What was your life like before Christ?: 

Christ has been a part of my life since the day I was born. On that day, I was not expected to survive so my parents had me baptized. My Grandmother told me that as my parents and other relatives prayed while observing my baptism through the nursery window, she saw my skin turned from blue to pink. 

My parents were active in the church and saw that my sister and I attended Sermons, Sunday School, Bible camps, Bible School, completed confirmation instruction and other Church activities. As an adult, I’ve been inspired and in awe of the beauty in the world God has created. Even though I know God has always been with me, I have felt something missing and blocking my path to a personal relationship with God, leaving me feeling lonely, fearful, guilty, angry.

How did God bring you into a relationship with Himself?: 

God has been present in my life starting with examples set by Parents, Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles. I know God has never given up on me even though I have fallen away from Him at times. God has blessed me in many ways. He entrusted me with a beautiful child when I had long given up hope of becoming a mother. God has led me through and out of tough times which only He could have done.

Share the time or moment when you decided to make Jesus your Lord and Savior:

At JCNAZ on June 23,2019, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior and entered into a relationship with God by repenting and turning to God and wanting to live my life God’s way. On that day, I felt the Holy Spirit working in me and cleansing me.

What has changed in your life since becoming a believer?: 

Since becoming a believer, I truly feel at peace with God. What a wonderful and freeing feeling it is to know I don’t need to do life alone and maneuver through it on my own. Knowing I can absolutely trust in God and knowing that His words are the truth is extremely comforting. When I find myself becoming fearful, I turn to God, put on His Armor, and proceed in faith.

What lead you to attend church at JCNaz?: 

Years ago, what initially drew me to attend services at JC Nazarene was observing the church’s presence in serving the community and not just their own members. Being greeted by smiling faces and a friendly “Hello” when you enter JC Nazarene warms the heart and makes a person feel welcomed.

How has God used the church and believers to impact your life?: 

My life has been impacted by Pastor Mark’s sermons which teach the word of God according to the Bible and delivers messages you would rarely, if ever, hear in other churches. Though baptized as an infant, I am ready to make a public confession of faith as an adult and to be washed clean and brought into the Body of Christ.

Who or what has influenced your walk with God the most?: Pastor Mark’s sermons which teach the word of God according to the Bible!

Briefly describe what your life was like before accepting Jesus Christ as Savior:

I was lonely helpless selfless depressed and confused troubled.

Describe who or what God used to help bring you into a relationship with Himself:

I guess he was always with me, but I never saw the signs until I went to my first foster home. He was a pastor and He opened my eyes to a lot of things around me; the good and the bad that God was showing me.

Share about the moment when you took a step of faith and asked Jesus Christ to become your Savior:

It was Sunday morning and I responded to an invitation given by the pastor for anyone who wanted to receive the free gift of forgiveness and salvation through Jesus. When I was in a lock down, I used to run away and go take drugs. One day, I looked around and there was no one there; it was just me. Sitting in bath tube crying for help, asking him to get me out of this situation.

What has your life been like since becoming a follower of Jesus?:

I feel like I can find peace.

What led you to become a part of JCNaz Church and how has God used this church to encourage you and help you grow in your relationship with God?

I use to go to church when I was in New York, but when I came out here there wasn't one to go to. Then one day Justin and Willie asked me to go to church with them and I said yes.

Briefly describe what your life was like before accepting Jesus Christ as Savior:

Before Jesus, I was battling unforgiveness, bitterness, and addiction. I lived a selfish life.

Describe who or what God used to help bring you into a relationship with Himself:

I grew up as a Christian but I lost my way. Last year my marriage hit some very big things. I didn’t handle it well. I began to drink a lot to deal with it. I went home to TN for awhile trying to figure out if my marriage could make it through this. I decided to turn to God but I still wasn’t living a Godly life. I ended up coming back to KS to try to work on my marriage. I completely turned away again from God and marriage didn’t get any better. Then 2 weeks before he deployed I found out I was pregnant. This was devastating for me at first I became very depressed for the first month of my pregnancy. But I knew I had to get it together I have 2 kids now and another on the way. I started listening to Christian music again and preaching on YouTube. Then starting coming to church. God spoke to me in a way I had felt in such a long time. In that moment I knew if I gave him everything trusted in him and obeyed him that it was all going to work out.

