 I have been a Christian all of my life, but I never really knew who Christ was. Before I came to trust and accept Christ as my Father, I was living in a world of darkness. I grew up not knowing who my real Dad was, and because of that, I struggled with negative thoughts, depression and hurt. I tried to find happiness by slowly doing the things I promised myself I would never do. And because of that, I was just bearing my hurt deep down inside even more. All of my life, I had to deal with low self-esteem and serious trust issues. I never felt good enough, and I always blamed everyone else for all of my problems. One night, I let my friends convince me to go to a party with them. That night, my virginity was taken away from me forcefully. I was embarrassed and ashamed, and I blamed God, and I only turned my back against Him even more. I started bearing my pain with drugs and alcohol. I didn't know what it was like to love or what it felt to be loved. I felt so alone all the time, and I would cry myself to sleep every night. I remember hitting rock bottom and reading this verse from the Bible. 1 Corinthians 13-7, Love never gives up. Its faith, hope and patience never fail. I started going back to church. I was introduced to hungry generation about 10 years ago, but it wasn't until a few months ago I started attending regularly. I was plugged into a home group where I was surrounded by amazing women. I was able to open up to my mentor and not feel judged. God was able to heal my broken heart through other people. I learned to forgive and renew my mindset. I took a chance, and with daily discipline, I became better. The pain of facing fears is only temporary. I wanted to do the right thing, not to change the world, but because I was refused to be changed by the world. You are out there influencing others or being influenced. The choice is yours. I made a choice to crumble my familiar life and make room for growth. I have found the best version of myself and stopped hiding from God. When you find yourself, you find love, and God is love. My name is Ella. I am 23 years old, and this is why I want to get baptized. Do you believe in Jesus Christ as God's Son and your personal Lord and Savior? Yes. And do you promise to follow Him with good and clear conscience for the rest of your life? Yes. Based on your faith, your confession, and your commitment, we'll baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.