When I was in elementary school, I knew that the Lord was powerful, but I didn’t truly understand what it meant to have a relationship with Him. That began to change when my parents sent me to an overnight Christian camp. During a lake activity, my canoe capsized, and I nearly drowned. Through the Lord’s mercy and grace, I was rescued.

My life took another turn when I moved from Ohio to Tennessee. The culture and school environment were completely different, and I struggled without the friends and community I had left behind in Ohio. The transition took a toll on me mentally, but even during that difficult season, the Lord was with me. I prayed every night for friendships and community, and just two weeks later, those prayers began to be answered. I went from wandering the halls with nowhere to sit to eventually becoming homecoming king of my freshman class.

I also became involved at Brentwood Baptist Church, where I was baptized during my senior year of high school. However, I took that step mainly because my parents wanted me to in order to be “ready” for college. When I started college, I was blessed to find a Christian community almost immediately. I found a great church and formed friendships that I still have today.

During my sophomore year I sprained my ankle when I fell from a couple of concrete steps. I experienced an overwhelming outpouring of care from my Christian community. My friends immediately drove me to my dorm, brought me food, and prayed over me. That evening, my friends took me to house church, where everyone gathered to pray over my injured ankle. Although it wasn’t completely healed after the prayer, I felt well enough to walk without my boot or crutches.

That weekend, I shared my story with the church and chose to be baptized again—this time out of my own faith and desire to follow Jesus. It marked the moment when I fully dedicated my life to serving the Lord in everything I do.