Last week we sat down with Becca Jensen who was baptized at our January 12th service when we officially opened our new building in downtown Olympia. Becca has been attending Mars Hill Church Olympia for a little over five months and is plugged into a community group in downtown Olympia. Below, she shares her story on what led to her desire to be baptized and publicly profess her faith in Jesus Christ.
Mars Hill: How did you meet Jesus?
Becca: Jesus has always been present in my life, even from a young age, as my granny had a strong relationship with him. When I was around her, she was always provoking me to pursue God and providing me with insight into who God was. For me, though, I never had a sense of who God really was until recently.
MH: What was your perception of Christianity prior to coming to really know Jesus?
B: Compared to my relationship with Jesus now, the Christianity I was around was so watered down, so lukewarm. I would go to church and hear a message that would attempt to make me feel like a good person. The problem was I knew I wasn’t a good person. I knew I had junk in my life that needed to be dealt with but I didn’t hear about confessing and repenting of sin and turning to Jesus in order to fight sin on a daily basis. It all seemed very selfish and self-centered.
MH: What brought you to Mars Hill Church Olympia?
B: I knew Hannah from work, and honestly, I really only came to hear her sing. I didn’t have big intentions for coming to church.
MH: What was the turning point for you; when did you decide to seek a relationship with God and how did that come about?
B: Well, I had been attending Mars Hill here and there since November. I had a strong desire to change my life but I continued to fall into my old habits. Really, that was the problem. I was trying to change my life on my own instead of resting in Jesus and letting him save me and change me.
I was in a bad place. I was doing drugs, I had been kicked out of my house twice, but I didn’t know where to go and I didn’t know how to make a change. I was in a terrible place and my life was not going well. I didn’t have anyone to turn to and say, “Please help me get out of this!” I didn’t have anything and then God put an old friend, Kate, back in my life. It was crazy and so shocking that Jesus saw my need and said, “Here’s this godly woman, and I’m putting her in your life.”
I was in a terrible place when God put Kate back in my life. Then God started placing other relationships in my life. All of a sudden there were all these other people who Jesus began placing around me and told me I was going to befriend and grow with.
Since then, Kate was able to help me cut ties with a lot of my past and I have been trusting in Jesus and walking towards him.
MH: What made you decide to get baptized?
B: I’m so thankful and inspired by the perfect life of Christ that led to his death to free me from my sins. I wanted to respond to Jesus and profess my faith and I want to try to walk with him and live like he did. I know this is impossible, to be perfect and all, but I want to try to honor him by trying to, not to earn his love or affection because I already have received that. I want to live in response to what he has so graciously already done. He lived the life I did not. He died the death I deserved. He rose from death to conquer sin and give me hope for an eternity with him so I just want to follow his example and live in a way that honors him.
MH: How has your life changed since coming to know Jesus?
B: Well, it’s really cool because he picked me up from such a disastrous, ugly place and made something so beautiful from it; coming from a place of destruction with drugs and then being presented with all of this opportunity and [being blessed] in such beautiful ways. He gave me the strength to cut ties with my old life and then gave me all these relationships to grow in. I’m held to a standard I would never have held myself to on my own. I’m growing in discipline and I just want to show people Jesus and all the restoration and grace he can give. I want my life to be a testimony of his grace and goodness.
MH: Do you think life is more difficult?
B: Oh yeah. When you have no purpose and nothing to live for, you hold yourself to no standard. There’s nothing to fulfill you and it’s easy to live in sin. Then, when you are presented with how to live for God, how to confess and repent of sin and be worshipful in your actions, it’s just so much harder. It’s hard to be righteous when we are so good at sinning. So, as much as it is more difficult to live a Jesus-centered life, I don’t have to do it on my own strength. I know I can find strength in God and in his grace and, in the end, I’m glad it’s not my righteousness that saves me but it’s Jesus’ righteousness and his alone.
MH: Any final thoughts you’d like to share with anyone who may be experiencing struggles similar to what you went through?
B: When you are in such a dark situation and you don’t see a way out and you’re wrapped up in guilt and shame, let me tell you that there is a way out and that what you are experiencing is not what God wants you to feel. You have to let go of control in your life. You have to ask Jesus to take control. He wants to give you all of his blessings. It’s incredible. I don’t look back. I feel so purposeful and fulfilled in life. For the first time in a long time, I’m happy. I’d love for you to find life and joy in Jesus like I have.
If you're interested in being baptized, why not do so this Easter? Go here for more information. If you would like to share what God is doing in your life, we would love for you to share your story. Want to know more about Jesus or plug into a Community Group? Connect with us here.
