Jesus is saving and raising people to life! This weekend, we celebrate the new life brought to many through the Gospel. Below, you'll find the testimonies of those being baptized on September 27, 2026 at BIG Weekend.
We praise God for His great love!

Testimonies are listed in alphabetical order by last name. 

Before I was really introduced to the Christian church, I really didn't have a relationship with God, and I was living life as it went along, trying to do everything myself. When I was in a bad situation in my life, a Christian woman introduced me to her church and I accepted Jesus as my Savior. Since trusting in Jesus, I have developed an understanding of who God is, and why certain circumstances have happened in my life.  I find that I now have a relationship with God and that He will always be with me through the good and the bad in life.

I was born and raised in a family that trusts in Jesus so I don't think there has ever been a time I didn't trust in Him.
As I've grown older I've experienced God bringing me through any difficulty I've faced. In every aspect of my life, I see how much God has blessed me daily- as a wife, new mother, daughter, sister, and friend. At work in the ICU, I'm reminded of God's grace & power, & how blessed I am to be there for people in their difficult moments. My life has been one full of many joyful moments and an unending list of things to be grateful for. I know that I can always turn to Jesus, no matter when & no matter what. In every season of life, God has been and will always be my constant support.

I grew up in the Church and was blessed to have an amazing father who always pointed me towards Christ in all things. Although he was a deacon, and I knew about God, I wasn't walking with Jesus. Throughout my childhood, my father had always said his greatest desire was to see me baptized before he died. Unfortunately, he didn't get to see that. Though my entire family had been baptized, I held it off because I wanted to "enjoy life first." It wasn't until he passed suddenly, and unexpectedly, months before my wedding- that earth shattering moment, that all Christ's teachings, all my father's lectures, all my choices in life just became crystal clear. I knew where Dad was, I knew who I was, and that I was loved by a God who had gone to great lengths to reach me.

Since then, I have put him first in every decision- I've been blessed with a faithful wife and three beautiful daughters and it is my desire above all- to follow Jesus, center our life and family on him, and to tell as many people as I can about the wonder, power, and mercy of God. Truly a peace that surpasses all understanding.

Even though I grew up in the church, I did not understand the true meaning of what it meant to walk with the Lord or what it looked like to surrender to Jesus. I never had that real connection with God. In my teen years and into my 20s, I made bad choices in life which led me down a dark path full of depression and anxiety. I thought if I could fill that emptiness with the things of the world it would make me happy. When I became a mother during a failing marriage, I felt like I was losing hope and purpose, realizing God was not in the center of it. I was the prodigal daughter living in the things of the world. Out of complete desperation, I cried out to God. He showed up instantly, revealing himself to me like He's been waiting for me all these years. I did not want to live for myself anymore. I began to pray with faith, and for the first time I was spending time in His word. I was building a relationship with Jesus. I became God-fearing. I began to have discernment. I began to feel the Holy Spirit come alive in me.

That emptiness I experienced for many years was now full of a new love and peace that surpasses all understanding. God saved me. Now, in a God centered marriage, I am getting baptized alongside my husband and our oldest daughter Elise. Our 2 youngest daughters have been dedicated here at Emergence. I pray for their salvation and to one day see them baptized. Thank you Jesus for pouring your grace over me. Thank you Jesus for showing up and grabbing me when I cried out to you. I pray today is a start of a new boldness in my faith so I can share the great news of how Jesus transformed my heart.

I grew up going to church and I have known Jesus my whole life, but it wasn't until the students' winter retreat of 2026 that I finally accepted him and I was transformed by his grace. Today I am being baptized because I want to be more like Jesus and follow him for eternity.

I have had a heart for Jesus since I was little. I love learning about Him, praying, and growing closer to him. I was out on the deck and asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. I have learned about Jesus since I was little through my family, church, and learning about the Bible. As I learned more about Jesus and how much He loves me, I wanted to follow him. Since trusting in Jesus, I have more conviction when I sin or do something I know is wrong. I feel it in my heart, and it makes me want to ask Jesus for forgiveness and make a better choice.

I grew up Catholic and always believed in God. From a young age, my family helped introduce me to Jesus and played an important role in shaping my desire to follow Him. My grandma even gifted me my first Bible as a child, but I did not fully understand God's grace and His gospel. I was still following my own will for my life rather than following His, and that only led me towards things that hurt me, as sin often does.

My boyfriend openly talked to me about who Christ is, and slowly, I began to realize the truth of what Jesus had done for me. I felt called to listen to God through His gospel and to share that through baptism. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins which separate me from Him. I now understand He loves me so much that He took on my sin and pain just to have a relationship with me, and in response to that gift I seek to love and obey Him the rest of my life in which I wholeheartedly delight. I now also believe that I am saved through having faith alone in Jesus and through God's grace, not through any work of my own, not through sacraments, and not through how I feel, but through listening to and loving Christ my Savior and the truth of His word.

Since putting my trust in Jesus, my desire is to tell everyone how great He is, and how they too can live in the love of Christ. He has tremendously blessed me, and I am so grateful for His gift of salvation and the truth of His word based on who He is and not relying on my feelings for that truth. As a Christian now, He leads my life and everything I do is in service to Him and to grow deeper in my relationship with Him. As the apostle Mathew writes… "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." and this is what I am doing today through baptism.

