Baptism: Amanda Hayes

Amanda went to a Catholic church when she was younger. She went through the motions of communion, confirmation, and everything that could associate her to the church. In high school, she joined a youth group with her friends and played on the worship team, but was only there for her friends and still had no real connection with God. By the time she moved to Rochester she was slipping down a dark path of unhealthy relationships and habits.

One night while listening to music in her car, Amanda felt a spiritual breakthrough and prayed for salvation. She knew at that moment that Christ was her savior and that she wanted to follow his path for her life.

At Easter 2021, she felt a calling to watch a church service, so she found Northridge online and gained the courage to attend in person after a few weeks. Coming back to church was everything she remembered but it was also so inviting to see that everyone was so happy to have her there.

She feels completely different since pursuing Christ. Things may not have changed but her perspective has. She finds herself asking for advice in those dark moments instead of letting it get to her, picking up the bible, and praying more often. She no longer lets these dark moments have a grip on her life anymore but remembers God’s love and that gives her strength to push through. God is the savior in her life and he has a future for her greater than she could ever possibly imagine. Even though she may never understand everything going on for her, she has found hope in knowing that God’s plan is better than she could ever imagine.