With Christ, I am loved and known. 

After dark things happened in my life. I lost faith in the Lord. I went down the wrong path of drugs and the lifestyle that came with it. I shut him out for a very long time. After going to jail recently because of drugs. I had time to reflect on my life and the decisions I made. While in jail, I started working on my relationship with God. I started reading the bible. I started praying again. I started asking him for forgiveness. An started thanking him for all the good he has done in my life even though I was at rock bottom. Now I'm turning this new chapter in my life. And I couldn't be happier than by giving myself to the Lord!! 

Growing up I knew who Jesus was but I did not know Jesus. When I was a young teenager I witnessed the suicide of someone I loved very much. I was confused and mad at the world. When I was 17 I gave my life to Christ, accepting him as my Lord and Savior but even then I didn't know Jesus. I didn't realize the significance of what He gave up for me. Feeling sorry for myself and my pain, my focus wasn't on Him, it was on myself. That lead me to backslide for many years. Instead of giving my pain and sorrow to Him I tried to deal with it on my own. I turned to drinking and drugs. But I always felt He was near, even in the wrong I was doing I felt blessed but undeserving.  Almost 5 years ago I was working in Texas in the oilfield. In the middle of nowhere, 14 hrs away from my loved ones I had a heart attack. Scared and not knowing if I was going to live. I prayed to God to not let me die out there alone. Not long after that I was sitting at home with my beautiful wife of almost 16 years, Deirdre. She started watching church online every Sunday so I started watching with her. I gave my life back to Jesus not long after hurricane Francine hit. We came to Cross Church to get a meal and met Mr. Christian Falcon. He invited us to come to church. We have attended for over a year. Here I am today getting baptized. God is working on me everyday. But I know if I stay focused on Him I'm on the right path. So today I am going to leave it all in the water! 

I grew up in church always knowing about God, baptized as a child. Went my own way, still went to church thinking I was good! For years I could feel this pull on my heart, but ignored it. Tried reading the Bible, but couldn't get into it. Then about a few months ago the pull on my heart kept getting stronger ,  I had a moment when I just broke down crying , praying , begging God to forgive me , to change me , to show me who I need to be!   I prayed, "God, what am I waiting for"? Since that moment, I've NEVER felt like the same person!  This feeling is indescribable! PEACEFUL!  I am FOREVER changed! 

Before coming to God in a real way, I lived with a lot of pressure to be perfect. I cared deeply about how I was seen, and I tied my worth to validation from other people. If I felt wanted or chosen, I felt okay. If I didn't, I felt empty. That cycle led me into patterns that hurt me and the people around me.

I'm far from perfect, and I've sinned a lot. I tried to fill gaps inside of me with things that could never actually satisfy me. I struggled with depression and anxiety, and I turned to substances at times to numb what I didn't want to feel. From the outside, I could look put together, but internally I felt exhausted, ashamed, and stuck.

Over time, I started losing friendships because of unhealthy patterns I didn't know how to break yet. That was really painful, and it forced me to look at myself honestly. There were moments where I felt like I had nothing left to lose, like I had run out of ways to fix things on my own.

That's where God met me. Not once I had everything together, but when I was tired of pretending. I realized I don't need to be perfect to come to Him. I don't need to earn grace. God already knew everything about me and still chose me.

Learning that changed the way I see myself. I'm still growing, still unlearning old habits, still healing. But I'm no longer chasing validation to feel worthy. I'm learning to rest in who God says I am, not who I try to be for others.

Today, I'm choosing to be baptized because I want a fresh start. This baptism represents leaving behind old patterns, old identities, and the need to control everything. It's a public decision to follow Jesus, to walk in honesty instead of shame, and to trust God with my life as He continues to transform me. 

I grew up in the church, but I do not think that I ever really took my faith seriously until I was in college. I now feel like I have a more personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I can now live free and in peace 

Before Jesus, my life felt heavy and uncertain. I often relied on my own strength, carried worry, and searched for peace in the wrong places. I tried to control everything and felt overwhelmed when things didn't go as planned. Since I have accepted Jesus in my life I feel more at peace, my kids have found peace in life and learned to accept things as they are and not question the lord above. We are excited about this journey going forward.  

I was baptized at seven years old, but I didn't truly understand what it meant at the time. Now, as an adult with greater understanding and a stronger relationship with Christ, I am making the intentional decision to commit my life fully to Him. 

It all started as a young adult. I was always so happy and vibrant but deep down I felt torn, depressed, irrelevant and unhappy even though I shouldn't have been. I faced so many trials and tribulations that it made me so angry and question God "Why Me?!" This went on for years as I tried hiding it and masking myself to the public as okay. As a father of 3 and a husband of such a loving wife I had to make a change, I needed to "Figure it out" whatever it was making me feel lost when I shouldn't feel that way. It was one day I had a breakdown and fell to my knees, never really having that relationship with the Lord I finally had a moment with Him and accepted Him into my life, that moment was bliss and relief. I give moments of my life to God everyday ever since and my 2 daughters truly were a huge part in that life change always seeing them Bible study. I know go through my days at peace and happy knowing that I gave my faith to the Lord. Now when I face trials and tribulations I don't ask "Why Me?" I now say "I can do all this through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13 

I have always have a relationship with God. I'm also getting baptized to be closer Jesus and hopefully get to share God's word. 

