When I was little and visited my dad on weekends, my stepmom would take us to Evangel Kids Church. I hated waking up early, but I loved the services. Even as a child, I remember feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit. But as I grew into an angsty teenager in a dysfunctional family, I began to drift from the faith. I turned toward paganism, witchcraft, and New Age beliefs. In my early twenties, I got caught up in the “cult of personality,” partying, and substance abuse.

During that time, I met the love of my life, Shawn, who often talked to me about Jesus and his love—even when I wasn’t ready to hear it. I also began wrestling with deep questions about my gender identity, questions that were being shaped by the messages and validation I received from friends and culture. In late 2023, Shawn started watching a lot of Christian apologetics videos. At first, I was annoyed. But one day, I heard someone ask, “if there is no God, what is evil?” And that question struck me. I realized that if there were no God, morality would just be subjective—and I knew that couldn’t be true.

From that moment on, everything began to click. It felt like waking up from a strange dream. The more I listened, the more it became clear: Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He knew me, loved me, and wanted a relationship with me—even while I was dead in my sin. Knowing that truth brought peace and clarity. I became more comfortable in the body God had given me. I no longer felt confused about my gender or the need to use different pronouns.

I asked Jesus into my heart and received his forgiveness. As we began attending Sojourn, I knew I wanted to be baptized—to publicly declare that Christ is Lord, that he has washed away my old self and made me new in Christ Jesus.

---