God still loves me.

My favorite verse in the Bible is Psalm 23:1-3 “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name's sake.”Now I’m ready to be baptized so I can have the Holy Spirit to help me and have eternal life with God.

When I was 11, my Grammy showed me a video of the story of Gideon and told about the LORD but then she died because she got sick with COVID. I was depressed but I wanted to learn more about GOD and became a Christian.

My mom and I started coming to Christ Community Church in May of 2022 and that Fall I started attending youth group. Thanks to people in my life I know where I belong and I hope to be an example to others believers.

I want to thank my Grammy, Mom, Aunt Jenny, and Lizzie for helping me grow in my faith.

Over the past 6 years my life has been challenging with job loss, having loved ones pass and becoming homeless. These things caused me to be very angry, depressed and question why God would allow this.

I came to Christ Community four months ago with the help of my daughter Emma. I knew it would be good for me to practice healthy habits, learn more about Jesus and let go of the feelings I had about how my life was supposed to be. I had let go of some sins 3 years ago and realized I needed to do more. I prayed for direction and forgiveness and surrendered my life to Christ and asked for guidance.

Now I feel that I'm getting a bit closer to Jesus. I still have a long road ahead and much to learn. I attend church weekly, have served a few times, have just finished my first women's group and my worries are fading as I trust in God and lean on him to get me thru my difficult times. I know God is with me.

Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

For such a long portion of my life, I’ve thought that I can handle life’s struggles on my own, that I can do anything. I’ve been going to Christ Community for quite some time, but have never really opened my heart to my surroundings. I’ve felt I’ve been going through the motions. Recently I have been distraught with my life. Where I stand, the sins I’ve committed, my relationship with Christ.

I’ve realized that life is not meant to be burdened alone. My eyes have been opened to my self-centeredness. I’ve confessed my sins, and I ask that Jesus takes control of my life. In this new meaning to life, I am continuing to strive to be a loving brother and sister in Christ in every way possible. There will still be failure and success, but I know I have God always there for me. I am saved and hope to save others.

I didn’t grow up attending church, though I often prayed at night. Church wasn’t a part of my life until I met my husband, Nate. When we were dating, he played in worship services at a church in Rockford, and it was there that I decided to put my faith in Jesus. I wanted a personal relationship with God, and His word to guide me moving forward. Soon after, Nate and I began attending Christ Community Church. While at Christ Community, we ran into a friend and former co-worker who invited us to join their Couples Community Group. My faith has been deepened and strengthened thanks to our community group's constant guidance and unwavering support. Being baptized means that I have declared in our church and with friends and family my commitment to living my life as a follower of Christ. Our faith is the foundation of our family. We trust in God and thank him for all our blessings. We plan to continue to grow our faith each day and raise our family in a faith based, God loving, and trusting home.

I have always believed in God. I just didn't know much about Him. At a challenging point in my life, my husband and I had just had our first child, and all over the news, we saw panic regarding Covid. I was struck with fear that I could lose my baby or husband. I needed something to calm my heart. I started to ask my husband questions about God, and he would explain, which led to me seeking a relationship with Him. My husband gifted me a Bible, and began my journey with Christ. Jeremiah 29:11 is my favorite verse, especially during hard points.

I have a few people to thank for helping me on my journey to Jesus, mainly my husband and my dad, but mostly, I'd like to thank God for being patient with me and pursuing me as I searched for Him. He calmed my heart in a way I'll never understand or be able to forget. I've experienced His kindness and patience, and I'll never leave His side.

I have been given so much purpose with Christ, especially regarding raising my children. I know my purpose is to lead my children to Him. I want to be baptized so I can show my commitment to God.

When I was younger, I prayed and asked God to forgive me and to show me how to live according to the bible every day. God is my Heavenly Father, who died on the cross for my sins. He is an all-powerful God who saved me, keeps me safe, and helps me daily. I want to follow Jesus because I love Jesus, and He died on the cross to pay for my sins. My mom, dad, and Grammie have helped me learn more about the Bible and Jesus.

He saved me. Before I could be consumed by the darkness surrounding me, He saved me. I had looked to everything and in every direction for satisfaction. Trying my hardest to live a life without the one who created it. But I couldn't find anything that sustained me. I knew there was something else I needed that the world itself couldn't provide. It took me laying face down in my bed at 2 am to realize that nothing was left for me on this side. Sin had left me empty—the side where, every day, I lived in sin. Disobeying my mother and doing whatever I wanted. And since my heart and mind were so accustomed to the ways of the world, I didn't want to give up evil. But I knew my soul yearned for its Creator.

God called me from the darkness into His light, and I responded to His call with surrender. I gave up searching, and I gave my life to Christ.

Before I trusted in Jesus, other things like being popular and my own self-desires were more important to me. Then my mom signed me up for Refuge at Christ Community Church. There, I felt welcomed by everyone and was shown Jesus’ love. My eyes were finally open to the fact that God is real, and he wants a relationship with me. He wasn’t some invisible God. He was here in my heart. Giving me a chance to have a deep personal relationship with Him. Then, on Christmas Eve, I surrendered my life to Christ. I confessed that my sins were wrong. I asked Jesus to forgive me. From that day
forward, I can genuinely say my life has changed. My mom was baptized, and since then, she has been my light and has guided me in my walk with Jesus. I know that there will be troubles along my path. But I have Jesus; He is all I need in this life.

I always believed in Jesus, but the extent of my relationship with him was saying the same simple prayer every night before bed. Almost three years ago, a traumatic event took place in my life. After passionately praying my heart out for months, Jesus answered my prayers. But, as time passed, I returned to that simple, repetitive prayer. I also developed an extreme case of anxiety. I was afraid to drive to take my children places, and the thought of death was suffocating me. I knew I needed to show God more gratitude for what he did, and something in my life needed to change.

That is when I asked my friend Lauren about Christ Community. Before the very first sermon, the worship song was one that I had an extreme emotional connection to from my past. I knew at that moment that I was right where I was supposed to be, and I surrendered that day.

After accepting Jesus as my savior, a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. I accepted the idea that some things in my life are out of my control. I can put my faith in God and know that everything is a part of his plan. I don't feel the burden of always trying to fix everything; I know I can give it to God. I have so much more positivity, and I can't wait for our relationship to grow.

My entire journey with faith revolves around my grandparents, especially my grandma. She got me into church when I was little, and Awana was a big part of my childhood. I loved bringing my friends to church and was always excited to go. As I grew up, I went through a lot and drifted away from church and God, but my grandma was always there, reminding me that I wasn’t alone and that God would always be there for me. I used to brush it off because I felt so separated from God at the time, but I wouldn’t have made it to 21 without her or God. I remember surrendering multiple times in church, begging God to make things better, and praying every night before bed in high school. My grandma always reminds me that she prays for me every night, which keeps me going most days, but I never told her that. She was always a bridge between me and God, making sure my connection with him never got lost, and even bought me my first Bible. Now that I’m older, I finally understand there doesn’t have to be much pressure and rules around things. I just focus on my relationship with him, which is something my grandma taught me as well. As I’ve grown up, understanding my relationship with God more and truly surrendering, life has been a lot less anxiety inducing knowing that I have him by my side and can take things at my own pace.

I started to really follow Jesus about two years ago. It was the night before my little sister Grace was supposed to be born. I was so excited! But then my other sister got sick and Grace couldn’t be born! I was so sad! My mom talked with me and told me that God had a plan and that we could trust in Him because His plans are always good. That moment hit me and I prayed to God asking Him to help me trust in Him and to make sure Grace was a healthy baby. Instantly,I felt like a real follower of Jesus and I wanted to grow my faith. I made the choice to be baptized because I want to be as strong in my faith as I can be. My favorite verse in the Bible isJames 1:2-5. It says : “Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish it’s work so that you may be mature and complete,not lacking anything.If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God,who gives generously without finding fault,and it will be given to you.” Sometimes that’s hard for me. A special thank you to my mom. You have given so much to me and helped me strengthen my faith in God. I’m excited to get baptized! I can’t wait to see where this takes me!

