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Tim Hughes – April 2023

When I was around 12 years old, I was at my grandfather's house, and after church one day, he asked me if I was ready to hand over my life to God and live by His will. I said yes and acknowledged that Jesus died for my sins. I was baptized the following Sunday and tried to live my faith for a few years.
However, as time went on and I went off to college, I fell away from the Lord. I started to justify sinful behavior, saying things like "It's not that bad" or "It's only this one time." I ended up living a life based on my own desires, saying and doing what I wanted – and this went on for almost 10 years.
Then I met my wife-to-be, Jenna, and she encouraged me to rethink my faith and truly believe in the Lord Jesus. One evening, before we were officially dating, we decided to read through Genesis together. I became more aware of my sin, and a new thirst for God’s word developed in me.
My desires began to change, and I began to think of the Lord Jesus differently. My heart was transformed, and I wanted to trust in Him and obey Him because He did die for my sins, and He is alive. I found a new sense of purpose and direction in my life.
When I look back on my childhood, I can see now that it was a meaningful experience, but it was not the real thing, or it would have lasted. It took me a while to filter through all that, but I now understand I met the real Jesus about 1 ½ years ago. With the help of my wife and new Christian friends, I am now growing in my faith.
Because of this, I want to be baptized declaring my faith in Jesus as my Lord and Savior.