I grew up in a Christian household. Church and Sunday school felt like an obligatory task I felt we had to complete. We were consistently the last ones in and the first ones out. For a long time, this was the extent of my faith, and it was all I understood or knew. Because it was so superficial, I often found myself going through times of agnosticism and doubt.
My wife and I married in 2018, moved from Southwest Missouri to Louisville away from all our friends and family, and began a family of our own. Although I felt joy, love, and excitement in our new lives, I felt something was missing.
My wife and I were invited to a friend's church, He Visto La Luz Christian Church. This was a community unlike anything I had ever experienced. The congregation as a whole was kind and wanted to help in any way that they could. I started to see the church in a different light and found myself looking forward to church and hearing the word for the first time. Even though this was a Spanish-speaking church and I didn’t understand much of the sermon, through its members I saw what Christianity was supposed to be, and what a church was supposed to be. Undoubtedly it was the Holy Spirit beginning to stir within me through the love and support of that congregation.
One night while speaking with a co-pastor, I was expressing many of my anxieties such as finances, work-life balance, relationships, and being a good father and husband. Not expecting to get straightforward and clear answers to all my questions. My friend responded with exactly that, the words of Christ from Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the Kingdom of God, and his Righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.” My life has been flipped upside down ever since.
My problems did not go away overnight. But, I have grown stronger by leaning on Christ when I have a problem rather than myself. I want to thank my wife for her relentless prayer. The Lord used her to show me what unwavering faith was all about. Christ has given me peace. I declare today that Jesus is Lord, and I believe in my heart that God raised Him from the dead. Today through Baptism I dedicate my life to Jesus Christ.