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Dearly Beloved,

I love Jairus and his story.

When we decided that this summer we would highlight testimonies from people in our church community, Jairus immediately came to mind. I got excited thinking about others getting to read his story.

I believe his story is so powerful because it reflects something many people experience but don’t always recognize. It’s the story of someone who spent their whole life in church, yet didn’t truly know Jesus in a personal and real way. Someone who thought Christianity was simply attending a service, but had not yet experienced the depth of a genuine relationship with Jesus—and the way it transforms our lives.

The moment his eyes were opened to how much more there is than just a weekly service moves me deeply. This wasn’t just a moment—it was an encounter with Jesus that changed everything. Imagine going to church for 18 years and then saying, “I think I met Jesus for the first time.” That is powerful.

But you should hear it from him, not me.

I’ve been going to church every Sunday for as long as I can remember, but for most of my life, I didn’t truly feel like I knew who Jesus was. For 18 years, I called myself a Christian, yet I still felt distant from Him.

Even though I never lost sight of Jesus and always said He was my Savior and King, there were definitely moments along the way where I struggled and had some hiccups. I believed in Him, but I didn’t feel close to Him.

That all began to change when I went to the Dream Center in Los Angeles. One Thursday night during worship, something shifted for me. As we were all worshipping together, I felt the presence of Jesus in a way I never had before. I saw Him in imagery, walking around the room, and I felt Him holding my arms up when they got heavy during praise. It’s an experience I will never forget.

While we were in LA, I also saw how hard life can be for others. That opened my eyes and made me feel even more grateful and blessed for what I have in my life.

After that trip, I truly gave my life to Christ. Since then, there have still been challenges, but Jesus has helped me through every single one of them. I’m so thankful for that every day.

Going to LA was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, and I would go back to the Dream Center in a heartbeat if I had the opportunity.

God bless you all!