Share about the moment when you took a step of faith and asked Jesus Christ to become your Savior:

It was April 25 actually my daughters birthday and we had come to Jcnaz this was probably the second Sunday we start coming. And I felt the Holy Spirit speaking I needed to rededicate my self to Jesus as the pastor was giving the invitation.

What has your life been like since becoming a follower of Jesus?:

It has definitely been freeing I have let go of a lot of anger bitterness and been able to forgive. There are days I do struggle with forgiveness but when I begin to pray to God he gets me through it. I do have a greater desire to read more of his word and to become more like Jesus.

What led you to become a part of JCNaz Church and how has God used this church to encourage you and help you grow in your relationship with God?

I was looking for a church closer and someone on Fort Riley Facebook page recommended Jcnaz. I watched a sermon back around Christmas time and I really felt God leading me to come there. I came a couple times and really enjoyed it. But I stopped coming until April because I had fallen away from God.

Briefly describe what your life was like before accepting Jesus Christ as Savior:

I was on drugs. I was running the streets. I had trust issues. I was hanging around the wrong people.

Describe who or what God used to help bring you into a relationship with Himself:

I never gave up.

Share about the moment when you took a step of faith and asked Jesus Christ to become your Savior:

When I was on drugs, I got on my knees and asked him to help me and to stop running.

What has your life been like since becoming a follower of Jesus?:

I don't do drugs anymore and I don't have trust issues anymore.

What led you to become a part of JCNaz Church and how has God used this church to encourage you and help you grow in your relationship with God?

When I first came out here I wanted to go to church, but I didn't know how to ask anybody. My aunt asked me if I wanted to go to church with her and I said yes.

Briefly describe what your life was like before accepting Jesus Christ as Savior:

I held grudges and took pleasure in the misfortune of those who "did me wrong". I did not goes as far to directly seek revenge, but I enjoyed being a spectator as my foes "got what was coming to them." I thought of myself as a caring person and by the world's standards that was likely true, but I always thought of my personal needs first and above all others.

Describe who or what God used to help bring you into a relationship with Himself:

In my heart, I have known most of my life Jesus is real, but l lived as if I my desires were all that mattered. There was a period of 3 to 4 years, I lived for God during the mid-nineteen nineties, then I strayed far away for two and a half decades. When my wife and I had our daughter, we began attending church mostly for Christmas and Easter and eventually began to attend 2 to 3 times per month. The lord used the Covid-19 pandemic to show me how my decisions were disrupting his plans for me and used my wife to sign me up for Men's Encounter where the Holy Spirit sealed the deal!

Share about the moment when you took a step of faith and asked Jesus Christ to become your Savior:

I attended Men's Encounter with a closed mind and heart simply to "shut my wife up”! The first night and most of the first morning I stuck to the plan, be cordial and lay low. The speaker just before lunch shared a testimony of a struggle he overcame through the blood of Jesus. Well, just days before attending Encounter my own son confided in me, during an emotional a teared filled phone call he was wrestling with the same issue. During the call, I of course imparted my "fatherly wisdom," but at that moment (late morning 24 April 2021) at Encounter the Cross, the Holy Spirit revealed to me, that I could not fix my son nor myself, only God can. It was at that moment I repented and recommitted my life to Jesus our Lord and Savior!

What has your life been like since becoming a follower of Jesus?:

While I know I am far from prefect, I have sincerely let go of grudges that I held for years. Through scripture and prayer I feel god purging sinful desires and selfish pursuits from my life. I have a honest desire to serve.

What led you to become a part of JCNaz Church and how has God used this church to encourage you and help you grow in your relationship with God?

My wife and I began visiting JCNAZ off and on several years ago because it is one of the churches known in this area to be active in the community. Over the past two years we began attending regularly (3 to 4 times a month), the sermons are down to earth and easily applied to your daily life. I definitely know attending JCNAZ encouraged me to seek a renewed relationship with the Lord.