I was born into a family where my parents were divorced and never represented love and living like Christ, so it was tough for me to know and learn anything, mainly because no one ever really talked to me about it later on in eighth grade. I was walking home from school, and I was given a tiny little New Testament Bible. Once I got home, I ran into my room, opened it, and read the first couple of pages with these titles, such as God‘s help in crisis and with life’s problems. I thought to myself, surely what little book could have the answers to all my issues, so I read one by one all the verses listed; however, I was too scared to talk to my parents about it, and I had no friends that I could talk to about it with some time. I forgot about it, but every once in a while, I would peek into it, wanting to know more. Then High School came, and I got into my first relationship. Everything was going fine, but then we hit the one year mark. He started to have these wants and needs from me, and he would tell me no one could ever love me for myself, only for my body and my appearance. I broke up with him at the end of sophomore year but was completely lost. I was left with his mindset that people could only love me for how I looked or what I wore when the truth was right in front of me.
Over the summer, I got my own Bible and studied it. Along the way, I realized that God will love me for me, and I don’t need to change. Still, I wanted to know about him and Christ, so I attended multiple youth groups but never found one that suited me. My friend Taylor invited me to Christ Community Church. I instantly felt like I belonged, and I started learning about Christ and what he does for us daily. I learned to rely on Jesus and live like him daily, and I’m working on building my relationship with Jesus. Still, I wouldn’t have been able to do it without Christ Community Church and the people God surrounds me with. Since then, I can genuinely say that I always have felt loved. I pray over everything I do daily and am at peace with myself. Finally, I enjoy serving at Christ Community Church every Sunday and Wednesday or wherever I can get involved. I know there will still be problems along the way, but Lamentations 3:22-24 says, “ Because of The Lord’s great love we are not consumed for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion therefore, I will wait for him.’”

I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior at a young age; however, during my twenties, I went my own way and rebelled against my relationship with Him. In my early thirties, I reestablished my relationship with Him and recommitted my life to Him. Jesus is my Lord and Savior. He is also my friend, confidant, and intercessor. He has saved me from myself and graciously led me back to the correct path. I seek guidance and direction from Him daily.

I grew up in a Christian house. When I was younger, I knew about God, but I didn’t have my own relationship with him or faith in him. Now I’m 9. I want to make my own choice to follow God. When I was 7, I prayed and asked God to forgive me, but I
didn’t let him lead me too much. I prayed with my mom yesterday and asked God to forgive and lead me. To me, God is someone to have faith in. He is my Father. He has done a lot for me. He kept me safe, helped me make friends, and healed my grandma’s neck and my grandpa’s hand. I want to follow Jesus because I want to be one of his disciples forever, and he is patient and forgives everyone’s sins. I got to see my Mom be baptized, and after I saw how God changed my mom’s life, she was happier and more patient. I wanted that, too. Being baptized means I’m putting my faith in Jesus forever. I love Jesus and want everyone to know I love Jesus. He will wash away my sins and give me new life because he loves me. My life will be different because I will learn to become more like Jesus. I will be a child of God because of my faith and obedience to him, and I will live with him forever, one day when he comes back.

From my birth through high school, my life was deeply rooted in faith. I attended a private Catholic school from elementary through middle high school, and my relationship with God was one of my top priorities. I was quiet, reserved, school oriented, and focused on nurturing my faith and the relationships with the people around me. However, everything changed when I experienced a painful breakup right before leaving for college. It shattered my sense of self, and for the first time in my life, I lost my way. Until then, I had never indulged in any substances, but once I got to college and tasted independence, I drifted into a lifestyle I never imagined for myself. My entire freshman year, I became someone I didn’t recognize—disrespecting myself and my body, losing my self-control, and letting my relationship with God fall to the wayside. I stopped praying, partied excessively, and lived a life that felt empty, though I didn’t realize it at the time. As my sophomore year unfolded, I noticed the hollowness within me. No matter how much I worked out, studied, or tried to change my habits, I couldn’t shake the feeling of being lost. Near the end of the semester, I decided to attend a Sunday service at Christ Community Church. That decision changed everything. During the after service prayer, I found myself overwhelmed with emotion, crying uncontrollably as I faced the reality of how far I indeed had distanced myself from God. In that vulnerable moment, I confessed my sins to an elder and decided to surrender my life to Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Since that day, my life has transformed. The emptiness that weighed on me for so long lifted, replaced by a deep sense of peace and security. I feel as though a heavy burden has been removed, and I am so grateful for the support and love of this beautiful community. Returning to my faith has been the greatest blessing, and I am filled with hope and joy as I continue this journey.

My Aunt Erica and Uncle Erik introduced me to God and the Bible when I was younger. At that time, I believed there was a God, and I believed his word. As I got older, I lost sight of God because of what started going wrong. I started battling severe depression, and my mom, who had been sober from drugs for 14 years, started using again, and because of that, we lost the safety of the home we lived in. These struggles caused me to feel lost and displaced in life. And I was so distracted by the things going on in the world.

But my Aunt Erica continued to pray for me and tell me to go to church. So, I slowly but surely started to find my way back to God. I would look at motivational videos and view church online. I also started rereading my Bible and praying to God again.
Job 11:13-15 says, “Yet if you devote your heart to him, and stretch out your hands to him, if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dewll in your tent, then you will lift up your face without shame.”

That verse will stick with me because I realize I am ready to surrender to God and become one of his disciples. I also want to lead by example for my children so they will also want to know God.

Now, I can truly say I am ready for the path God has for me and whatever changes will come in my life. I know there will be hard times, and the Devil will try to tempt me. But I am not afraid because I know God is always there. I know God will be there when times get hard and I fall short. And there will be times I fall short because I am human. Romans 3:23-24 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

Growing up in the church, I always had an understanding of Jesus and His love for me, but it never fully clicked until I was in high school. After spending my youth in the church and listening to Pastor Jim and Clayton’s sermons, I was introduced to the surrender prayer. I found myself wanting to try something different; instead of just hearing the sermons, I wanted to stop controlling things in my life that left me unfulfilled. I decided to pray the surrender prayer on my own and confess everything that was on my heart. I felt a great warmth, something I had never experienced before. After making this decision, I felt a deep need to connect, serve, and grow closer to Christ Community Church. I started serving as a greeter, volunteering in Kidsworld, and spending my summers working at Camp Commotion. Now, I am part of the Young Adults group and had the opportunity to experience my first GoTeam trip. I am also in the process of applying to a missionary internship in the Czech Republic next summer. All these new experiences have opened my eyes, transforming my view of the world, conversations, the Bible, and seeing the true love Jesus offers every one of us. The decision to surrender control to God has changed my life in ways I could never have imagined, and although there are hills and valleys, I am excited to see God’s will for my life.

Before declaring my life to Jesus, I did not know who I was. I was going to therapy classes, going through many friends, and was in many different sports. But when my best friend, Alexis Govreau, asked me to come to Wednesday nights, my life changed. I had no idea I needed God as a friend and He has changed my life.

I would go to Wednesday nights and Sunday service but never really knew the true meaning of surrendering your life to Christ. When I was welcomed into the sophomore group by Heather Post and my now best friends, they all made me feel like I belonged. Most importantly Dan Cox has helped me realize no matter what you are going through, anyone is welcome. I could always count on these people to constantly pray for me and answer my questions about the Lord.

I will never forget the moment I stepped out of the chapel doors at Silver Birch Ranch. I surrendered my life to Christ that night and felt so free of all the hard moments in my life and knew He would be there for me. A verse I always try to remember is “when I am afraid I will put my trust in you” Psalms 56:3. I have trusted Him and found who I truly am and have a second family and don’t know what I would do without all these amazing people God has put in my life.

