This is Kang Samuelson's story before she was baptized on October, 14th, 2018 in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
My life before Jesus was dark and hopeless. Looking back at my 12 year old self, I was sad and desperate; desperate for a father's love; desperate for acceptance and normalcy in my family. In my culture, if you do not have a father, you do not have a standing or place in the community. You were, to say the least, pitied and excluded.
In that difficult season of mourning the physical loss of my earthly father, my Heavenly Father called me to Himself. I came to know the beautiful love of my Heavenly Father through Jesus' death on the cross and His resurrection. Because of the blood that was shed for me, through the work of the Holy Spirit, I came to learn that I am loved and not forgotten. I learned that I am a child of God and a daughter of the King. He taught me that I have the only Father I would ever need.
I also saw clearly for the first time that I was a sinner in need of Jesus. I saw that my hatred for my earthly father was sinful. I was drowning because of my bitterness. God had definitely opened my eyes to see my own heart. I would eventually learn to forgive my earthly father for choosing not to love his family well, and how to be freed of the pain and hatred I had for him.
Since I was saved at the age of twelve, the Lord has done so much work on my heart. I am not who I once was. I have seen his glorious work in my life year after year, changing my desires to align with His and sanctifying me one degree at a time. My love for Him and my desire to know Him grows wider and deeper every year. I am reminded constantly that my identity, worth, hope, and joy in life is in Christ alone. I desire with my heart, mind and soul to serve my Father faithfully with joy.
With that said, I am here today out of an obedience to my Lord and my Savior to proclaim to everyone that I am a child of the one true King!