Worship Wednesday

My Sunday was amaaaaazing. It was full of the Lord, family, love, and new beginnings, and I am so grateful for what this day brought me. I have been really diving in to my new church home now that I have put down permanent roots in Benicia, and I couldn't be any more blessed. All week long I count down the days until Sunday mornings (and now Wednesday evenings since I've joined a community group which has been AWESOME) so I can go and worship and grow my relationship with Jesus, and I feel as if God has really been working inside of me in such a way I've never experienced before. A few weeks ago, our Pastor informed us they would be conducting baptisms and I felt as if God was really laying this on my heart. So after some thought, I made the decision to be baptized, and it was an AMAZING experience!

After talking with our Pastor about the process, he informed me that he would like me to share my testimony, and at first this made me a little nervous. I felt as if I didn't have an AHA moment to write about, I had never hit rock bottom and had to work my way back from something, my life has always been pretty normal and I have been one blessed woman. But Pastor Ken told me that I didn't need to worry about it, that my story with Jesus was the best story I could ever have because it was mine. So I sat down and really had the chance to look at my relationship with God and write about my story. It was really cathartic, and eye opening, all of the things God has navigated me through, to get me where I am today. Taking this next step into discipleship and really growing my relationship with Jesus is something I am so excited to continue. 

I was lucky enough to have my wonderful fiancé, my parents, and my future in laws come to church with me today to support me and it was fantastic. As I stood in the tank of water, with my Pastor by my side, with my church family looking on in support, as I gave my testimony, I became overcome with emotion towards the end as I felt God wrapping his arms around me telling me that this was a huge step, that He was going to be with me for the rest of my life. And I tell you, I sure feel like a changed woman. It was amazing to be in a room so full of love for Christ, I felt it enveloping me as Pastor Ken lowered me into the water. I came out a new woman, and new follower of Jesus Christ, and I can't tell you how blessed I am. 

Here is my testimony if you care to read my story :) 

My Story

Good Morning. My name is Kendra and I’ve been a member of the Northgate Family since May and I am so grateful to have found my church home.  A few weeks back, Pastor Ken spoke of what baptism means, that it is a beginning point and not an end goal. I felt as if God was speaking directly to me and really laid this on my heart.

I grew up in the church, but my view of it was having to get up early on Sunday mornings, wear really uncomfortable clothing, and sing songs that I didn’t understand. As I got older, I began to become really serious about playing sports, and my Sundays now consisted of early morning soccer games rather than going to church. It became really easy to prioritize the other aspects of my life ahead of God, and at 16, I felt I didn’t need God’s help.

But as I got older, graduated, went off to college, started to grow up, that’s when God really started working inside me. While I was in college, I checked out a couple of churches, became part of an all girls bible study, but was still struggling with my walk. As I was trying to find my roots with Jesus, I always found myself comparing my relationship with Him with other’s outward relationship with Him and I just never felt good enough. I always felt that He was with me,  but I didn’t really know or understand what it meant to walk through each day with Him so often times I would cast God aside because it felt as if I was failing.

It wasn’t until recently that some big life changes happened in my life, God was talking to me and I finally started to listen.  I met a wonderful man and became engaged, I made the difficult decision to leave my job and embark on a new career, and before I knew it, the next chapter of life was unfolding right in front of me. Feeling a bit overwhelmed, I knew the only one who could get me through the rest of my life was God.

So I stumbled upon Northgate, and the people, the staff, the atmosphere, just made me feel like I had finally found my place in God’s kingdom and I really began to understand what that means. I have been actively walking with God each morning in my own quiet time, have been attending church on Sunday and just recently joined a Community Group here at Northgate. It is amazing how fast my relationship and walk with God has changed and since I’ve put my full faith in Jesus, I feel as if I am finally complete. No life struggle seems too overwhelming and as I take each step with Him, I have this overpowering  sense of peace that no matter what happens, He is leading me, showering me with His grace and I am never alone. I am so excited to be taking this next step into discipleship and to publically declare my faith to Him, and I am so excited to see where this never-ending walk will take me.