Before Christ, I was always more concerned with what would best serve me before anything else. I struggled with substance use, lust, and pride every single day of my life, and felt justified in hiding it because I was convinced it was a coping mechanism used to deal with childhood trauma rather than an issue that needed to be addressed. When I started to feel like I was losing control of myself, Christ Community felt like a space where something was grounding me. It was hard to deny that that feeling was God not letting go of me. God knew that I wanted to know him, and he wanted to know me too. Jesus revealed himself to me while I walked near my house. He showed me the beauty in the creation of everything around me, and he showed me how he wanted me. But I still was holding onto earthly things. Then, in the past few months, I started to lose some of the more important things in my life. This time, I realized that this was Jesus giving me another opportunity to draw near to him, and I finally let him in 100%. I gave up on my earthly desires and started to let God guide my life with passages from the Bible like Ephesians 4:2-6. I started using prayer as my go-to, and not as the last resort. I started making time for God every day, and I have been changed forever.

I've gone to church my whole life, but I never really wanted to be a part of it. I dreaded going to church on Sundays or when my parents brought up God. I used to surround myself with the wrong people while struggling mentally and getting into relationships that were not helping me. This past summer I went to SBR like I have every summer before. This summer I felt a deeper connection with my youth group and my leader, Heather Post. I made the decision to fully give my life to Christ then, while going through one of the most difficult times in my life. I realized I had never fully accepted Christ in my life as I figured I already had just because of how long I've been apart of the church. My entire youth group and friends, such as Sophie Baker, Grace Tosaw and Sofia Tofilon to name a few, have consistently been there and encouraged me in my walk with God. Since then, I've noticed a difference in my life. I've been happier in my day to day life, while growing closer to my friends and family who point me in the right direction. I've grown to enjoy serving and being in the church at all times that I can, and continue to try my best to be with God everyday. I’m forever thankful for my youth group today. My community brought me to Christ, and I want to do the same for others and 1 Corinthians 16:14 says, "Let all that you do be done in love.”

I’ve always had a relationship with Jesus, growing up in a family that was christian and accepted Jesus. We would go to church together and I started to become more familiar with Jesus and who he was. As I grew older I got busier and started to stop going to church every sunday and just lost any relationship I had with Jesus. However, around the start of highschool My dad started to get me and my family to go to church every sunday. And through the lessons and stories from the preacher I learned more about god and Jesus and around 3 months in, I wanted to accept Jesusas my personal savior

Before I knew Jesus I was lost, angry, and sad. I grew far from my family surrounding myself with the wrong people. I had a void in my heart. I tried filling it with drugs, alcohol, and other pointless ways of trying to fill this void. I began to shut everyone out. I didn't express my feelings. I would lash out at those who loved me. I had this hole in my heart, but I didn't know what it was. I soon realized the void was spiritual. I finally got a Bible, but I didn't read it. After countless nights of living in my sin I eventually broke down in my room praying to the Lord. Weeks after this night the Lord filled me with the Holy Spirit. I was able to study the Bible, and I was able to gain so much knowledge of who Jesus was and how to live my life as he lived his. I began going to church in my hometown and I was welcomed with open arms. As I continued to live in the light of the Lord I was able to forgive those and change my ways. I now have peace. I have big ambitions. I want to help save lives, just as the Lord has saved me. The Lord has given me a new life. One verse has really stuck with me and that's Matthew 19:26: "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Before putting my faith in Jesus I didn’t attend church a lot and struggled tremendously in my own life. I wasn’t willing to trust god or his plans for me. Growing up my family attended a Catholic Church where I was baptized as a baby and supposed to be confirmed like everyone else in my family. I however started to focus a tremendous amount on swimming and school and would often use my exhaustion as an excuse to not go to church to avoid being confirmed. I hardly understood the beliefs and didn’t see it impacting my life other than it being a burden. Growing up attending church was not fun for me and I had some bad experiences from it leading me to grow farther from god.

On June 28 at SBR I decided to take the next step in my faith and give my life to god. My group leader heather helped lead me through this prayer. I don’t think I would have ever made this decision or gotten this far if it’s wasn’t for my friend Sophie Baker. She had been attending youth groups regularly and motivated me to go with her in 8th grade. the timing couldn’t have been more perfect as I was struggling a lot and felt this would be good for me. After surround myself around god more and attending church regularly I soon started to feel the overwhelming love of god and have seen how his presence has worked through my life ever since. Ever since I have attended Christ Community, I have met some great people who have been a huge impact in my life and helped create better experiences than I had at a younger age.

In the past, God was always placed second to everything I had going on in my life, such as how others viewed me and being angry at everyone and everything around me. When I was at my lowest in life, ready to give in to the voice in my head that I wasn’t good enough and to end my life, I felt two hands on either one of my shoulders. I felt the presence of my late grandfather (Faustino) and uncle (Faustino Jr.) trying to ground me and help me understand that I was no longer alone. At that moment, I remembered how it felt when my uncle had once taken me to a Sunday service and how everyone was so welcoming. That church helped me understand the part of the Bible that was being covered and it gave me a sense of community. Since then, I can honestly say my life has changed for the better. I attend Sunday service more frequently, I pray every day and thank God for another day above ground. I have joined CCC and have gained a family along the way. I understand that no one is perfect and there will be obstacles along the way, but I now know that I can overcome them with my trust in God and his guidance.

I have been going to church since I was two. At that age, I was in my Meema's (Grandma) Sunday school class where she taught me the same songs she taught my mom. A few years later, we were at a Good Friday service at Christ Community. I saw the people around me taking communion and I asked my mom what that was. She explained the basics to me, and I decided that I wanted to do it. I got the cup and the bread and she showed me how to pray over them. This was when I realized that I was a Christian and that God was working in my life, even when I didn't see it. My dad has also been a big part in my decision to follow Jesus. When I was really little, he got baptized. Then, in between 6th and 7th grade, I was sitting on the pier at Silver Birch Ranch with my friends, small group leader, and Mackenzie (the Student Ministries worship pastor). I took a minute to look out at the lake, not believing it was real, and then I felt God's presence in my heart. I felt like he was calling me to lead worship. Next semester, I am going to audition for the worship team in student ministries. There have been many times when I've realized that I really need Jesus. Now, I am taking the next step of faith, around the same time that my dad got baptized.

Growing up, I’ve known about God. My family and I have attended church on and off since I was born. Last year as a family we started watching The Chosen and it brought Jesus and the Bible to life for me. This summer my brother, Gavin, and I told my parents that we wanted to start attending Christ Community Church regularly. I was really excited when I learned that my friend, Grayson Eilrich and his family attended Christ Community too. In August, we all went to Launch and I was so happy to see some of my other friends from school there.

I started attending Wednesday nights and learned so much more. My group leaders Matt and Jeremy showed me ways to get to know Jesus better through prayer, reading, and not being intimidated by the Bible, and discussions showing me how Jesus is present in my life. I knew I wanted to get baptized, but attending the Surrender Retreat in November helped me finalize my decision. It was such a great experience with my brother Gavin and my friends Zane, Grayson, and Lucas!

For me getting baptized is going all in for Jesus. I know I am going to face many challenges and struggles in my life, but I trust that He will be with me, help me and guide me through it all. I pray my faith grows stronger every day.

I want to thank my parents, grandma, family and friends for showing me what Jesus can do for my life.

When I was younger, going to church on Sunday and praying together were regular parts of life. In fact, most of my childhood memories revolve around attending Awana or KidsWorld. However, once I hit high school, I started down a path that not only led me further away from the church but also from the idea of God altogether. For years afterward, I ruled my own life, steadfastly believing that God wasn’t real. Yet, through it all, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something big was missing. I tried to fill the gap with endless things—my relationship, career, education, possessions— anything and everything. But when it came down to it, they were all just things. It wasn’t until earlier this year, after leaving a difficult relationship, quitting my job and being left with what seemed like nothing, that I realized Jesus was that missing piece. Slowly, I started to see God’s hand in my life. I watched my family members get baptized, started praying regularly, reading my Bible, and noticed the pain, sadness and loneliness I once felt shift into forgiveness and peace. Since then, I am without a doubt a changed person through Christ. As Romans 5:3-5 says: “We glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

Today I am here affirming my faith in Jesus Christ by being baptized as a symbol of my commitment to Him. I was raised, baptized Catholic, attended Catholic School, and followed as best as I could understand, but I never fully understood. My life was taking a terrible detour that was not what Jesus wanted for me. I was lost, confused, and lonely. My husband, Dave, and I decided to seek out a church to pray together and hope to rebuild our lives. I started to see Jesus Christ in a new ray of light.