Before I trusted in Jesus, I knew who He was, but I didn't really understand what it meant to have Jesus in my life. Then, I learned about Jesus through my family, church, and reading the Bible. As I learned more about what Jesus did for me and how He died for my sins, I wanted to trust Him and follow him with my life. Since trusting in Jesus, I feel closer to Him and I know I can pray to Him when I'm happy, sad, or worried. I'm learning more about Jesus and trying to follow Him every day.

My life before Jesus was filled with anxiety and fearful of my future. Even though I knew God, I didn't have a relationship with him. To know him and to follow and surrender to him has been the best decision in my life. I was raised in church and I thank God for being raised in a family that spoke openly of Jesus. My whole life I felt fearful to fully surrender my life to Jesus but I recognize that there is no peace outside of a relationship with Jesus. My relationship with Jesus is the most fulfilling part of my life! Since placing my trust in Jesus, my life has been joyful! I feel fully surrendered in knowing there is no true satisfaction in life without a relationship with Jesus.

Before I came to faith in Jesus, I felt like my life was just going in circles. I came to know Jesus through friends who were believers in Christ, and through singing and listening to the Scriptures preached in Church. Since trusting in Jesus, I have great joy knowing and believing that he is always with me!

Before placing my trust in Jesus, it was a marginal lifestyle at best. Being raised in the faith of the Roman Catholic Church was all I knew and was what was done in my family, God bless my parents for this. As I got older and started asking real questions about the Roman Catholic faith, I was met with resistants to my challenges of the faith. My biggest question was why I have to listen to a mortal man (Pope) voted into power by other flawed men. So I left the Roman Catholic Church but held on to the good values I was taught. Then years later Jesus was still working on me introduce me to Christian families. Now I knew where I was supposed to be with my faith, talking and praying directly to God, no middlemen needed. My life has become so much more peaceful and meaningful since coming to Emergence. The truth will set you free. I just look around and see the Lord's greatness. It's been great putting my trust/faith in Jesus' hands as told by Him to do. We have so little control over what we think we control so I let Him lead my life. Joining some church teams has been a great help and enjoyment.

Before fully trusting in Jesus, I went through a season of my life when I felt deeply lost and unsettled. I had experienced heartbreak, loss, and uncertainty, and I was struggling with the feeling that my life wasn't unfolding the way I had imagined it would. I had been trying so hard to be strong that I hadn't really stopped to process everything I was carrying inside. I found myself searching for something to ground me, to help me make sense of what I had been through, understand why certain things had happened, and find a way to move forward without feeling so weighed down. I was looking for peace and for something greater than myself to help me understand the timeline of my life.

During that time, I felt drawn to return to my faith, so I began attending service each week. I would leave each service with at least one piece of Scripture that stayed with me and gave me something to reflect on throughout the week. I eventually began serving in the nursery, which brought me so much joy. I loved spending time with the little ones and knowing that, while I cared for them, their families could sit in service and hear the Word of the Lord. I also found so much joy in the relationships I built with the people I served alongside. At the same time, I started praying more and talking to the Lord, bringing Him the things I was struggling to understand and asking Him to guide me. Little by little, I began to realize that I didn't have to figure everything out on my own, and I started opening my heart to what God was trying to show me.

Since trusting in Jesus, life hasn't suddenly become perfect or free of difficult moments, but I no longer feel like I have to carry everything alone. I've learned to turn to the Lord when I feel overwhelmed, uncertain, or afraid, and to trust Him even when I don't understand why things are happening the way they are. My faith has given me deeper peace and taught me that I don't need all the answers to know God is with me.

One of the greatest blessings in my life has been recently becoming a mother to the beautiful baby boy I prayed for. Becoming his mother has given me a new sense of purpose and shown me a kind of love I can't fully put into words. I want to raise him with a strong foundation of faith and teach him from an early age that he can always turn to God, that he is deeply loved, and that no matter what life brings, he will never be alone. I hope that through the way I love him and live out my own faith, he will come to know the same love and peace I have found in Jesus.

Looking back, I can see that God met me in that season when I was searching for something to ground me and help me make sense of my life. I didn't understand it then, but He was gently leading me toward Him. I'm still growing in my faith and learning to trust Him more each day, but I know now that I don't have to walk through life alone. More than anything, I pray my son will always know he doesn't have to either.

Before trusting Jesus, I was a daily user of and a relier on marijuana and nicotine. I cussed like a sailor, gossiped, and tried so desperately to fit in with those around me, whether it was how I dressed, things I did, or places I went. I was constantly anxious and found my worth in weed and being the person who always shared her stuff.

I grew up in a home that identified as Baptist and taught the basic principle that if you love and believe Jesus died for your sins, you would go to heaven. It was more of a "back-of-the-mind" thing for me; I knew that he died for me, but I continued to live however I wanted. Throughout senior year of high school to freshman year of college, I started to grow in my faith when I got my first Bible and really started to understand I can do very little on my own two feet, but relying on Jesus is how things change. On October 31st 2025, I heard the Holy Spirit for the first time, telling me it's time to put down the weed. That night I went and flushed my weed pen, and 40 days later I quit vaping as well.

