I was told from a young age that I was Catholic, but church was just something we did on Easter and Christmas. I knew about Jesus, but I didn’t have a real relationship with him. He wasn’t a priority in my life. I was baptized in sixth grade, but I didn’t understand what it truly meant.

After high school, I joined the military and now work as a police officer here in Louisville. My adult life has been filled with seeing the worst of the world—from deployments to Afghanistan to witnessing evil in our own city. All of it made me question my faith and whether God was even real.

In my lack of faith, I fell deeper into sin while also battling depression. On the outside, things looked fine. But inside, I was empty, overwhelmed by guilt and shame. Then one Sunday, sitting in a service at Sojourn, it felt like the pastor was speaking directly to me. In that moment, I knew God was calling me. I went to the connect room after the service, completely broken—and I was met with the care and support I needed. That day, I surrendered my life to the Lord.

Since then, the Lord has been working in and through me. Here I am, a year later, being baptized to celebrate the new life I’ve been given in Christ. I’m blessed to know Jesus. I know it’s only by his grace that I’ve been saved.

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