Jesus called me to Antioch in 2020. It was a radical 180 in my life, though from the outside everything looked good. In reality, I was desperately seeking God’s will for my life. I had no friends my age, and hard circumstances growing up had given me a lot of anxiety. I was alone, weeping often, and crying out to God for transformation and to serve Him like His children in the book of Acts, all while pretending to have it all together. I wore my mask of cheerfulness well, but I was miserable. Little did I know the good plans God had in store.
In early 2020, Jamie invited me to some Antioch events and to a Zoom lifegroup during quarantine on March 18, 2020. I was blown away by the people. They actually loved God, were filled with passion to serve Him, and truly wanted to know me and care about me.
The turning point came on May 29, 2020, when I watched a livestream of John preaching from Revelation 3 and quoting the verse to Laodicea, that you are neither hot nor cold and I’m going to spit you out of my mouth. I fell to the ground weeping and cried out to Jesus that I was done being fake and living two lives. I surrendered to His call for me to go to Antioch, which was a huge sacrifice for me. I had to give up my application to the International Missions Board, and I thought I would lose my job.
But when I joined the church and surrendered to Jesus’ plan, He restored all the years the locusts had taken. I found friends who loved me deeply. I went on mission to Rome, a dream I had since I was five years old, as well as many other places. I met my husband, and now we have a little girl.
Most of all, I encountered Jesus in a way I never had before. Jesus is so real. He heard my prayers and desperate tears from all those years. I remember weeping in 2018 when I took communion with fellow believers at a conference because I knew I would have to go home and be alone again. But Jesus answered my heart’s cry, my dreams, and my deepest desires.
I am so thankful to Jesus for transforming my life and for the family of God at Antioch. Jesus truly sets the lonely in families, as Psalm 68:6 says. All glory to Jesus for His kindness.
I ❤️ Antioch Orlando 