“I’m not getting baptized because I have everything figured out. I’m getting baptized because I know who I want to follow.”
On Sunday morning, Jo declared her faith in Jesus through baptism. Chasing things she thought would bring happiness and fulfillment had led her to a dark place. But even then, God was pursuing her.“I started reading the Bible, praying more, worshiping, and genuinely looking forward to Sundays.”
Little by little, God was drawing Jo to Himself, and He continues that work today. “There were times when I found myself slipping back into old habits, but somehow, I always found my way back to Him.”
Jo shared how God has blessed her and her fiancé, Jordan, as they've pursued Him together. Through obedience, they've begun letting go of the things that once held them captive, choosing instead to follow Jesus. Jo knows that doesn't mean she'll never make mistakes or fall short. “But the difference now is that I know where my hope, my peace, and my identity come from.”
After Jo's baptism, Jordan shared a promise he had made to God in prayer a couple of years ago: “Lord, if You do this for me, I promise You I will not hold it within me. I promise I will tell everyone that I can tell.” On Sunday, Jordan did just that.
For much of his life, things had come easily to Jordan. But when adulthood brought challenges, the confidence he'd built in himself began to crumble. He tried to overcome his struggles through sheer determination. “I tried to do it in my own power, and it fell apart.”
When he could no longer hold everything together on his own, Jordan turned his back on Christ and walked away from the church. Afraid of judgment, he sought refuge in a lifestyle that took him further into darkness, to a place where he believed he was beyond saving.
“I didn't see any way out,” he shared.
But God was not finished with Jordan. Through the faithful friendship of men who walked alongside him and the love of the church, God continued to pursue him.
“I've actively seen the Lord take something that I destroyed and somehow turn it around for His glory.”
Standing before his church family on Sunday, Jordan fulfilled the promise he'd made in prayer, openly declaring what God had done in his life. And for anyone who finds themselves in a place of hopelessness, he offered this encouragement:
“I promise you, no matter where you are, He will answer.”
Hear Jo and Jordan’s full stories and watch their baptisms here!