My name is Lovelyn. My parents converted to Christianity when I was two years old, so I would say that I’ve always known about Christ. Our family moved around different churches for a while before we eventually settled at WEFC when I was six years old. Today, I’m thankful for the opportunity to share how God has been working in my life and how I came to truly know Him personally.
Even though I grew up in church, everything I knew about Jesus was mostly head knowledge. Church had simply become part of my routine. It felt strange to not go because it was something I had always done.
When I transitioned into youth ministry, I made sure I attended all my LCG sessions, but that was about it. I didn’t try to grow deeper in my faith because it felt more like a chore than something meaningful. I knew many of the stories in the Bible, especially the story of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, but after hearing it so many times it became something I was almost desensitized to. To me, it felt more like a piece of history than something personal.
Between age 7 and 12, my parents went through a separation which eventually led to a divorce. Because I was so young, I didn’t understand what was happening, and I felt very confused and upset.
During that difficult time, the only thing I knew to do was pray. Every night I would recite a prayer that I had written in my notebook and read a page from a devotional book my mom gave me. I hoped that if I kept praying and tried to be a “good Christian”, God would eventually bring my family back together. That didn’t happen, and it was hard for me to understand why. However, throughout that time I remembered my Sunday school teacher telling me that sometimes God answers prayers with a “no” because He has something better planned. I struggled to believe that, but I still held onto that hope.
When I entered secondary school, I tried to put those feelings behind me. I continued attending church regularly because my mom brought me every Sunday, and later I also attended LCG on Saturdays. Over time, I made some good friends in my LCG, which encouraged me to keep coming.
When I was 15, the church invited Awaken Generation to lead youth worship. During the worship session, something unexpected happened. I suddenly started crying, and I knew it wasn’t because of anything I had done myself. When the altar call was given, I went forward and knelt at the front. Before, I had attended many children’s camps where I prayed to accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior. But that day that Awaken Generation led worship was the first time that decision truly felt personal and real to me. When the worship leader invited those who wanted to commit their lives to God to step forward and kneel, I responded. Someone prayed over us, and in that moment, it was the first time I truly felt that God was real and present.
As I continued growing in my faith, I began to understand more deeply who Jesus is and how perfect and loving He is. Reading about Jesus in the Bible made me realize how far I had fallen short and how much I needed Him because there was nothing I could do to redeem myself. It also reminded me that no matter how my life turned out, I had peace knowing that as long as I had God’s gift of salvation and walked with Jesus, I will be okay.
However, when I was around 16 to 17, I stopped doing my nightly devotions because it felt like there was no point. I knew about God, but He didn’t seem present in my daily life or quiet time. About a year later, a friend gave me a really beautiful Bible for my birthday. It felt like such a waste to just leave it aside collecting dust, so I decided to start doing my devotions again. But this time, I wanted it to be different. I didn’t want it to feel like a routine.
Instead of just reading one page of a devotional and going to sleep two minutes later, I began reading the Bible more carefully. I would read the passage, look at a commentary, and made sure I had at least one takeaway from what I read. What used to be a two-minute devotion slowly grew into 30 minutes or even an hour.
Something changed during that time. I began to feel a sense of peace when I spent time with God, and I started to have genuine joy in reading the Bible.
Now, when life becomes difficult, I know I can rely on God and trust that He has a plan for me. Talking about the Bible or sharing about God no longer feels intimidating, but instead brings me joy. Life doesn’t feel as heavy because I know that God remains constant through everything.
For a long time, I thought baptism wasn’t necessary because I knew that baptism itself doesn’t save us. But later I began thinking about the analogy of marriage. Just like how a wedding ceremony publicly shows a couple’s commitment to each other, baptism is a public declaration of my commitment to God. I realized that if I truly want to follow Jesus, baptism is an act of obedience and a way to show that I am not ashamed of my faith. Through baptism, I want to declare publicly that I belong to Christ and that I choose to live my life following Him.
I would like to thank God for His constant presence in my life. Even though I am undeserving, He continues to love me and guide me. When I reflect on that, it amazes me that someone could love me enough to save and redeem me. I’m also very thankful for my LCG and my LCG leaders. They have been a safe space where I could share my struggles and receive encouragement throughout my journey. I’m grateful for how God has used them to support me in my walk with Him.
