I started working as a security contractor for Crossroads in January 2021. I was just doing a typical, regular job and watching the crowd during a talk about pride from Chuck one weekend in February or March when something just hit me in the back of the head and said, “pay attention, this is about you.” I told my friend about that experience and she encouraged me to talk to the community pastor, so the next week as I was telling Lena about it, I got emotional. She told me that was God and gave me a Bible and devotional to read.
Soon after that, Lena got me connected to a Rooted group and it was great (I want to do it again soon). I also got connected to a men’s group and met a bunch of great people there. My girlfriend at the time and I even did a few fasts related to TV, video games, drinking alcohol, and I even stopped listening to rock n roll music. I now have switched to listening to Christian music all of the time. I got to watch The Chosen at Crossroads and discuss that with a group, and I fell more in love with God through that than anything else in my life.
Every time I had a spiritual experience, I would share with Lena while I was working that weekend, and she would talk me through stuff. When my mom died in September, Lena and the Crossroads community was there to help me out. The morning on the day that my mom died, something told me to look up and I saw the most amazing sunrise and I heard or felt someone say I was going to be OK and I got you. Right then I knew and felt like God was going to take care of my family. My group surrounded me as I grieved, and I decided I would still go to Man Camp even though it was right after her death. It was the best experience of my life and opened me to a lot of things. I made great friends there and had a good time.
As we were finishing Rooted, my group leader asked if anyone wanted to get baptized. I shared that I had been baptized as a baby but was reassured that I could still be baptized now to show my commitment. I prayed about it, and something said, “You’ve got to tell me you want me, and the best way to do that is to get baptized.” One other member of our group also got baptized that night and our entire group was there to support us. That was the best day by far since I started coming to Crossroads.
If it weren’t for my job, I never would’ve come to church. I always passed churches and thought I didn’t need it and I already knew who God was, but listening to the teaching at Crossroads and watching the services, I thought, “Wow, this is a different church like nothing I’ve ever seen.” When my company’s contract with Crossroads ended, I decided I was still going to go to church. That first week out of uniform, it was a little awkward and I had a different kind of view, but now I come every week, and if I can’t be there because I’m working, I watch online. I don’t miss a service.
Crossroads has changed my life a lot. I really can’t describe it but there’s that feeling and awe to know God’s there. I’m no longer angry all of the time, I’m no longer distant – I didn’t used to talk about stuff, but now I do. I started listening to the Bible on CD in my car and I pray when I drive each day. Once I got smacked in the head, I just jumped right into my faith because it felt like the right thing to do and it felt like God didn’t want me to miss him this time. -Sean L.