My decision to publicly declare my faith did not come spontaneously or suddenly, but rather through a series of events that happened within the past few years. Growing up, like many of my peers here, I went to church and attended Sunday school regularly, but for some reason I could not bring myself to make the lifelong commitment to becoming a Christian. A mixture of doubt and lack of priority is what kept me from making this choice. There was always something more important or more pressing than taking time out of my day to devote to God. I would often find myself overly stressed about school or extracurriculars, and that was a large amount of unnecessary anxiety and worry — all because I put my faith in what I could do instead of trusting God and putting faith in His plan for me.

 However, things began to change when my family took a trip to Israel. Being able to walk on the Via Dolorosa path and stand in the church where Jesus was laid to rest before His resurrection made everything so real and vivid. Seeing the cities and places I grew up reading about in the Bible in real life was such a surreal experience. After that trip, I was inspired to make God more of a priority in my life and to start my journey to becoming baptized. However, not too long afterward, I fell back into the routine of prioritizing other matters over my relationship with God.

 I am hesitant to say this, but “luckily” the pandemic happened. It was a blessing in disguise. I spent my time during quarantine thinking about my relationship with God and about whether I wanted to live a life as a Christian in the future. Over time, I realized how attending church and serving was a large part of my identity. I found so much joy in being able to serve at summer VBS camps and the Children Ministry and sharing the gospel with adoring children. My morals and experiences are products of my belief in Christ and upbringing in the church. My faith kept me grounded through life, and when I disregarded and suppressed it, a flood of doubt and worry would plague my mind. It then became clear to me that I wanted a future and strong relationship with God. Feeling overwhelmed by the stressful school year, I turned to Him for guidance and peace. Admitting that I was a sinner and accepting Him into my heart was such a relief. Slowly but surely, the unnecessary stress and worry began to fade. I felt a huge weight lift from me because I knew that God has a plan for me and that I don’t need to stress on the small details.

Once I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart, I knew that I would be embarking on an exciting journey for the rest of my life as a Christian and member of the church. While I still struggle at times with balancing my relationship with God and other responsibilities, I know that through His guidance everything will work out in the end.