Ever since that day I have found my worth In Jesus and what he has done for me and all of humanity (whether they accept it or not!) I have allowed myself to rest in the fact that he calls us to not be of this world. I have never felt such joy, security, or love in all of the 18 years BEFORE I accepted Jesus vs the 1 year since I have. I am so excited to grow and learn more about my Savior and continue to live my life for him. I absolutely still struggle with things, but knowing he won't let me sink if I keep my eyes on him has allowed me to perservere every time.

I've always believed in Jesus and trusted that He would always lead me in the right direction, but for a long time, I didn't truly understand what it meant to walk with Him, worship Him, and feel His presence in my life. Over the years, I attended many different churches, but I always felt like something was missing. I often found myself struggling to understand what was being taught, and I couldn't quite explain the feeling I was searching for.

Then my wife and I were invited to Emergence. The night before, I prayed and asked Jesus for understanding. I asked Him that if this was going to be the place where I could truly connect with Him, understand His Word, and feel His presence, that He would make it clear to me. And He answered my prayer. Walking through those doors, something felt different. For the first time, I felt like I was beginning to understand—not just hear the words, but truly receive them. I felt something in my heart that I had been searching for without even knowing how to describe it. I'm grateful for that invitation, grateful for my wife walking beside me, and most of all, grateful to Jesus for answering a prayer I had carried in my heart for so long. Sometimes, you don't realize what you've been searching for until He places it right in front of you. After getting married last October, my wife and I had a conversation about the future we wanted to build together. As we talked about starting a family one day, we both came to the same realization: if we are going to raise a family, we want Jesus to be at the center of it all. But we also understood that before we can teach our future children what it means to follow Jesus, we first have to learn what it truly means to follow Him ourselves. We want to grow in our faith, become more like Him, and live by the example we hope to one day pass on to our children. We know we won't be perfect, but our desire is to build our marriage, our home, and our future family on a foundation of faith, love, and Jesus. This is the beginning of that journey for us, and we're grateful to be walking it together.

Since putting my trust in Jesus, I've found myself becoming more forgiving, more patient, and more willing to let go of the things I can't control. I'm learning that not everything I want is necessarily what God has planned for me. If something is meant for me, I trust that He will make a way. And if it isn't, I'm learning to trust that there is a reason—even if I don't understand it right away. Maybe it's not the right time, or maybe it simply isn't part of the path He has written for me. Instead of being disappointed by what doesn't happen, I'm learning to find peace in knowing that God has something greater planned. That trust has brought me a happiness and peace I didn't have before. I may not always understand His plan, but I'm learning to trust the One who does. And for me, that faith makes all the difference.

Before fully trusting in Jesus, my life looked good from the outside. I had friends, relationships, went to parties, and was always looking for attention and validation, but none of it filled the emptiness I felt inside. I also struggled heavily with OCD and anxiety, and there were times when it felt like my own mind was working against me. I knew who Jesus was because my grandfather had planted the seeds of faith in my family, but knowing about Jesus was different from truly having a relationship with Him. I kept trying to fix myself and be better, but it only left me feeling more shame and further from God. I also want to give a lot of credit to my cousin Gab, who encouraged me in my faith and invited me to Emergence. From the first time I started going, I felt more connected to a church than I ever had before. Emergence became a place where my faith felt real and personal, and now it's also where I've chosen to be baptized. As I got deeper into God's Word, I began to understand that salvation isn't about trying to make myself good enough for God, but trusting in what Jesus already did for me on the cross. That's when I truly began surrendering my life to Him.

Since truly trusting in Jesus, my life hasn't become perfect, and I still have struggles, but I no longer feel like I have to face them or fix myself on my own. My relationship with Christ has given me a foundation that the things I used to look to for fulfillment never could. I'm learning to deny myself, take up my cross daily, and trust Jesus to change me from the inside out. My faith has become more than simply knowing who Jesus is—it has become a daily relationship with Him. That is why I want to be baptized: to publicly show that I have surrendered my life to Christ and want to follow Him.

Before I truly trusted in Jesus, I thought I could figure life out on my own from the outside. I may have seemed like I was doing OK, but inside I was searching for something I couldn't explain. I looked for happiness and fulfillment in friendships, relationships, experiences, and the things I thought would make me feel successful accepted. There were times when I felt lonely, anxious, confused and uncertain about my purpose. I wanted to feel loved and accepted, but I often look for that validation in people, and in things that could never completely satisfy me. I made choices based on what I wanted rather than asking what God wanted for my life. I knew about Jesus, but knowing about him was different from actually trusting in him. I kept trying to handle my struggles on my own. I thought I needed to have everything figured out, and I didn't fully realize how much I actually needed God.


I first heard about Jesus through the people and experiences God placed in my life. I've heard about Christianity before, but came a point when I realized that simply knowing about Jesus wasn't enough. I needed to understand who he really was, and what he had done. As I learned more about Jesus, I began to understand that he willingly gave his life for my sins, and that his love for me was not based on what I had done or how perfect I could be. He offered me forgiveness, grace, and a relationship with God.