From day one of us walking into Christ Community Church, we knew we found what we were missing in our lives. Christ Community gave me a sense of belonging. One service I was praying and felt the Holy Spirit come over me, and that’s when I surrendered my life. I started to understand God’s love for me and accepted Jesus as my Savior.

Since I have surrendered, my life is changing — I am feeling saved, loved, and that I have a purpose. Joshua 1:9 resonates with me “…do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Now my husband and two boys pray, read the Bible, get involved in Christ Community and never miss a day to thank Him for what we are blessed with. I am now ready to leave behind my old life and embrace a new beginning, living a life dedicated to His purpose.

Before Christ, I couldn't feel the Holy Spirit flowing in me; because my beliefs were in idols and carved images and those things. Since I was little, I listened to my grandfather talk about the scriptures and Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives, but it was not until the age 17 that I received Him as my personal Savior. My brother, who had already received Jesus Christ, sent me a letter from the USA. That’s where he recited the prayer to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, and I prayed the same prayer.

When I met Him and accepted Him, I enjoyed reading the word of God and praying, my faith increased, and I meditated on his word. All the time that strengthened me in my faith. There have been many adversities and in each trial the Lord has made me stronger. I know that He is the way, the truth and the life. And I rejoice in his truth, his truth has made me free and has given me the joy of the Lord. Amen.

Ever since I was young, my parents have been teaching me about God, and telling me stories from the Bible. I was dedicated at Christ Community Church when I was young, and have always believed in God. One day, when I was at church camp, I put my trust and faith in Jesus. I knew that it was important that I choose to follow him on my own. It felt really good telling my parents what I had decided.

Even though I have put my faith in Jesus, I know my life won't be perfect, but that he will always be there for me. I know that this will be a journey but I am ready to take on the challenge. My favorite verse, Acts 7:49-50, asks us, "What kind of house will we build?" In my perspective, it means "what job will you take?" and "will you be a Christian?" At the end of the day, I think it asks us what path we will take and I want my path to be with and focused on Jesus.

Growing up I’ve always struggled with anxiety. This anxiety distracted me a lot and although I’ve always tried to embrace God, I began losing faithfulness. My grandma and parents have always taught me as much as they could about Jesus. Doing things like reading Bible verses or taking me to church. I was baptized as an infant, so I don’t have a memory of what that day was like. I have been wanting to get baptized so I can commit to Jesus as my Lord and savior. I started coming to Christ Community Church around a year ago, and honestly it has changed my life so much. I began coming when a friend invited me and I haven’t been the same since. Over the summer I went to Silver Birch Ranch, and it was an amazing experience like nothing before. My favorite part wasn’t the games or swimming though, it was worship. Singing and worshiping has always made me feel comfortable — like a home — because the Lord is my home and all I need. After growing through God and closer to the Lord, I have experienced how wonderful this life is and everything is worth it after how far I’ve come.

I was raised in a Christian family and was pressured into giving my life to Christ in a 1st-2nd grade class, feeling a warm comfort that I believed was God's spirit. However, starting in 5th grade, I began to question my faith, and my doubts grew stronger over time. At one point, I tried to reject my faith entirely, and my life seemed to fall apart. During my last two years of high school, I chose to be homeschooled and felt a strong urge to strengthen my faith. Two years ago, I recommitted my life to Christ and learned that salvation doesn't eliminate struggles. Despite ongoing doubts and questions about my faith, it's easier now to manage them. I share my story to encourage others not to give up on their faith. Faith involves trial and error and takes time, but God is always faithful. Now I see hope and purpose in my life. I am also grateful to the rapper NF for his music, which has greatly helped me grow as a person and in my faith. A quote from my director that has stuck with me is... “Fear can not be occupied in the same space as faith. Faith will always kill your fear.” A piece of scripture that has helped me is “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

I have grown up going to church and knowing Jesus for as long as I can remember. In fact, I was even baptized as a baby-at least that’s what my mom tells me. I have always known that God loves me. He has been with me through my highs and lows and has given me an amazing life. About a year ago, I remember asking Jesus to be the Savior of my life and asked my parents when I could get baptized. Not much will change now that I am baptized-I still love Jesus and now everyone will know!

I was raised in a Christian household, so I have always believed in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. We’ve attended Christ Community for most of my life, and I watched my parents get baptized several years ago. When I was younger, I went to KidsWorld, which was a great introduction to how important Jesus is in our lives and that He is the only way to heaven. My parents are a big reason that I am so close to God, but it was this year that I connected with and began to feel Christ’s presence in my life.

Earlier this year, we watched The Chosen as a family, which helped me understand how great a sacrifice Jesus made for us. My family has begun regularly attending weekend services again, and I am increasingly connecting with the message. This past fall, my friends Graysen Elrich and Zane Riddle invited me to attend Refuge. We are in the Freshman group led by Matt and Jeremy, and it has been a great experience. We and several other students from my school started an after-school Bible study program. In November, I attended the high school retreat and learned that I must find ways to surrender to God fully.

Baptism is a big step down that path. Baptism is my declaration that my life belongs to Christ. I trust in His strength to guide me. I’m thankful to my family and friends for helping me grow in my faith. Thank you for being part of this special moment in my life!

Growing up in the Catholic Church, I followed rituals and traditions but felt disconnected from a personal relationship with God. Faith was more obligation than connection, leaving me questioning spirituality and seeking deeper meaning beyond structured doctrine.

After joining Christ Community Church with my best friend Debra, I found a meaningful relationship with God. Their teachings helped me understand what it truly means to follow Jesus. I want to be baptized to reaffirm my faith and commit to living as Jesus taught, embracing His love and guidance in every aspect of my life.

Through my Rooted group, I’ve discovered a deeper relationship with God, which has transformed me into a better person. Colossians 3:10 says, "Put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator." This verse emphasizes transformation and spiritual growth, aligning myself with Jesus's character and example as I renew my heart and mind in Him. Living by faith has brought peace and purpose, and I’ve found an incredible community of supportive women who inspire and guide me to live more like Jesus. Their encouragement has strengthened my journey, helping me grow spiritually and live with greater compassion, love, and grace daily.

My life before I trusted in Jesus was very different. I used to put other things above him to fill in the emptiness. Eventually, I realized that I needed something greater than I could ever imagine. And that was Jesus. I was about 12 when I started my new life with Christ. This process of committing was not overnight — it took months for me to put my faith in Jesus alone. But luckily I had my Mom, Dad, and brother by my side. What really made me trust in Christ was realizing that he had been with me all along. And when I was in 8th grade, I finally knew this. I chose to follow Jesus because I knew that I needed him and couldn’t live my life without him.

I have not looked back since that year. I now realize that I have God, and he is all that I need. All problems will not disappear, but he will always be by my side to support me through it. Other possessions or false idols may temporarily make you happy. But they don’t last, and they aren’t what you need. Christ is love, and nothing else is greater than that. “And I pray to you, being rooted and established in love, may have power 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 — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:17-19 (NIV)

Before I fully surrendered to Jesus, I was rudderless and blown by the winds of the world. I was addicted to the things of this world, and I was living a life of sin. I always had believed in God and grew up around church, but I didn’t truly know him.

Several decades after college, I was trying to help church kids memorize the books of the Bible, so I was spending more time reading the Bible. I remember the “aha” moment in a Denver hotel room as I was studying and it hit me – man couldn’t have created the Bible. It was the Word of God. And Jesus said that he came to fulfill the Scriptures. That day, I recognized the truth that I had ignored for so long. Since then, my life has truly been transformed.