One day, I was going out to the store and going to eat food, so I had to leave my cat Mittens at home outside because she is an outside cat. On the way home I got a call from my great grandpa that she got ran over by a car. At first i could not process it and I cried all night. I decided to skip school the next day because I was too sad but God helped me get through the rough times and helped me feel better. I went to school after skipping that day and never felt the same. I tried adopting another cat but it just ran away. Some random cats from around the neighborhood, not owned by anyone decided to come to me and comfort me. The cats felt and acted like my cat. That is when I realized that God sent them down to cheer me up. A couple years later I got a girlfriend, Nevaeh she is perfect in every way. She is so nice, and always makes me feel better. I then found a black lab dog which me and Nevaeh named Cozmo abandoned at a supermarket for Christmas, which is a pet that I have always wanted, it is nice like Mittens, so nice that it reminds me of her. The second i saw Cozmo she jumped right into my arms like she already knew me. This is why I believe in God. 

For much of my life, the path ahead of me felt dark and uncertain. I grew up in the church, but I later found myself in seasons of being deeply lost. I lived through the trauma of my father's struggles with schizophrenia and addiction, and after leaving home, I was trafficked - an experience that left me broken and at a point where I no longer trusted my own judgment.

During that time, I had a child by my trafficker. While my baby girl was still small, I found the strength to move us across the United States into hiding to start anew. But while we were physically safe, I was still in deep mental turmoil. I knew I couldn't heal alone; I needed a community of survivors who truly understood the weight of what I had been through.

I reached a place of total surrender. I turned to the Lord in prayer day and night, laying down my dreams for a husband and a family at His feet. I told Him I would no longer seek a partner myself; if I was meant to have the big, happy family I had always wanted, He would have to be the one to provide it.

God met me in that moment of surrender. I walked to the healing facility with my daughter in my hand, exhausted and looking for a way out of the shadows. As I arrived, a group of men were gathered, waiting to begin their evening activity. A staff member asked one of them to step forward and open the door for us. That man, who had grown up in the church and been a child preacher, but was then in his own season of being lost, reached out and held the door open. In that one simple, prompted gesture, he unknowingly opened the door to our entire future. It was not by chance that he was the one called to greet us; it was a divine appointment, perfectly timed by the Lord to bring two souls searching for recovery toward a lifetime of shared healing.

For eight years, he has been a healing light. He didn't just love me; he accepted the child I had by my trafficker as his own from the very beginning. Together, we have built a life with six beautiful children, returning to the faith we both once knew.

Through Christ, I have been able to release the heavy chains of childhood trauma and the anxiety that once followed me. He took my brokenness and replaced it with His perfect guidance. He didn't just rescue me from my past; He set my feet on the path I was always meant to walk - as a wife, a mother, and a woman of faith.

As our family is baptized together, I am declaring that my life is led by Him. Before Christ, I was a survivor searching for a way out. With Christ, I am a new creation walking in the light of His perfect plan. 

I am freed from sin because the Lord and our Savior died on the cross for my sins.  I am relieved that God has got me through a courageous life I have prayed and I have seen the good that he has done to me. I have had a peaceful life all because of Jesus and I will stay with him for the rest of my life.  All because of him I made my school baseball team.

My story began in the shadows of childhood trauma and addiction, and though I once found a home in the church after my father's death, I was building on unhealed wounds that eventually pulled me back down into the wilderness of homelessness and despair. I spent years in a cycle of suicide attempts and psych wards, living in a tent in the woods with my dog Misfit and believing that God's blessings were for "better men” but I've since learned that losing sight of Jesus doesn't mean He's lost sight of you. After reaching my final breaking point in 2023, I began following the "bread crumbs" of grace back to the Father, who was busy turning a man who wanted to die into a husband and a father with a life worth living. Today, I'm home at Cross Church, trading my battle-worn past for a future in Christ, and I am proud to re-dedicate my life and my family to the One who gave me everything back and more. 

I was diagnosed with Hidradenitis Suppurativa in 2012 , been to long term facilities for 9+ months on IV antibiotics, 30+ surgeries including skin grafts and wound vacs with no success . I've been dealing with withdrawals from medications for 5 months with severe symptoms. I have iron and blood deficiency and just started iron transfusions and was given 3 bags of blood . I wake up every day tired , weak and praying for a change and a miracle to happen! 

I was really struggling alot with body confidence and the feeling of always be left out. So when my best friend took my to Cross Church for the first time I realized maybe giving my life to God isnt so bad. So now God has made me realize not everything is about what others think about you. As long as you are yourself and happy nothing can bring you down. 