Since beginning to trust in Jesus, my life has changed in ways I never expected. I'm still the same person in many ways, and I still face struggles, but I no longer feel like I have to face them alone. I have learned to bring my fears, worries, and questions to God and trust that he is with me. In only a short time Jesus has given me a definite sense of peace, hope, and purpose. My identity doesn't come from what others think about me, my accomplishments, or my many past mistakes. My identity is found in Christ and in knowing that I am loved and forgiven by God. I am also learning that following Jesus doesn't mean life will always be easy. There are still difficult times or seasons, disappointments, and moments when I struggle with doubt and fear. The difference is that I now have someone to turn to at all times which is a very relieving feeling.

I was raised in a Christian household, where I learned about Jesus all the time. My family attended church every Sunday and I read my Bible often. I knew of the love that Jesus had for me, but I thought that I had to be a near perfect Christian in order to be baptized. I never took the time to make Him the center of my life. By the time I was in 8th grade, I was battling anxiety, which felt like a burden I had to carry every day. I had unhealthy friendships that left me feeling hopeless and alone. I continued to go to church and acted as if I was a good Christian, but I had lost my identity in Christ. I then decided that I would try to take control of the problems I had alone.  After relying on myself for a while, I realized that any path other than Jesus' would never lead to fulfillment. I started to grow my relationship with Him and went to church camp, where my eyes were opened. It was then when I surrendered my life to Jesus. Since trusting in Him, a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders and I know that I no longer have to be on my own, for I was lost but now I am found. Although I am nowhere near perfect, I know that I am the daughter of a loving God.

My life before Jesus was lost and constantly looking for something to fill an empty void in me , that I wasn't aware that I had.
I constantly felt God calling me. Many, many times he has saved me in situations that I can't give credit to just being "lucky". He has blessed me even when I truly didn't deserve it. Since trusting in Jesus, in all honesty, it's a rush of emotions on a daily basis. I feel so at peace even in moments that I probably would have handled differently. As wonderful as it is to cry at times even when I look at the sky and just see everything God has created as beautifully perfect, I sometimes worry if I'm enough and will I make God proud especially after everything Jesus went through to save us all.

Before trusting in Jesus, my life was worldly. I thought the material things I had, and my success, meant something special. But that was only because I was basing it off what the world deems as important. At the same time, the world made me feel empty, insecure, inferior, and angry. I briefly learned about Jesus through family/friends, but I didn't give it too much thought as I was lost and had my own opinions. However, I would find myself praying and pleading for help whenever I experienced moments of sadness and darkness, and He would always answer. I knew in my heart that I needed to be better but just hadn't taken the steps until my family member started her journey and I began to learn more and understand what Jesus did and what it means. To know that his suffering and sacrifice was for me, is beyond amazing.

I am a work in progress but trusting Jesus has helped me be a better person. It has helped me understand what's truly important and the deeper meaning to our existence. That I am not what the world makes me believe I am. I understand that peace and love only come from Jesus. That I need to do my very best to follow what He taught. Trusting in Jesus has helped me value myself and see through the falsehood presented by the world. While I am more emotional, I've noticed I can handle overall stress better because I know He is always by my side and I'm never fighting alone.

Before knowing Jesus, I was consumed by anxiety. I felt the need to control every aspect of my life and it was debilitating at times.
I came to know Jesus through my boyfriend (now husband). We went to church through high school and college. I wish I had an exact moment to share about accepting Jesus as my Lord and Savior. For me, it was more like a growing love, reliance and understanding of Him and the gospel. And now I can't imagine living any other way! As I type this, I am tearing up. I truly feel like my life has been saved. I never felt so loved, safe and peaceful even through the toughest things life throws at me. I constantly relinquish all control to Him and have found so much joy and gratitude in living life with Jesus as my Lord.

I wish I could say I had a defining moment when I came to know and trust Jesus, but I do not. I have been a Christian as long as I can remember thanks to my parents to whom I am forever grateful. My parents led by example and taught us the truth of what Jesus has done on the cross, and what it looks like to love Christ. Although I have known and trusted in Jesus from an early age, over the last few years, my trust in Him and dependence on Him have deepened as I have walk through a personal trial and season of affliction. On a day-to-day basis, this trust has given me a sense of peace and hope, even in the midst of my hardest days.

Before trusting in Jesus, I trusted myself and thought I could handle things on my own, rather than putting my faith and trust in Jesus.
Since placing my faith and trust in Jesus, I have been experiencing true freedom and knowing I am fully loved by Him.

Before trusting Jesus my life felt boring it felt like I had nothing big for me in my life and that's pretty much it. I heard about Jesus by when I was younger I went to a church close to me and I was getting taught in a different language so that's why we moved to Emergence. The way that I came to respond to Jesus was by reading the bible and praying every single night. My life has been great since trusting Jesus, and now I feel like I have a wayyy bigger purpose in life in Him.

My testimony is best shared through the lyrics of Amazing Grace:

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now am found
Was blind, but now I see

Through many dangers, toils, and snares
I have already come
'Tis grace that brought me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home.

