I was baptized in the Catholic church as an infant, but it was my Mormon baptism at 13 that greatly impacted my story. One day, when I was 15 and in a Sunday scripture class, I learned that I could become the god of my own planet. This immediately didn’t sit right with my spirit and led me to ask Jesus into my life, read The Bible, and journal my walk. I left the church soon after.

Still, much of my young adulthood I felt lost. I vacillated between new age beliefs and Christian denominations, loaded with doubts and yet also self-righteousness. Was Jesus really the only way? Couldn’t I put together my own spiritual path? What Jesus taught and commanded felt hard to follow and, honestly, it felt easier to create my own religion and be viewed as open and spiritual than to believe in Jesus and fear being viewed as narrow-minded.

Luckily, God always pointed me back to that year when I was 15 and I desire now what I desired then: to live a life pleasing to God, not one apart from God, one where I try to be God, or one where I care what others think. Philippians 1:6 (NIV) says, "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." This verse has been my anchor, reminding me that despite my wandering and unbelief, God is faithful to continue the work He started in me back when I was 15.

I am grateful for God’s mercy and grace and that He led me to Sojourn. My sanctification is in his hands. Jesus and his Word are the ultimate source of truth, and only he is my Redeemer!

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