I grew up going to church, and I’m incredibly grateful for the foundation that gave me. Church was always something I enjoyed. I went to Sunday school, AWANA, VBS in the summers, and other church activities. My parents also made faith an important part of our family life. We would pray and read the Bible together every night, and they were my main role models for what it looked like to live as a Christian.

On my 13th birthday, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. In fact, I remember making that decision a few more times afterward at VBS and Sunday school, just to make sure I had done it correctly. Looking back, I can smile at that, but it also shows how important that decision was to me. I knew that I wanted Jesus to be a part of my life.

As I’ve grown older, my faith has continued to develop. During university, I wasn’t as involved in church, and I realize now how important it is for me to be rooted in a church community. After I graduated. God used that opportunity to bring me back into the life of the church and strengthen my relationship with Him.

The older I get, the more I understand what Jesus has done for me. I am eternally grateful that Jesus died for my sins and saved me. What means the most to me is His forgiveness and His love. I know that I don’t earn salvation through what I do. It is a gift made possible through what Jesus did for me on the cross.

I am now entering a new chapter of my life and as I begin this new season, I want my relationship with Jesus and my connection to the church to be at the centre of my life. I want to continue growing closer to God, make Jesus the centre of my decisions, and continue learning from Scripture.

That is why I have decided to be baptized. For me, baptism is a public declaration that Jesus is Lord of my life. It is a way of publicly affirming the decision I made when I was 13 and committing myself to continue following Jesus for the rest of my life.

One verse that has been especially meaningful to me throughout this process is Proverbs 3:5–6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” As I begin this new chapter, I see baptism as a reminder of the new life I have in Christ and a commitment to continue growing in that life.

I want to thank my parents for giving me a strong foundation while also giving me the space to make my faith my own. I’m also grateful for the pastors who have supported me throughout my faith journey and helped me reach this point.

I’m excited to take this step and publicly declare that I belong to Jesus.