I was raised Catholic, but growing up, I never felt as though I had a real, personal relationship with Jesus. I believed that if I did not do everything right, God might not forgive me, hear me, or answer my prayers. I thought His love was something I had to earn.

Many years later, I found myself in a very dark place. I was trying desperately to achieve something I wanted, sacrificing parts of myself and becoming someone I was not in the process. I believed that if I could just do more, fix more, or figure everything out, I could somehow control the outcome. In many ways, I was trying to play God. Underneath all of that striving was the belief that I was never enough. There was always something else about me that needed to be fixed. I thought that if I could finally become perfect, then I could get what I wanted, protect myself from being hurt, and have some control over my life.

I was really struggling and that's when my dear friend Allison invited me to her church, and I was reintroduced to Jesus in a way I had never experienced before. I discovered a God whose love I did not have to earn. I did not have to perform for Him, prove myself to Him, or become someone else to be worthy of Him. He loved me simply because I was His. At first, it was difficult for me to accept that I could be loved that deeply without doing anything in return. But His love broke me open, and I have never looked back.

My relationship with Jesus continues to grow deeper through my Emergence family and the women in my Bible study group. We are able to be vulnerable and authentic with one another. We have each other’s backs, and as we grow closer to one another, we also grow closer to Jesus. I love my life with Jesus. I love how good He is. I could not live this life without Him. Today, I want to boldly proclaim His goodness and my gratitude for belonging to Him. Jesus never gives up on us. He pursues us. His door is always open. When we fall, He is the one who lifts us back up. He continues to forgive us, love us, and transform us. I am so grateful for the way He has transformed me and for how that transformation has touched every part of my life. It has changed the way my husband Jonathan and I love one another, the way we raise our son, Matthew, the way I show up for the people around me, and the way I think, live, and move through this world. Through Jesus, I have been made brand new. I am so grateful that I get to walk through this life with Him, knowing that one day He will carry me home and that I will spend eternity in His presence, worshiping Him. I am His, and He is mine.

Before trusting in Jesus, I lived a life of worries and uncertainty. I learned about Jesus in childhood, but now as an adult, I started to realized the truth of Christ as king. Since trusting in Jesus, I have pure guidance and blessing with Him leading the way.

When I was young, I always knew I would be a father to a great family but I couldn't see how. I was reckless. I had no guidance. In 5th grade I received a coloring book that introduced a stranger in a robe and sandal. It was Jesus. In middle school, we moved and started to attend a new church with a youth group full of people just like me. Above the alter it read: "Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?" Still wild & untamed, I began to pray and saw answers.
Since I have opened my heart to Jesus, I have had someone to walk with: a guide, a friend. I am more patient. I can take the time to hear another person's heart so I can guide them toward a place Jesus might lead them. I pray for guidance before I take action and do everything with the confidence that has been created in me through every struggle. Through faith, I found my wife Karin who has given me four children. Together we have built the family I dreamed about as a child. We're excited to welcome Jesus in our home, at our tablem and share Him with the people around us as often as we can.

My life before trusting in Jesus was nothing special as I found myself trusting in myself, not Jesus. I would trust in myself to do things and make decisions but I always felt like something was missing. I had been going to church for as long as I can remember but never quite found myself truly accepting Jesus. One day about two years ago, I was scrolling and came across a video of Bryce Crawford. Seeing him travel to go share the Gospel was amazing to me and watching more of his videos made me realize there was more to being a Christian than just going to church. So I started to pray more and eventually started to read the Bible. I would put on worship music and would listen to Christian podcasts to enhance my faith. Once I learned what it meant to be a Christian, I decided I wanted to take the next step and get baptized. Since trusting in Jesus, I've realized I needed him in my life. I found myself happier, more grateful, and less stressed when I realized I could talk to Jesus and ask him for strength and guidance in whatever challenge may cross my path.

Growing up Catholic, I always had an understanding of God, but I never truly understood the depth of Jesus' sacrifice for me on the cross.
I lived my life sinning without truly understanding the weight of my sin or what it meant to turn away from God. I didn't put God first, and I believed that simply being a good person or checking the right boxes would be enough to get me to Heaven. I knew about God, but I didn't truly know Him. My sister Carly helped me discover the true meaning of the Lamb and guided me to Him. She brought me to Emergence, prayed for me tirelessly, and helped me see God in a completely different way. Through her love and faith, my eyes and heart were opened to the Lord. Jesus has always been on time. Through the Lamb, He has given me the freedom and assurance of knowing that I am saved. He has given me peace in moments of struggle, fear, and anxiety. Peace that I could never find on my own. His grace and forgiveness have changed my life. I now understand that I don't have to earn His love or salvation. Jesus paid the price for me, and all I have to do is surrender my life to Him and trust in His grace. I am so grateful that He found me, opened my heart, and showed me what it truly means to know and follow Him.

