As a young boy, I went to church with my parents on Sundays. I would attend Sunday school while they attended worship service. During Sunday school, I would learn stories and sing songs about Jesus. Growing up, I knew there was a God who loves me and that He sent his son to die for me. Most of my family are believers including my parents, therefore I would identify as a second-generation Christian. I had the blessing to learn about God and his love and grace at a young age. I knew I was God's child and I would never be alone because he was with me wherever I went. I would pray frequently with my parents. I had become the boy whom people cherished because I would help set up the luncheon and clean up after it ended and also my passionate singing during Sunday school song performances.
But not long after my parents started their own business, we attended church less because they did not want to close their shop on Sundays. As time went on, Junior high school happened and I went to high school and got caught hanging out with the wrong group of friends. I started disobeying my parents, stole money from them, and snuck out late at night after my curfew. At that point in my life, I did not fear God as much or even at all because of being away from church for some time. One Friday night, after my parents finally had enough of my misbehavior and left them no choice but to hope for the church to help, my father drove me to church and dropped me off for Senior High Friday night youth group. It was specifically for high school students and we would play dodgeball in the beginning, following a worship session and a biblical lesson. We would end the night close to 11 pm playing dodgeball or board games.
After attending a handful of Friday nights of youth group, I had the opportunity to go on a retreat called Winter Weekend of 09' at Tuscarora Inn. During the last night of the retreat, I felt convicted after listening to the message and I remember our youth pastor offering to pray for whomever wants to start a relationship with Christ if we never officially done so. He came up to me and walked me through it. I confessed that I am a sinner and that I believe in Jesus Christ and He came to die for me on the cross. Shortly after coming to Christ, the song "Hosanna" was playing in the background, and the lyrics; "Heal my heart and make it clean, open up my eyes to the things unseen, show me how to love like you have loved me. Break my heart for what breaks yours, everything I have for your Kingdom's cause, as I walk from Earth into eternity," made me drop to my knees and I prayed to God asking for forgiveness for what I have done in the past and confessing my new found love for him. About a year later, I attended a baptismal class and was baptized.