Since then, reading the Bible, prayer, and my wife have helped to open the eyes of my heart and renew my mind. My quest now is to live into God’s plan for me (Jer 29:11), resisting the currents of this world and speaking truth. Wherever that leads, nothing can separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:38-39). His Spirit gives life, and is always there to guide me. One verse that has stuck with me is, “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.” Isaiah 30:15

Before Christ, I thought God was vengeful, unforgiving, and exclusive to people He chose as “worthy.” I thought I was doomed, because everything I did for Him was out of obligation, not sincerity. I had many thoughts of self harm and suicide, thinking that my life wouldn’t amount to anything since there was nothing I could do to be saved. My eyes were opened when my college roommate and best friend, Molly, showed strong faith in times of uncertainty and told me about her God who is merciful, loving, and open to all people regardless of their past. Graduating college and being thrown into the ‘real world’ made me realize I needed God to guide my footsteps towards a happier, fulfilling life. Now, I feel more content than ever, knowing that God has my back and has a special plan for me. My suicidal thoughts haunt me less and less, knowing that I am worthy of God’s unfailing love and forgiveness no matter how many times I screw up. I am so excited to affirm my faith in front of passionate and supportive Christ followers, and share my story with anyone who needs to hear it. Whenever I lose sight of God’s love for me, I think of Matthew 6:26 - “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”

I always knew of Jesus growing up but I never realized that I was trying to fill a God sized hole with other things that meant nothing. I was really struggling with negative thoughts plaguing my mind with no motivation to do anything, and Jesus came to me. I was at the summer camp Silver Birch Ranch when I heard God calling me to give up everything and surrender myself. So that night during chapel, I prayed the surrender prayer with the guidance from Coach. After I finished praying with Coach, I felt this overwhelming amount of joy and my anxiety and fear was all taken off my shoulders. This is how I really knew that Jesus was the missing piece in my life. Everyone in the church and all my friends there really helped me realize this is what I wanted for my life.

Ever since I prayed with Coach I’ve had peace over my life. Fully believing that Jesus was the savior of my life really opened up my eyes. I’ve become more a part of the church and I’ve even brought a few friends with me. I always have a few verses replaying in my mind. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” One of the others is 1 Corinthians 10:26 “For the Earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it”. Both these verses remind me that God is our Creator and He will love us till the end.

I have been attending Christ Community since the start of 2024. I’ve always known Jesus as my Savior, and accepted him into my life as a young adult. However, the prior church I was attending with my family, didn’t help me with the growth I was looking for. Starting to attend alongside my daughter led me volunteering at SBR this past summer. This experience definitely brought me closer with God. I’ve since been volunteering in youth ministry Wednesday nights leading a small group. Since attending Christ Community alongside my younger daughter, I have felt Gods presence more in my day to day life. Me deciding to get baptized, is something I feel will help my renew my faith and further my connection and commitment to My Lord and Savior.

I grew up in a very faithful home and knew Jesus ever since I was a little girl. My parents were such an incredible models of God’s love, took me to church every weekend and even had me baptized as an infant. I really accepted Jesus as my Savior in a meaningful way in my teens at a camp similar to Silver Birch Ranch. As I became a mom, I also had my boys baptized as babies, but one by one-they made a personal choice to be more public about their faith and asked to be baptized at Christ Community. I was inspired by their declaration of faith and recognized that I had never made the DECISION on my own to be baptized. Clayton did a sermon on Why Baptism Matters and it felt like he was speaking to me-my heart shifted and I knew I needed to do this! My youngest son, Frankie asked to be baptized recently too. I am excited to have the opportunity to celebrate our spiritual milestone together!

I was raised Catholic and it was just a given that we all believed in God. Growing up, we would attend church on special occasions. After getting married, my husband, Nelson, and I made a promise to the priest that we would attend mass every Sunday, and we kept that promise for about 6 years or so until our first son, Jayson was born. It was difficult to attend mass with Jayson because they didn't have a children's program, which made it challenging to hear the message. I stopped attending mass for a while... During this time, Nelson's friend Marco, informed him about a Christian Church, The Branch. I was a little hesitant because I was raised Catholic... But I attended the service one day and loved it. That's when I started to get into the word and bought my first study bible. During my home birth experience with my second son, Justyn, I leaned on God a lot. For the first time, we presented my second son, Justyn at the service and my family came for the first time.

After moving from the city to the suburbs, Marco, the same friend who invited us to the other Christian Church, invited us to Christ Community Church. The church was very welcoming and we loved the Kids program for our two boys. Christ Community has been the best thing that has happened to our family. My husband and I completed Rooted, which created a closer relationship with God. During Rooted, my husband and I decided that we wanted to get baptized.

Prior to being saved, I used to wake up every day with dread because of my all-consuming fear of death. Although I grew up in a religious household, I didn’t believe in God, not really.

I was officially saved about 10 years ago, when my husband introduced me to the belief that God and Jesus were real. Since then, I have been a follower of Christ. In August, my mom died. For the months leading up, I had terrible heartache at knowing what was coming. The moment she died as I walked into her hospital room, I felt Jesus. My intense grief eased as I felt immense comfort knowing Jesus was our salvation. It was an incredibly difficult and sad day made new. I felt the Holy Spirit come upon me and it was something absolutely wonderous.

Since then, Jesus makes His presence known to me daily. I will pray, and Jesus will answer. Someone will come to me with a problem, and the Holy Spirit will talk through me to them. Mark 5:36 says "Do not fear, only believe." This was the first verse I came upon after being saved ten years ago, but I never read the book of Mark until my mom passed. This verse is literally Jesus saying not to be afraid, but to have faith, as he raises a girl from the dead. I am so happy and excited to surrender to Jesus. I live for Him because He died for me.

I grew up in a Catholic Family and went to a Catholic school for 8 years. So, Jesus has been a part of my life from a very young age. But reading the Bible and applying it to my life was not happening at this time. However, I don’t think I really came to know Jesus till later in my life when I was going through a very tough time due to a failed marriage around the age of 42. At that time, I started to listen to two Christian radio programs — one hosted by Chuck Swindoll and the other by Greg Laurie. They both showed me how to read and apply the Word of God to my life. It was at this time that I began to read the Bible and accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior.

In 2007, my wife and I started coming to Christ Community Church and since that time we have joined a few different community groups and a Bible study group as well as taking the rooted classes a couple of years ago. It was in the Rooted class that the subject of Baptism came up. By being baptized, I am proclaiming that my sins are washed away by the blood of Christ and I am now united with Christ by the Holy Spirit in the newness of Christ’s resurrection life.

Ever since I was a little boy I can remember Christ Community Church. Unfortunately, as I grew up, athletics became a constant conflict with Sunday church. I quickly found myself in a family of church goers on Christmas and Easter. My relationship with Jesus suffered throughout my middle-high school years. I lived a lust-ridden, drug-filled life. I often spent days without coming home. Things began to change when I graduated. Suddenly, some of the negative influences in my life were no more. There was a void in my life and I just didn't quite know how to fill it. That all changed one week when my family finally came back to a sunday sermon at Christ community sometime in spring 2023. I realized that Jesus was the answer and that I badly needed him in my life, but it wasn't until I joined a community group before I truly realized that I needed forgiveness, and that I wanted to truly live for Christ. Since I have begun this journey I can confidently say this is the most joy and peace that I have ever felt. I have made a habit of staying in God’s word and now my friends consist of other Christ followers who are growing with me. I know that I will still face trials but as Jesus says in John 16:33, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

Since I was little, my parents always demonstrated to me and my siblings a strong foundation in Christ, but I still felt trapped and lost. Before I put my faith in Jesus, I was caught in the darkness of the world and cared too much about how others viewed me. During this struggle, my parents introduced me to the high school ministry on Wednesday nights at Christ Community Church. At first, I was very against it and felt pressured because I didn’t feel a connection with God or believe that He could help me.

The first time I attended Christ Community, I could see the light in everyone's eyes when they talked about Jesus, and I had never witnessed anything like that before. It gave me a sense of hope. I felt the Holy Spirit calling me, telling me that all the envy, anger, and lust I had been holding onto didn’t have to consume me. Jesus loves me for who I am, and He could take away all that hurt. As it says in Matthew 11:28-30: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

This feeling gave me the courage to lay all my burdens at the foot of the cross and surrender myself to Jesus. Since then, I have been living my life through Christ. I gained the courage to talk to others about Jesus and how He can bring light and comfort into their lives, taking away any burdens or struggles they have, just as He did for me. I now dedicate time each day to Bible study and worship. This allows me to stay close to God throughout the week and strengthen my relationship with Him. I love the feeling of the weight being lifted off of me, and I know that I am saved and have a heavenly kingdom waiting for me, all through the grace of God.