Growing up, I always thought that getting to Heaven meant doing the right thing, attending church regularly, and putting others before myself. I knew the words "Jesus died for our sins" but never truly understood what they meant. Before I understood this, my sin drove me away from Him thinking I needed to hide from him. That I needed to do better before confronting him. I have since learned that the gospel is a story of a gift. A gift that Jesus has given to us through his sacrifice for us on the cross and is confirmed and completed in His resurrection. Gifts can be accepted or rejected. I am choosing to accept this gift. A God who gives me a gift like this is worthy of worship and living a life that is for Him. I am far from perfect; I'll be the first to admit that and those close to me know this well! But most importantly Jesus knew this. And still he chose to give his life for me. A free gift I am accepting into my heart. Now my sin is a reminder of how desperately I need him and drives me towards him when I fall short. What he's done to my heart gives me an urgency to share this with the people God has put in my life.

I was raised in a Christian home, always knowing Scripture and believing that Jesus died for my sins. Yet throughout my childhood and teenage years, I struggled with assurance, often feeling that God's love and my salvation depended on my ability to earn them. Fear often drove my decisions rather than love for God. In my late teens, difficult experiences brought hurt, anger, and resentment into my heart. I allowed that hurt to become an excuse to turn away from the Lord and start living for myself, but that only left me feeling empty and alone.
I am so thankful that God did not leave me there. He pursued me and drew me back to Himself. I began praying earnestly, asking God to reveal Himself to me, forgive my sins, and change my heart. Through that process, I came to understand more deeply that Jesus loved me in my broken and sinful state and that my salvation rests not on my works, but on His grace through faith.

Since surrendering my life and my future to Him, life's trials have me running to Him rather than away from Him. I am so thankful for God's faithfulness to me. I see Him constantly at work in my life, answering prayers and fulfilling His promises. I continue to seek Him through His Word and prayer, striving to live for Christ and be a light to others. I do not have to face this world alone—Jesus is with me, He will never leave me, and because of His sacrifice, I will be with Him in glory forever. Jesus is my only hope.

I have known Jesus my whole life, but I have never made it public. Over the last 25 years, I have learned much more about him and have seen his work in my life and my family's lives. My life has always been an incredible blessing. Jesus has been with me the entire time. But I was a private Christian and I enjoyed all the blessings in private. I used to worry about losing it all. I used to worry about how to be successful. Over the last few years God made it crystal clear that all those accomplishments and successes did not really come from me. I sort of knew that, but never fully surrendered to Him. Since surrendering, my life is so much more peaceful. I have better sleep, I love my family deeper, and I am increasingly amazed by the work of God in my professional and personal life.

Before fully trusting in Jesus, I often felt an emptiness in my life, as though something important was missing. Even when things were going well, I found myself searching for something deeper and more meaningful, a greater purpose for my life. Deep inside, I have always felt that I was called to do something meaningful with my life, but I came to understand that I could not fulfill that purpose through my own strength alone. I needed God. Through trusting in Jesus, I began to realize that whatever purpose God has for my life can only be fulfilled through His guidance and by His grace.

I had always known about Jesus and believed in God, but there is a difference between simply knowing about Him and truly trusting Him with your life. As I began searching for something deeper and more meaningful, I started turning more seriously toward God, reading His Word, praying, and trying to understand what He wanted for my life. Over time, I came to understand more clearly what Jesus had done for me, that He gave His life for my sins and offered me forgiveness, grace, and a new life through Him. I realized that I didn't want to continue living life only according to my own plans and desires. I wanted to surrender my life to Jesus, trust Him, and allow Him to guide me toward the purpose He has for me.

Since trusting in Jesus, my life has changed in many ways. I have found a sense of peace and purpose that I didn't have before. It doesn't mean that life has become perfect or that I don't face struggles, but I no longer feel like I have to face everything on my own. My relationship with God has become much more important to me. I find myself wanting to pray, read His Word, and seek His guidance in the decisions I make. I have also started looking at different areas of my life differently and asking whether the way I am living is aligned with what God wants for me. Most importantly, I have learned to trust that God has a purpose for my life. Instead of trying to control everything myself, I am learning to surrender more to Him, follow Jesus, and trust His direction for whatever comes next.

Before I placed my trust in Jesus, I was lost and living in the ways of the world rather than seeking God. I constantly tried to find fulfillment in things that could never truly satisfy me. I felt broken, empty, and without direction, and all I could see ahead of me was darkness. God was already reaching for me and leading me towards him and I continued trying to find my own way.

I grew up believing in God and attending a Catholic Church, so faith was always familiar to me. However, I never fully understood who God was or what Jesus had truly done for me. When I attended my first service at Emergence was when I began to truly learn about God, His word, and who Jesus is. As I continued learning, God began opening my heart and drawing me closer to him and I came to understand that Jesus gave his life for me so that I could be forgiven. God's goodness and forgiveness has showed up in countless ways in my life and I have never felt a greater love than his so I want to respond by surrendering my life to Jesus and placing all my trust in Him.

Since trusting in Jesus, I no longer see my life as a dead end. I now know that there is always a way forward because of what Jesus did for me. Everything won't always go the way I want or expect but I know that there is Someone greater than every circumstance I face. Jesus has become my Savior and my hope. He has shown me that I do not have to walk through life on my own. I am not perfect but I am no longer who I used to be and putting my trust and faith in him has given me strength when I am weak. My strength does not come from myself, but from Christ, and my desire to follow him and grow closer to him each day. I will forever be grateful for all he has done in my life and I place my faith and my hope completely in him.

