“I still have a lot of growing to do in my faith, and I definitely don’t have everything figured out. But I know that I want God to be a consistent part of my life, not just someone I turn to when things get difficult. For me, baptism is the next step in that journey. It’s my decision to grow my relationship with God, strengthen my faith, and commit myself to following Jesus.”

______

I grew up in the Catholic Church, although we mostly attended church on holidays. I always knew that I believed in God, but I don’t think I really understood what that meant for me personally. When I went to college, I started exploring different Christian groups and learning more about Christianity. I liked what I was learning, and I became more curious about my faith and what it meant to actually have a relationship with God. A few years later, I met my husband, who was already a believer. Through him, I grew closer to God, but I still had a lot of uncertainty. I knew I believed, but I wasn’t really sure what I believed or what my own relationship with God looked like. More recently, I have gone through some difficult times. I’m someone who likes to figure things out and find a solution. I like having control, even when I’m dealing with things that I really don’t have control over. Sometimes trying to handle everything myself works, but other times it creates more stress than good. As I started focusing more of my time and attention on God, I began to notice a difference. My problems didn’t necessarily go away, but I had more clarity and was able to handle my emotions differently. I’ve also noticed that when I stray away from Him, even if it’s only for a week or so, the little issues in my life somehow start to feel much bigger and more complicated. And I have to be honest, when my life feels like a mess, I still sometimes forget to pray. I go back to trying to figure everything out myself. But then someone or something reminds me that I haven’t prayed about it. That’s when I stop and pray or ask someone to pray for me. And almost every time, I’m reminded again that I don’t have to carry everything or figure everything out by myself. I’m still learning to let go of my need to control everything and to trust God with the things I cannot control. I still have a lot of growing to do in my faith, and I definitely don’t have everything figured out. But I know that I want God to be a consistent part of my life, not just someone I turn to when things get difficult. For me, baptism is the next step in that journey. It’s my decision to grow my relationship with God, strengthen my faith, and commit myself to following Jesus. – Perla Del Rio