Before I came to Christ I was very lost, there were a lot of things I put above God. My money, my social status etc. I wanted to live a life that pleased other people but God. Then after my parents divorce my father introduced me to Christ and I fell in love with community, with worship and ultimately with God. I knew there was someone that loved me so much and gave himself for me, that’s Jesus. And I remember I was around 10-12 when I gave my life to Christ and I never looked back. He has rescued me from all the things I could have been involved in during high school. It’s because of Jesus that I am here today. Since then I have started and finished rooted. I have found the women in Christ that I so desperately prayed for. They have healed an open wound that I have had for a long time. I am a mom and a wife and want to be an example for my son one day. We love this church and everything they offer. I can’t thank Christ Community for offering so many opportunities such as rooted because you get to know other people and ultimately make lifelong friends, and have a deeper relationship with Jesus.

God has always been a big part of my life and my anchor through many phases of my life. I grew up in a Catholic household and practiced my faith consistently. During college, I still had my faith but I definitely drifted from God and put myself first in many ways. During my final semester of college, a high school friend brought me to Christian church that she started to go to, and my faith was reignited. I moved a few times over the next few years and finally happened to come across Christ Community Church. After only a few weeks of attending services I joined Rooted which took my faith to another level. Since then, God has brought me a great support group within the church and shown me just how he will answer your prayers in ways you don’t always expect.

I grew up in a christian home and my parents taught me about Jesus. I learned the Big God Story in Kids World and decided to make my faith my own. I prayed one night in my room to tell God I loved Him and wanted to follow Him the rest of my life. I know my life will be different because God is always with me when I am nervous or scared. My favorite verse is Matthew 5:7-10.

My story starts in a Christian household. I have been coming to Christ Community Church for about 14 years. I grew up going through Kidsworld on Saturday nights. When I was 9, I prayed and asked the Lord to be my Savior. I felt as if I had found my church, a place where I belong. Each week, as I listened to sermons, I became more and more interested in my next steps. I felt a calling that I have never felt before. I felt the Lord telling me it's your turn now. That's when I knew I was ready to wash away my sin and put my life in the Lord's hands. Four years ago I started serving in the nursery. I have always been good with kids, so I wanted to show God how I can be present in these children's lives and teach them to follow after him. Then I met Beccy Metzger who inspires me more everyday. She really helped me determine my faith. She showed me what it meant to be a follower of Christ. A verse that has stuck out to me is Romans 15:13 which states "May the God fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him.” Now that God is my savior, leader and king, my life is filled with the love the Lord has given me to serve his people. I will now strive to make the world a better place through God's love.

I can’t remember a life before knowing Christ, as I was born into a Chritsian home. However, while enduring much hardship I realized something was missing in my life. A year ago, I was a part of a very toxic school situation. I felt stuck and didn’t know how to escape. God was faithful and helped guide me to find a way out! He was leading me to a new school environment that is an hour away from me. Since then, I have fully surrendered my life to Christ! I have found many new ways to serve in my community and I find so much joy in knowing that God has a unique plan for me. Everyday I’m excited to talk to Him, and continue to grow in His word! Jeremiah 29:11 says, “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.” Jesus gave me hope, a future that is full of Him! I feel closer to Him than ever before and I thank Him everyday for how He is using me! Now I am ready to be baptized as an act of obedience to Him!

Growing up in a Christian home and attending a Christian school, I was always hearing about the Lord. One day I told my mom I was ready to give my life to Jesus, so there, in our living room, we knelt down and prayed to the Lord. Ever since I gave my life to Jesus, my life has been changed for the better. I have a great engaging Christian school, great Christian friends, and most importantly a personal relationship with God. I want to get baptized because baptism shows obedience to God, and it shows you going public about your faith to the world, and I think that it is really important as believers. I’ve been lucky to know the Lord for most of life. The reason why I chose to get baptized now was mostly influenced by attending SBR with Christ Community. This summer, I went to Silver Birch Ranch for the third time in a row. I really love it and every year I feel like my faith grows, especially this year. During one of the chapels, a pastor started talking about why baptism is important, and something during his message just hit me that I was ready to get baptized. In conclusion, I believe getting baptized is a great next-step in my faith journey with the Lord. Years ago, Jesus also got baptized, and I would like to follow in his footsteps and get baptized as well.

Like most people, when I was in a hard and difficult moment in my life, I didn't know where I stood with religion and God. I took the decision to talk with God as if we were old friends and ask for him to forgive me because I had let myself be pulled away from his teachings and his leadership and asked him to lead me to the right path. God is my Savior. I have been in some dark places mentally in my life before I decided to follow God's teachings. Once I started to attend service and later volunteer, I started to see the light in those dark places. Following him will lead to forgiveness from our sins. The big reason we decided to start this journey of following and learning about God was due to my sister in-law and her husband (Berenice and Marselino Salazar). They invited us to a service and we loved it. A big thing for me is to feel accepted and since we walked through the doors we felt accepted and welcomed. Because of that, I felt comfortable volunteering for the production team. And let me tell you — it's the best decision I have ever made. Baptism is my next step. It means that I'm ready to change and ready to follow the path that leads to Jesus. By doing this I believe that my life will be different because since I started my journey with God and following Jesus my life has been peaceful and happy.

I live in a Christian family, always hearing about the Bible. I came to fully realize that God was real, and I decided to put my faith and trust in him. God is kind, just, loving, and he sent his Son to die for me. Jesus conquered sin; he defeated the grave, all for his people. We sinned, but he still loved us. I especially love that when everyone thought Jesus would come as a mighty, rich, conquering king, he came as a baby to an average family. He grew up to be a wise and peaceful ruler. Who wouldn’t want to be on God’s side? I know he welcomed me into his family. He is always there for me. I want to accept that offer.

Before God, I was looking for peace in the wrong things, and I always felt like I needed more. He opened my eyes and showed me what eternal happiness and joy felt like. I have been going to church my whole life thanks to my family. In 7th grade, I was going through some hard times and comparing myself to others. One church service, my eyes were opened, and I was taught that I was made perfectly in the image of God. This changed the way I felt about myself and I was able to find what worked for me, not others. I started learning that God was in my life and I was never alone. My Refuge leaders Megan and Paige helped show me that every Wednesday night through the stories that were shared. My mom, Jenna, and my dad, Tony, helped my faith journey and always brought God into our household which keeps me on the right track with my image and connecting that back to God. Since my eyes have been opened, I have been able to forget my major insecurities. I'm not saying I don't struggle with my appearance sometimes (I promise, I do), but it has definitely changed my perspective. By getting baptized I am getting made new in the eyes of God and forgetting my major self doubt. I am made in the image of God and nothing will change that. God has 100% turned my life around and I am a much happier and confident person. I am ready to commit my life to God by accepting Jesus as my savior and live in his ways.

I was raised Catholic, and I went to church every Sunday. When I moved out of my parent’s house, I wanted nothing to do with church and I stopped going. I knew of God but I didn’t really know Him.

In my early twenties I was watching the 700 Club, and I surrendered my life to Christ. I bought a Bible, but only read it occasionally, and I still didn’t go to church. About ten years later, my husband and I decided to find a Christian church. We church hopped for several years because I always found something wrong with the churches we attended. Throughout my life I was sinning, running from God.

Fast forward about twenty something years. I was in my room flipping the channels and the 700 Club came on. The man on TV asked viewers if we were tired of running from God. That day, July 10, 2016 with my hand on the TV and tears running down my face, I resurrendered my life to Christ. I was done running.

We started attending Christ Community almost two years ago. I joined a Rooted group. I found Godly ladies who I could pray with, pray for, and who will pray for me and who will hold me accountable. I’m grateful God never stopped chasing after me.