Before trusting in Jesus, my life was filled with anxiety and depression. I began trusting in Jesus by praising him, attending church, and trying to live in his word. Since trusting in Jesus, my life is free of stress and worries along with being happier inside.

Before trusting in Jesus, I was always searching for some elusive sense of peace and happiness. I believe the underlying need was my deep desire for unconditional love. I thought this was something I was supposed to find on my own, and although unintentional, my unskillful choices led to some pretty painful outcomes that hurt not only me, but even worse, the people I cared about. I was raised in a faith tradition and believed in God and Jesus, and although I prayed, I believed God was a punitive father, His love was conditional, and that I got everything I deserved. I felt spiritually alone.

It was after yet another cycle of my familiar and painful patterns of behavior that I came to know the truth of what Jesus had really done for me. I was so emotionally weary and began attending a program that encouraged me to surrender to God (my Higher Power). I thought, well, if this is going to happen, I really need to know Him better, and it was like He heard my prayer and began to lay the path before me. Early in this journey, as I was listening to a podcast I heard Psalm 139:13-16. It was so immediately comforting to me I rewound it and listened again. I would hear this same exact Psalm a total of 3 times in 2 weeks. He knew me and I became incredibly thirsty for the Word. I listened to sermons online, read the Bible, went to meetings, and consistently attended church services. Through this process I came to know the enormity and deep significance of what my Savior had done for me by dying on the cross. I asked God for forgiveness.

I have a very different relationship with God now. Prayer is not a "one and done". I continuously talk to God throughout my day. When I feel overwhelmed or unsure, I remind myself of who He really is and why I can sit in the comfort of knowing how much I am loved by Him. I can surrender my difficulties and feel at peace. When I attend church services, it is not out of obligation or fear of punishment. I go to worship and sing God's praise for all He has done for me. I know I will make mistakes because I am human, but I also know that through the blood of Jesus I am forgiven and never separated from the One who loves me.

Before trusting in Jesus, my life was lonely. I came to trust in Jesus through being in a men's Bible study. I have been blessed to have a bunch of caring men that have helped me through a lot. Since trusting in Jesus, my life is peaceful. Having the 4 men who I became close with Nate, Spiro, Ron and Jon. They have been like brothers to me. I thank God everyday for the men's group, especially the 4 men I became close with.

Before trusting in Jesus, I was lost, I got involved with relationships that suffered with alcoholism, abuse, and anxiety and depression. I grew up with Christians but I lost faith. I became pretty liberal mindset but realized as it got crazier I didn't agree with the lifestyle. Then I heard Charlie Kirk and Jordan Peterson, and I started going through the lessons. Then I was stuck in situations that were terrible for my mind and realized the closest friends that I looked up to were all Christian, so I reached out and wanted to get reconnected. It has been freeing since I have come to trust in Jesus. I got reconnected with someone that I realized was the love of my life, I found purpose, and I just feel free in my savior!

Before trusting in Jesus, my life was chaotic. Filled with a lot of pain and anger. I heard about Jesus and began to place my faith in him when I started going back to Church. As I did, I noticed things changing in my life. It started with my decisions,  but things that always seemed to go south started improving. I started to read the Bible more. The more I turned back to Jesus, the more my life seemed to get more organized and clear. Less chaos, more structure.

Since placing my trust in Jesus, where doors were closed on me, new ones opened. In those moments when despair could set in, blessings were placed upon me. New doors opened for me I never thought possible. I lost my brother to mental illness. 6 weeks later, was laid off from my job costing me my home. Hours later, a call came in about a very lucrative job offer. I got the position and a beautiful new home within 5 months. I never let the hardship fill my mind with doubt or anger. I trusted that my Lord and Savior would watch over me and guide me to where he needed me to be. I am truly blessed.

My life before trusting in Jesus was very different to how it is today. Before coming to this beautiful church and putting my faith in Jesus, my connection with my family members was not where I wanted it to be. I also did not feel confident about my future even though I got into vet school and have a lovely connection with my significant other (Paulina). Now, my family and I connect very well and every time we get in a disagreement, I feel like God is guiding my words to how they are supposed to be expressed. Now, I feel confident and not anxious about going to vet school because I feel like the God is by my side. I also feel like the God is also guiding my relationship with Paulina and will help us deal with the long distance relationship.

I have always believed in Jesus, but I have never committed to reading the Bible and coming to church every week. A co-worker of mine recommended coming to Emergence, and at the same time my girlfriend told me I had to find the church that felt right to me. The first time I came to Emergence, I felt a completely different connection. I felt like the issues I had in mind, disappeared. All I wanted to do is connect with Jesus. I looked at my life and it made me realize that Jesus has always been guiding me. He guided me through my ACL recovery, college, and family issues.

