Hello everyone, My name is Alexi and today is a very special day as I publicly give my life to Jesus.

Church was a huge part of my life, but even though I grew up in faith, I never truly knew Jesus.

Throughout my life , my family is deeply devoted to the church we attended. But we were taught that it’s the only “One True Church” and membership inside the church is needed for Salvation, that Jesus is solely just a man.

I never questioned what I believed in because it was all I had ever known.

Despite being raised in the church, I was still living for the things of this world and didn’t really understand what it meant to have a real relationship with Christ or what it means to be a servant of Christ.

But God has a way of reaching us even when we don’t realize we need Him.

Through my partner, I began questioning my faith. He encouraged me to question my beliefs, to read my Bible, to start seeking the Lord whole heartedly and to consider listening to other Church’s worship service. I was very hesitant.

At first, those conversations were very difficult, frustrating and emotional, but looking back now, I truly believe God used those moments to open my heart. For the first time, I started searching for answers for myself instead of just believing what I had always been told.

That season of my life was one of the hardest and most emotional journeys I’ve ever gone through. I remember feeling lost, uncertain and did not know how to deal with my emotions . I didn’t know what was right anymore, and I was terrified if I was making the wrong decision.

What hurt the most was the strain it caused between my relationship with my family.

They were very disappointed, they believed I was turning away from God and following the world. But deep inside, it was actually the opposite.

When I first started coming to Cornerstone, it was the first time that I truly felt the Holy Spirit. It was an overwhelming feeling of love, comfort, tears of happiness and feeling accepted. For the first time in my life, I was truly searching for Jesus. Not just religion, not just tradition, but Jesus Himself.

Through all the confusion and fear, God never left me. Even when I doubted, even when I felt alone, He remained patient, loving, and faithful. He continued to soften my heart, guide me, and reveal who He truly is. Looking back now, I can see that every difficult moment was part of God drawing me closer to Him. He changed my heart little by little.

This journey hasn’t been perfect, and I’m still learning and growing every day, but now I understand that faith is not about following a church blindly, it’s about having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Living in this world can feel like a constant battle, but I thank God for calling me, for his unconditional love and his grace and for allowing me to go through situations even when it feels so uncomfortable to allow me to learn that my identity is found in Him.

Today, as I get baptized along with celebrating my birthday, I can’t think of a more meaningful way to start this new chapter of my life. I thank the Father whole heartedly. I feel like God is giving me a new beginning and with all my heart, I choose to follow Him.

Thank you everyone, for my friends, for being here and sharing this moment with me. Thank you for Cornerstone especially Pastor Jeremy, for guiding me through this very special day.