Baptism Stories

To watch a full video of the most recent baptisms click HERE!

At our last baptism services, 22 people were baptized and declared their faith in Jesus Christ! We witnessed and rejoiced as children, young adults,  and friends were baptized. Read below for their stories and how they’ve been #MadeNew in Christ.

 

Francisco Ibarra:

My name is Francisco. Before committing to Christ, my life was full of lies and emptiness. I decided to commit to Christ this summer at Hume. I could feel the Holy Spirit telling me to stand up and commit to Christ so I did! I trusted in Him because he is the person that can bring true happiness and show true love to people. I want to be baptized today because I have been through so much and God has helped me through those hard times.

Sharleen Mariano:

My name is Sharleen. I was born and raised Catholic but rejected my faith because I never felt a genuine connection with God. I felt like I was never good enough for anyone, especially my family and friends. This led to daily suicide attempts every day for 2 years. I decided to trust Christ when I realized the pain and heartache I felt, will never compare to the indescribable peace and joy that God will bring in the future. Through my faith, I’ve learned, that on my own, I only have enough strength to take life one step at a time; but with Jesus, he is able to liberate every step I take to climb and move mountains.

Joy Mikolyski:

My name is Joy. I have been in a Christian environment all my life, but never really knew how big God was. I committed to Him in fourth grade but it did not seem real, so I decided to recommit my life to Christ at Hume SD this year. Taylor and Heather prayed for me and I was amazed at how big God is and how much He matters. So far, this decision feels new and exciting. I want to be baptized tonight because I am completely ready and exhilarated to accept Jesus even further into my life.

Alex Ramos – Jimenez:

My name is Alex. My life before trusting in Christ was pretty lonely. I knew of Jesus but did not fully trust Him. I decided to fully put my trust Jesus when I committed to CA and the 678 program. This decision has made a difference in my life because it makes me feel at peace. I am so happy I finally decided to give my whole life to Jesus. I want to be baptized tonight to take the next step and deepen my belief in Jesus.



Kerra Sandey:

My name is Kerra. Before Christ, I was never really sure who I was. I felt very alone and thought no one cared about me. I decided to trust Christ during K.1.2 when one of the leaders explained the Gospel and it felt great to pray and accept Christ. I recommitted my life a couple weeks ago when Jake talked about growing in our faith. This decision has made a difference in my life because it gives me hope and courage to know that Jesus loves me. I want to be baptized tonight to grow closer to God and learn more about faith. I want to make a difference.

Stephanie Schaupp:

My name is Stephanie. I accepted Christ at a young age but I did not take my faith seriously. I always felt worried and lost, not having anyone to lean on in the hard times. I decided to take my faith seriously when my mom was in surgery. I felt there was no one to lean on, so I turned to God and found him right here waiting for me. Now I can give my burdens to Him and He gives me the comfort I need in all the ups and downs of life. I want to be baptized because it is an act of obedience to Christ Jesus.

Karla Serna:

My name is Karla. To be honest, my life before Christ felt hopeless and lonely. I was very negative and things brought me down. My best friend’s mother took me to church and it was there that I started to feel that things my family told me were wrong and the church was right. My friend’s mom helped me through this and helped me place my trust in Christ. By trusting God I have become more successful and I am able to pick myself up from any problem I face.

Ocean Todd:

My name is Ocean. Before I knew Christ I never really enjoyed Church. I came but never looked forward to it. It was just another thing I did because my parents brought me. Once I joined 678 I realized the true love God has for me. I went to Hume SD and there God really spoke to me, and I decided to pay more attention to Christ’s words. This lead me down a path of discovery where I decided to put my faith in Him. I realized his love for me was greater than words described. I want to be baptized to start out my new life with Christ.

Rita Koukache:

My name is Rita. Before following Christ, I was always really stressed and had no one to rely on. I decided to trust God when I wrote my story. I was looking at all the stressful things in my life and said now I put all my faith in Christ and His help will give me strength. This decision will be a major difference in my life because I will fully commit my time and trust to God. He IS and will ALWAYS be my Savior.

 

Tony Torres:

My name is Tony. I was lost for decades. I had achieves many goals in my life, but something was missing. I had a big hole in my life and my heart, and I tried to fill that hole with all the wrong things. The Men’s Retreat was a catalyst for change in me. It was a catharsis. I feel like the Spirit pulled back the scab to empty the pain of my past, and I feel a peace now. Since then my heart is at peace. My past is now just that. I am ready for the next chapter of my life. I want to be baptized today because it is the culmination of my commitment to a Christ centered life.

 

Claudia Gayton:

My name is Claudia. Before Christ, I would have moments where I was unforgiving and resentful. I felt spiritually alone. I was inspired to trust Christ by my daughter. I could see the change God made in her life, and I started going to services with her. She was such an encouragement. Since I made this decision I feel peace and forgiveness and I have more love in my heart for others. I was to be baptized today to give myself fully to the Lord, and to accept His love and guidance into my life.

 

Ida Sweetwater – Trinh:

My name is Ida. Before I was a Christian I was lonely, depressed, and partying. My high school boyfriends mom would “drag” us to church. I’m so thankful for that, for when I was 22 I started attending on my own searching for more. It was then that I accepted Jesus as my Lord. This decision changed my life in a positive way. He filled my heart with His Holy Spirit and gave me the love I always yearned for. Now I want to proclaim my walk with the Lord to everyone.

 

Matt Trinh:

My name is Matt. My life before Christ was full of anxiety and stress about work. That anxiety and stress would be relayed onto my family, and cause problems with them. I would always talk to God on and off especially when I was younger, but about a month ago I decided to make the commitment and put my trust in Christ. This decision opened my eyes to allow God to handle my anxiety and stress. My eyes have been opened to how wonderful my life is, and that I don’t need material things. I want to be baptized today to get a fresh start in my heart so I can be a better person.

Christian Clark:

My name is Christian. Growing up I was aware of Jesus but not on a personal level.  I was a people pleaser and found my identity in things other than Christ.  My freshman year of college was the farthest I would ever be from God, contemplating on how much I could get away with without “sinning”. In the summer of 2015 I realized that Jesus had been watching over me my whole life and was now inviting me to spend an eternity with Him. Since then He transformed me, and now I seek to share His love with all those around me. I would like to be baptized to publicly declare my commitment to Christ.

Looking for more information on baptisms at CA or know someone who wants to be baptized? Click here