Ever since I have been trusting in Jesus, my connections with family members have improved. I feel like my responses to my family members are always being guided by Jesus. With Jesus, my significant other (Paulina) and I have been improving our relationship by trusting in each other and in Jesus. We go to church with each other and have been communicating more. With Jesus, I feel confident about accomplishing my dream in becoming a veterinarian.

I grew up going to church, so I always knew about God and had faith in Him. But after losing my dad at a young age, I went through a lot emotionally. I struggled with depression, anger, and anxiety, and there were times when I felt hurt, lost, and overwhelmed. Even though I knew about God, I didn't always fully trust Him with my pain or understand why certain things happened. I tried to carry a lot of my struggles on my own. Looking back, I can see that I needed a deeper relationship with Jesus, not just knowing about Him, but truly trusting Him with my life, my pain, and my future.

As I got older, I started realizing that there was a difference between knowing about Jesus and actually knowing Him. I found myself wanting to understand my faith on a deeper level and not just because I had grown up going to church. I started paying more attention to the ways God was working in my life and became more aware of how much I needed Him. That led me to open my heart to Jesus and begin trusting Him in a way that felt more personal and genuine to me.

Since trusting in Jesus, I've noticed a change in the way I look at myself and the things I go through. I'm learning to have more faith instead of always needing to have everything figured out. I've also learned that following Jesus doesn't mean life becomes perfect, but it does mean I have someone to turn to and a reason to keep moving forward. I'm still growing in my faith and learning every day, but I feel like I'm becoming more intentional about the person I want to be and the relationship I want to have with Jesus.

Before I truly trusted in Jesus, I went to church on a regular basis with my wife and children in the early 2000's but I felt I was never close with the Lord, never opened the word, and never prayed. I was going through the motions of being a Christian. In my early forty's I went through a very dark period of my life that went on for eight years. At first I thought I could take care of it myself and I was strong enough to stop what was happening to me by myself and everything would be fine. This went on for four years and decided I needed Jesus to help me with what I was battling. I prayed every day to Him to take this from me and he always sent the same thoughts to me while I was in prayer. He said to me, "you have to confess your sin and bring it into the light" which meant tell my family what I had been doing. It took me four more years till I finally gave into Jesus and decided to tell my wife and family what I had been doing and for how long, knowing that this would cause pain and could jeopardize my marriage. After I brought my sin into the light, the urge to drink was taken from me and, even though it was painful, Jesus saved my marriage and my family. I followed what He wanted me to do instead of the way I wanted to go and his way worked out. I have had the best 10 years of my life speaking with the God that saved me every day. That is why today I need show an outward trust in the Lord because I already have an inward trust in Him.

I was raised Catholic, but never really had a relationship with Jesus.  After getting married and having our children, I began to think more about God and my faith.  My parents were very close to two couples who were very strong Christians, and I always loved hearing them talk about Jesus.  Their conversations were very different from what I was being taught in church.  I had so many questions, and I began to realize that I needed more answers. Our priest didn't have the answers, so we tried different churches.  We finally attended a Baptist church and felt instantly at home.  I began to get to know Jesus there.

Later, I was diagnosed with cancer, and I felt completely helpless.  I had no control over what was going on with me physically, but I trusted in the One who did.  I remember sitting in the oncologist's office as he was talking to me and my husband about my options, and I felt so much peace—a peace that surpasses all understanding. Yes, time and time again, fear crept in, but I kept holding on to Christ.  One of my favorite verses is from Psalm 121.  "I will lift my eyes to the hills, from whence comes my help?  My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth."  To me, it speaks volumes about His greatness and exceeding power.

I know that baptism is something that God commands us to do, but I kept holding off.  I would doubt my salvation, never feeling worthy or good enough.  But I know that those are all lies.  I know the Lord is always there and has never let me down.  So many times after praying, I open my Bible, and the page I turn to is exactly what I had been struggling with.  I am always overwhelmed by how He answers me.  I am getting baptized today because I have put my faith and trust in the saving work of what my beautiful Jesus did for me at Calvary.

When I was younger, I went to church, but I was a child and didn't really understand or take my faith seriously. As I grew older, I continued to believe in God, but I didn't make Him a priority or have a close relationship with Him. Over time, I started to feel like something was missing in my life. When I decided to seek God again and get closer to Jesus, I began to see my life differently. I realized that simply believing God existed wasn't enough, I needed to truly trust Jesus and allow Him to guide my life.

As I started seeking God again, I began learning more about Jesus and what He had done for me. I came to understand that Jesus gave His life for my sins and that salvation is not something I can earn on my own, but something I receive by putting my faith in Him. The more I learned about His love, His sacrifice, and His grace, the more I wanted to surrender my life to Him. I realized that I didn't just want to believe in God from a distance, I wanted to truly follow Jesus and have a relationship with Him.

Since trusting in Jesus, my life has not become perfect, but it has become different. I have more peace knowing that I don't have to carry everything on my own. I've learned to pray, trust God, and seek His guidance instead of always trying to figure everything out by myself. My relationship with God has become more personal, and I'm learning every day to put Him first and follow His will for my life. I still have struggles and things I need to work on, but now I know that I don't have to face them alone. My faith in Jesus has given me hope, peace, and a new desire to live my life in a way that honors Him.