As a child, I was always in church. Growing up Catholic, I never missed a Sunday mass or a Wednesday class. I’m so beyond thankful to my parents for giving me a foundation of religion, but I always felt like it was an obligation.

Within the first week after moving to Chicago, I walked to our park and met Nicole Shanahan. Without hesitation, she heard about my move and invited me to a Community Group. My instant reaction was…oh no…I’m Catholic. But once she explained KidsWorld and time to connect with other moms, my mind was open. I joined a mom’s group, and I built relationships with the most kind, giving, amazon women. My leader, Erin Clausen, took me under her wing and nurtured my journey as I slowly found that what I was missing in my life was the most amazing gift of all — Jesus. In her kitchen, the weekend before Thanksgiving, Erin asked me what I thought about salvation. I cried tears of joy, relief, and love as I surrendered my life to Jesus. Erin read Romans 6:21-23. The weight of my striving, shame, and need to want more was lifted that day and replaced with the love and awe of Jesus Christ my Savior.

Now, I am living my life to the best of my ability to allow the Spirit to shine and asking him every morning to make me useful. He brought me to Christ Community, and to passionate disciples and friends that held my hand, cried with me, and loved me as sisters in Christ. And more than anything, I want to declare him publicly. I surrender my life to You! I owe my all to You. My life is new and I am forever grateful he gave His to save me.

I have always lived in a Christian home and I was dedicated here at Christ Community when I was a baby. I don’t remember when I specifically made the decision to follow Jesus but my parents taught me how to pray and why we should pray for forgiveness. My mom, dad, sisters and Pastors Courtney and Liz have all helped me take these steps.
I want to follow Jesus because I know that God is my King and has given me a loving family. I want to be baptized because it means that people will know and help me follow Jesus. There will still be problems in my life but I know Jesus is always with me and helping me become more like Him.

I was baptized as a young boy in a Catholic Church in the Dominican Republic. Although I have always believed in God, I didn’t know him. Eventually, I met my wife who grew up Catholic, and I assimilated into the parish where we would later be married. After moving out of the area, a family friend told me about a Christian church near where I was living in Chicago. One day, I decided to visit that church and loved how welcoming and different it was from what I was accustomed to. It was there that our faith was strengthened.

In 2023 we moved to South Elgin, and that same friend, Marco, invited us to Christ Community. Although we felt it was a bit too big at first, we grew to love it even more than our previous church. Our boys love KidsWorld and Epic, and my wife and I recently completed Rooted last spring. It was there where we contemplated getting baptized as adults and how and why that’s different from being baptized as young children. For me, baptism signifies true and complete surrender. It means dying to selfishness, control, money, the culture and other worldly desires which I now realize do not fulfill. Every good thing in my life comes from above and this is my way to acknowledge that his way is far superior to my own way! I understand this doesn’t mean that there won’t be temptations and battles (I actually expect more), but putting my trust in Jesus is the only way to real peace. I’ve tried it my own way for too long and I’m happy to hand over the wheel to the true pilot of my life… Jesus

My connection with God has never been a smooth road. There have been numerous bumps and potholes throughout the way. There has been disconnection, and there have been times I have put God second in my life. Throughout the 18 years of my life so far, I have realized God isn't there for just the joyful and exciting moments in your life, but the bad and the ugly. Even in the moments of doubt, you need to keep your faith in him. Growing up in a house where we went to church every Sunday, my parents hosted a weekly bible study in our living room. Christ was being displayed all around me the whole time I grew up. However, even with all the doors inviting me to grow deeper with God, I never walked through. I stayed an outsider. Entering my teenage years with God I went to youth group on weekdays to try to grow my faith, but I came out of it with nothing. I was immature. I wasn't ready for the next step in my life yet. As I decided to grow deeper with God years later, I started sitting down and reading the bible not just as a religious duty but for my own gain. By deepening my faith and living it out authentically, I’ve inspired my friends to explore their relationship with God, fostering a shared spiritual journey of their own. This has led me to the decision I am making today.

I started wanting to get baptized when my mom called me into her room and asked us if we wanted to get baptized, of course we both said yes. I want to get baptized because I want to surrender my life to Christ. The people who are helping me are my mom and my dad. I'm really excited to get baptized and surrender my life to Jesus/God. YES GOD!!!!

Ever since I was born, I have been going to church and hearing the story of Jesus. As I have gotten older, I have found that when I have difficult times, I need Him to lean on.
I had the opportunity to go to summer camp where we were able to worship, grow, and learn more about our faith. I heard the truth about Jesus giving up His life for my sins and knew I wanted to surrender my life to following Him. I also wanted to be a good example and leader for others to make a commitment to Christ. Since giving my life to Jesus at camp, I feel like I am free. I feel confident in being a Christian who isn’t afraid to tell others about Jesus. I know that as I get older, there will be times when stuff gets hard, but I am so glad that I know that Jesus will be right there with me.

My name is Parker and I’m 12 years old. I have gone to church since I was a little boy on weekends with my parents and older brother. We also went to summer camp over the summer, and I really liked that. Church has always been somewhere that I feel loved and safe, I also know this is a place where I learn to be good. I have heard so much about Jesus and how he lived his life, I go to church on Sundays and watch movies about the bible at home. I want to live my life like Jesus and be a good person. I’m very grateful for my family and my church for talking to me about Jesus. I’m going to ask God to forgive my sins and learn the ways of Jesus. I’m very excited to start my faith journey and to know more about what God has planned for me.

My name is Preston and I’m 13 years old. I’ve been going to church with my parents and younger brother for as long as I can remember. We spent many weekends and summertime at church in the classes where we learned more about God. I always ask God to forgive me for my sins, like arguing with people or not doing the right thing. I’ve listened to so many stories about God and Jesus how much he loves me, and over time I started to feel that in my heart. Watching people close to me trust Jesus and seeing how they live in their faith made me want to know Him more. I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to follow Jesus, and I realized that I don’t just want to hear about Him, I want to live like He did. The reason I follow Jesus is because I believe and have faith in Jesus to forgive me for my sins and why he died for us on the cross. God is the leader in my life, he is my savior, every time I have a question I go to God, or every time I sin, I go to God. My mom and dad have been the ones in my life who have led me to this point because they drive me to church on Sundays, and they pray with me. They help me with my homework or even workout hard times with God. Being baptized for me is setting my checkpoint in Christianity. I’ve been following God and Jesus my whole life and I think it’s time to take the next step, spending more time with God. In my life I will feel more confident and trust in Jesus more. He will lead me through the rest of my life, and I will thank him more often for the things he has done for me and in this world.

I started wanting to get baptized when I saw other people getting baptized and I realized that I wanted to put my trust in Jesus and get baptized too.

I want to put my trust in Jesus and get baptized because I think it is amazing that Jesus died on the cross for us so we would no longer sin.

The people who have helped me want to get baptized are my mom and dad. It all started one night when my mom and dad called me into their room and they asked me if I
wanted to get baptized and I said...YES!!

Getting baptized to me means that I am putting my trust in Jesus and basically starting a new life with Jesus.

This is my story and why I want to be baptized and put my trust in Jesus.

I decided to put my trust in Jesus at a church service when I was ten. It was the service where Mike Singletary spoke. I did the salvation prayer that the pastor led and it made me cry. I asked God to forgive my sins. I decided I wanted to follow Jesus my whole life.

I have a lot of family and friends who are believers and have talked to me about Jesus my whole life. I also have learned a lot from leaders at Christ Community Church and school. I have grown up in a home with parents who believe in Jesus. My mom and dad have taught me about Jesus and how he died for our sins from the time I was little. They dedicated me as a baby. I also have grandparents who have talked to me about Jesus throughout my childhood. I have been going to Christ Community Church in the kidsworld since I was a baby and have been learning about Jesus there. Starting in first grade I also began attending epic and have been learning about God’s word from leaders there for the past 5 years. I also go to a Christian school here at the church called A’ Latere and have learned a lot from the Bible and about Jesus from my teachers there.

