Baptism 12.15.2024
Isla Lougee
Hello, my name is Isla Lougee. I will be turning 13 in two weeks, and I am a 7th grader at Centerville Middle School. I live with my parents, Steve and Beth Lougee. I was fortunate to be raised in a Christian home and go to church and a Christian daycare since I was an infant. I have many memories of hearing Bible stories and learning about Jesus at my daycare. Basically, everyone I knew was a Christian and believed the same things I believed about Jesus. But when I started kindergarten at a public school, I met a lot of new people and quickly realized that not everyone believes in God or cares about having Him in their lives. This made me start questioning if I actually believed in God and if all the stories I had been told about Jesus were true. After I told my mom about this, she started praying for me -- that my faith in God would grow and become real and personal. I guess her prayers worked because several weeks later, I decided that I wanted Jesus to live in my heart. So, I asked my mom to pray with me. We sat on my bed, and she led me in a prayer for salvation, and that's when I invited Jesus into my heart.
I was only 5 years old at the time, so I didn't have a dark past, but I know God saved me from my sins and I am forever grateful. I am still growing in my relationship with Jesus and learning more about him in Sunday school, youth group, summer camps, and retreats. I was fortunate to find a group of Christian friends to help encourage me to grow in my faith as well.
In Mark 5:19, Jesus said, "Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you." So that is what I am doing here today! I want to be baptized to take the next step in my relationship with Jesus. I want to declare my faith in God and to let others know that I am a follower of Jesus!
Dwayne McFadden
My journey begins not knowing who God was, but now I realize he has been guiding my steps all this time. Growing up certain family members did often talk about Jesus and all the glorious things he has done for them, but in my own home I never knew him. I struggled to really enjoy life due to depression, anxiety and fear from what life had dealt me. I struggled to love others and to fully give my all to people because of fear of being hurt. My past was not all bad, but it wasn't all good. I was influenced by music and the things around me like drinking, running the streets, and being in places I shouldn't have been trying to fit in. I didn't have a real father figure in my life growing up. I had men in my life, but they never took the time to invest in teaching me how to be a man or show me what God had planned for me. Over time I just created a person who would try and be my own version of a man. Doing things on my own and not asking for help or even relying on others was the norm for me. Fatherhood came and I thought I was ready for it, but I wasn't. Creating connections with others wasn't a strong trait in my personality because I had trust issues from past hurts and trauma.
I felt people would leave me or take advantage of my kindness, always feeling I wasn't good enough. I wasn't handsome enough. I wasn't smart enough or I just wasn't enough. I tried to show my best face in front of family, friends and people I would meet, but deep inside I was empty and felt I was unworthy to be loved even though people did love me. I was often left with the thought of what is wrong with me. I tried self-help books, I tried therapy, I tried medication, I tried alcohol, and often asked loved ones for guidance and validation to the question. What is wrong with me? I was broken, I was lost, I felt the world on my shoulders every day I opened my eyes. I would have good moments, but they wouldn't last because the old me would just come back and take me back to that dark place. Then one day in the presence of complete strangers, I sat at their kitchen table with my wife, and I felt a presence take over me. I didn't know what it was, but my heart cried out and all my problems started to melt away, as the tears flowed, I was washed clean and when I opened my eyes, Randy smiled and said ...white as snow and at that moment.. I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I have a long way to go, so pray for me as my journey begins.
Now I see things differently, through the eyes of peacekeeping like forgiveness, kindness, grace, and reconciliation. I find myself praying for others more, and I am able to make connections with people easier. I have replaced fear with faith and always seek to see the good in others. I am learning to love my family as God has intended through his work. I focus on God's steadfast love that endures forever. I have a father that has ordered my steps and will guide me in how to be a better father and a better husband. I know now I don't have to do it all by myself. I have someone who loves me unconditionally and will never leave or forsake me. I have created a prayer life, something I had heard of but didn't know what it was. Things that used to interest me don't anymore like my taste in music. I have a thirst to learn more of Jesus and what God has done for me and am grateful for his presence in my life. I have battles ahead of me, but I realize that God has a plan for me, and I seek his face every morning I wake and every time I close my eyes.