Growing up, I went to a Catholic School my entire  childhood but always battled with my faith. I struggled with drug addiction as a teen, but when I lost my Dad to suicide at the age of 19 after becoming a first time mom just 3 weeks prior, I ultimately went into a deep, dark place. I lost myself, my children, and eventually everything I owned. For many years I struggled to get and stay clean. I went to rehab and then eventually sober living where I met the man who became my Husband on June 28, 2025 after 7 years of being together. He taught me to how to pray again, and brought me closer to God and how to lean on him even through the many battles we have faced together in these last 7 years. Today, we still face many battles but now have a beautiful 3 year old daughter together and restored relationships with our other children and family. We are living a life we love together, and are filled with gratitude, peace and joy, all Glory to God. 

In the past I have struggled with a lot of negative thoughts, I thought I had reached the worst. Every negative thought ran through my mind. I am hoping this year is going to be my fresh start. I plan to live through Christ and have Him on my mind and by my side every day. This is going to be my year. New Year, New Me. I also want to thank my Grandma because if it wasn't for her I wouldn't be where I am today. 

My name is Jacob Gaudet and I'm a drug addict and gambler. For me the two go hand and hand. I went through a breakup with my first daughter's mother many years ago and it left me broken. My then my 2-year-old daughter was kept from me which helped me get to an even darker place in life. I went In and out of prison all of my 20s and have done about 10 years. I finally decided to try and clean up my life which lead me to Baton Rouge which is where I met my beautiful wife Andrea Gaudet. I was taken by her beautiful and amazing personality. We did the sober living thing for a few months while working together. We both ended up relapsing on the same day and ended up together that night, both kicked out of our houses. I went home, got my moms car and came back for my things the next day where I found Andrea on the corner at the woman's house where she told me she didn't know what she was going to do. Well, I knew what she was going to do so I reached out my hand and told her that everything would be fine and she was coming with me. I'd love to tell you we straightened up after that but the truth is we came to Thibodaux and stayed in relapse until I went to jail for what turned out to be a 4-month stay. While I was in jail Andrea had moved to Alexandria and cleaned herself up. I Got out of jail, and hadn't been home a hour. I called a buddy of mine to tell him that I had lost all of my clothes and that I needed help and a ride to Andrea, that we planned on being together sober. Well my buddy says no problem I'll bring you some clothes in New Orleans and then I'll bring you to your girl in Alexandria. He picks me up and we're halfway to Raceland when he says hey little bro I just want to let you know that we riding dirty so I say to him okay, no problem just hide it on you we will be good well he commences to tell me that it's more than he can hide. I had an epiphany. I saw all kinds of bad stuff happening in my head like a flash at once. Like God was telling me to make a decision to do something different now or you spend the rest of your life in prison. I told him to pull over after asking him if he would go back 3 miles to drop me off at a family members house when he told me no, so I got out of the car and walked to my family's house. I went up to Alexandria with a friend to meet my wife and we stayed clean for seven years and recently relapsed. I am here today to ask for forgiveness for my actions and God's direction and guidance to be the husband and father I want to be. 

I've always "accepted" Jesus but I know I was and still am lukewarm. I think that's most people though but I started to be harder on myself to get closer with Him because I know I need to. So this feels like a call from God and things without Jesus have been more bad than good. I'm always a happy person and for the most part it is true but I know without God  the void I feel when I'm alone will not be filled without him. I am getting baptized to help boost myself to be better and hopefully fill the space I have without God. I think everyone should get closer to God and I believe if you give it a month, your whole life will change 

I had always attributed every accomplishment and success as my own doing.  Figured my own will and determination is all I needed and I was doing this by myself. My own selfishness and ignorance led me to pursuing worldly desires. I was stuck in a binge/purge cycle and thought it was normal. I knew God existed but I did not have an understanding of him.  Small group helped me realize that I can feel true peace though his love for me.  For years I scheduled my life around every hobby I had. Now I schedule my life around growing my faith in God. 

Before finding Christ I was lost. I was doing all the wrong things for the wrong purpose. I was living for my flesh more than Christ. When I lost one of my good friends due to a car accident I dove into the word. Christ helped through a time that I would have never been able to get through without our Lord and Savior. He has blessed me with an amazing family, group of friends, and support system. Jesus's love is better than no other. 

Growing up i felt like something was missing and when i started going to church with my friends and getting to experience Jesus christ taking over our lives for the better and it made me want to grow more in him. Jesus has always been apart of my life but ever since i got to choose to pick his trail my life has been better. 

I grew up in a baptist church. I knew of God, but I never knew God. I was seven years old when my grandma forced me to get baptized, but I never understood what it meant and because I didn't know God and understood the baptism I lived a sinful life as I grew up, but still claiming to be a Christian. I was taught that everyone was going to Heaven so I did what I wanted to do. Back in 2020 I was trapped to my computer, music, porn, and masterbation and one day I was scrolling online and I saw videos of people sharing their testimonies I clicked on one and I wanted to know more because I found out that their was more to Jesus than I thought. So I decided to give Jesus a try and he changed my life. I realized the life I was living wasn't pleasing to him and I became aware of my sin and the dangers of it and I cared so I cut off all the things that didn't align with him and lived a holy life (it was a process). Its been 5 years since I've been free and I want to be obedient and be re-baptized knowing what Christ did for me on that cross.