The first Bible verse I ever learned was when I was 3 years old at Kidsworld Clubhouse Camp and it is still one of my favorites. It is Isaiah 41:13 “and I say to you, do not fear, I will help you. Jesus has helped me through tough times in my life and especially during my sports when I get nervous. I pray to him before my big sport events. I want to follow Jesus because he loves me and he died for my sins to save me. I want to live with him eternally in heaven.

Being baptized means that I am putting my trust in Jesus forever. By choosing to follow God I will be his child forever. I will keep working on my relationship with Jesus through prayer and reading the Bible and also being around other believers and my church family who will help me grow. I can’t wait to share my love of Jesus with my family, friends and my church family at my baptism.

This year, I had gone through an unimaginable thing that a 19 year old girl shouldn’t have to go through. I lost one of my close friends to a car accident, that was later ruled out as a suicide. This had altered my perspective of life and I felt my faith being tested. One thing that changed this was praying. God was always there with me. It’s known that God is close with the broken hearted and he helped bring me back up when I felt like I had no one with me. Even after all the wrongdoings of others that hurt me, I continued to love like my heart was never turned away. I want to follow Jesus because I want to do the same as he did. He brings the Lord's gospel to life. The people who have helped take these steps in life would be the people who wronged me. They showed me that I am able to fall and the Lord will help me get back up and be stronger than I was before. They have shown me that I can still love like Jesus did. Being baptized is incredibly important to me. My parents allowed me to CHOOSE when it was the right time for me and I now realize that was an incredible thing. My life will be different because of my trust in Jesus because I am closer to him and have now allowed him to fully have control of the choices I make.

I have grown up in a christian home my whole life. I have always been wanting to get baptized ever since my siblings got baptized. My parents have gotten baptized and that inspired me to follow jesus. I told my leaders and they prayed in small group that I would grow up to love Jesus my whole life. I will not be perfect because now one is perfect except for Jesus. God knew that I was going to change and keep following him my whole life. My favorite bible verse is Psalm 100 because my brother and I would say it every time we went to Epic.

Before I laid everything at the feet of the Lord, I was trying to be in control and on the throne of my own life. I would do everything in my power to try and control circumstances to ultimately get the outcome I desired. There is a reason I am not writing the story, and God is. God was not in a hurry, I was.

After failing multiple times and pleading, “What am I doing wrong?” I realized I couldn’t do this by myself, for he is in control. My older sister brought me to Christ Community around 4 years ago, and I was instantly moved to tears from the words of the worship songs. I then knew, “If God is for me, what do I have to fear?”

Since then, I have given my life fully to Jesus. For he is in control, I am not. And with that has come so much peace and comfort. Just as a worship song sings, “Don’t know what you’re doing, but I know what you’ve done.” I realize I don’t have to have it all figured out. Because he already does. God knows best, even when I don't understand what he is doing. I trust him fully.
I could finally let go, and let God!

I grew up going to Christ Community with my family, but throughout college and into my career I grew more and more distant from God to the point where I denied any religion and mocked Christianity as a whole. As an atheist, I never found fulfillment in life. The feeling that my only purpose was to wake up everyday and work until I die was overwhelming, and it led to a lot of anxiety and a feeling of a massive void inside me. For about a year, I turned to alcohol as a coping mechanism. At my lowest, I was drinking on a daily basis. Even though I knew I had an amazing life (amazing wife, place to live, family, etc.) nothing could shake the feeling that it was all meaningless.

Eventually I realized I couldn't handle taking on life alone. Around this time, I started seeing more and more testimonies online, and there were times where my parents would drag me to church and I would surprisingly feel a calming presence throughout the services, though I was reluctant to attend in the first place. I eventually decided to read Case for Christ as an objective approach to Christianity. By the end of the book, the evidence that Christ died for my sins was overwhelming. Here I was, broken and feeling useless, and yet the Creator of the Universe sent his only son to live a perfect life and die for me. Discovering that and truly believing it completely changed my life, and the night I finished Case for Christ I surrendered my life to him. Living as a Christian has totally turned my life around. I now see each day as a blessing from God, and I'm no longer chasing a high from alcohol because God's presence is enough. It's changed how I treat others, whether it's coworkers, family members, or a random person on the street, and as I strive to walk the narrow path as the Bible defines it, I've grown as a husband, brother, coworker, and man in general. Baptism for me is a public affirmation of my new life and faith, and I see it as my next step in growing closer to God.

At the end of 5th grade I lost my Grandpa to cancer. We were very close, and losing him was like a giant hole in my world. This caused me to feel so sad and alone, I was also going into middle school, worried and insecure. I was full of fear, and that’s when I truly wanted to know Jesus.

In the summer going into 6th grade, I knew I needed God to take control of my life. I wanted to follow Jesus because he died for me. I began to see all the sins I was doing. I then asked Jesus to forgive me. He loves me no matter what, and will always be there for me. My Mom, and Dad helped me take steps to begin my relationship with Jesus. My Mom and Dad helped me get involved in activities to learn what it means to walk with God. Refuge has helped me learn the truth about what it means to live for Jesus. Now that I have a relationship with Jesus, he really changed my life. He helped open my eyes to see all the blessings I have. At Refuge, I get to worship Christ with so many friends. I get to talk about Jesus and learn about Jesus. I’m learning how to pray and I don’t have to fear anymore because I know that Jesus will always be there and protect me. He has a plan for me and he wants me to trust in him. Proverbs 3:5-6 “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 your paths straight..

A little over a month ago I surrendered and repented to Jesus. Ever since I was pretty young I had been coming to church for things like Sunday school as well as some after school things. While I was young, however, I didn’t reA little over a month ago I surrendered and repented to Jesus. Ever since I was pretty young I had been coming to church for things like Sunday school as well as some after school things. While I was young, however, I didn’t really understand things very well and I didn’t quite understand the concept of repent and surrender. I believed in the Bible but I hadn’t connected to Jesus. Towards the end of 2019 and entering into Covid, we as a family had gone to church a lot less and it got to a point where we didn’t really go at all. 2 years later in 2022 my parents had made the decision to try going to Christ community church and ever since then we’ve liked it here, and I’ve connected a lot more with messaging and sermons. Throughout the time I’ve been at Christ community I have learned to believe in Jesus and I began to try and reflect on the weeks sermon topics throughout my days as they happened. Past this point whenever I had done something sinful, I would get a guilt from from the Holy Spirit to help me move me towards Jesus and god and eventually I had realized that Jesus was the only way to heaven and that I needed to surrender and repent to him at that time because tomorrow is never promised. ally understand things very well and I didn’t quite understand the concept of repent and surrender. I believed in the Bible but I hadn’t connected to Jesus. Towards the end of 2019 and entering into Covid, we as a family had gone to church a lot less and it got to a point where we didn’t really go at all. 2 years later in 2022 my parents had made the decision to try going to Christ community church and ever since then we’ve liked it here, and I’ve connected a lot more with messaging and sermons. Throughout the time I’ve been at Christ community I have learned to believe in Jesus and I began to try and reflect on the weeks sermon topics throughout my days as they happened. Past this point whenever I had done something sinful, I would get a guilt from from the Holy Spirit to help me move me towards Jesus and god and eventually I had realized that Jesus was the only way to heaven and that I needed to surrender and repent to him at that time because tomorrow is never promised.

I learned about Jesus when I started coming to Christ Community Church and KidsWorld. I started to read the Bible with my mom and sister at night and my mom taught us how to pray. One night my sister, Mackenzie, told me she surrendered to Jesus. I watched her get baptized after that. I wanted to get baptized too, but I didn’t think I was ready yet, and I didn’t want people to think I was only doing it because my sister did.

Everytime I wanted to give my life to Jesus I kept thinking I sinned too much today. My mom told me that is why Jesus died for me. So one night I told God I was ready. I said I am sorry for my sins and thank you for sending Jesus to die on the cross because you love us. I put my faith in you because I trust you. Now I want to get baptized because Jesus did and He told us to. I want to obey Him and celebrate with my church.

I know that God loves me. When I sin now, I don’t like it. I want my family and friends to be in Heaven with me someday. When I get baptized someone might be watching and think I am ready too. They might want to learn about Jesus and be made new like me.