Kristi’s Story:
During my childhood in San Diego, my family only attended church at Christmas and Easter. I had a vague sense of God’s existence but little else.
As an adult I held back from the faith of my Christian friends, not wanting to pursue my doubts and questions. As a result, I wandered the desert of self-fulfillment, soaking in distorted truths from a confused culture.
When COVID-19 lockdowns began in 2020, life as I knew it came to a screeching halt. I finally had time to stop, reflect and notice what was going on around me culturally, politically and spiritually. In this terrible time, God began using evil for good to turn my heart to Him.
I had been a middle school teacher in my community for over 20 years, and I realized at last how drastically the values of the students and families had changed. More students than ever were struggling with social anxiety, depression and anger, resulting in serious behavior problems. Meanwhile, school policies for dealing with negative behavior had become more lenient, often favoring “restorative practices.”
Around the same time, the administration pushed for diversity, inclusivity and LGBQT awareness and acceptance. What began as subtle quickly became blatant. Staff training sessions often revolved around these topics, and new policies encouraged students and teachers to become activists for a prescribed agenda. If staff members voiced different opinions based on faith or cultural understanding, other staff members claimed they felt unsafe. As a result, those with other viewpoints usually remained quiet lest they risk a negative label like “intolerant” or “uncompassionate.”
Critics accused local churches of teaching hate. For example, staff debated on social media whether our school district should hold a mandatory staff development at a local church facility. Our district didn’t have a venue large enough to accommodate all the district teachers together, so a local church had offered their large facility at no charge to accommodate our group.
This solution seemed perfect! Then, vocal teachers on social media claimed it would be “hostile” and “disrespectful” for our school district to hold mandatory training at a church facility that taught hate. I was shocked and confused—in my experience, churches taught the exact opposite.
Although I did not attend church, nor consider myself religious, I admired students and friends who were people of faith. I had witnessed church members demonstrating kindness and helpfulness. And I was amazed by the strength of others’ faith as popular viewpoints moved further away from their beliefs.
As I considered all the anger and hate exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, I was drawn to the joy, genuineness and dependability of these people of faith. Their values and warmth appealed to me.
I also found myself questioning my own beliefs. Have I just been following the masses? I wondered. Should I really ‘follow my heart’ and ‘be true to myself’? Suddenly I felt I needed to be wary about the messages around me. As I considered the divides in our country’s landscape, I began to conduct my own research.
I began searching for truth I could trust through books, articles and podcasts. One topic led to another as my curiosity grew. I cracked open the Children’s Living Bible I had received as a child yet never read.
“I think I’m going to read the Bible,” I told my boyfriend Q. To my surprise, he was supportive!
A few days later, my friend Lisa texted me a Bible reading calendar from her church. Lisa and I had become friends through a San Diego running group that met often for runs along the beach and local trails. As we ran, we talked about things going on in our lives.
Lisa’s timing was perfect because I was finding the Bible difficult to understand. She had recently moved to North Carolina, so I began watching virtual worship services at her church. I loved the messages and tuned in weekly to learn more. Finally, I had the courage to text the church about my virtual guest status. The women’s ministry director helped me connect with additional resources. I joined a virtual Bible study with Lisa and other women.
My thirst for the Lord was unquenchable. As my joy and peace deepened, my relationship with Q was also growing stronger. He even joined me in drawing closer to Jesus! Because I talked often about what I was learning, he began watching the online services too. While watching a service one week, I asked Jesus to forgive my sins.
In 2021, I reached a critical mass in my career when a mandate from my school district required all employees to get vaccinated for COVID-19. I felt this mandate infringed upon my right to make decisions about my own health care. Though family and friends believed we were acting in haste, Q and I decided to move to Texas. I applied to school districts and quickly landed a teaching job midyear, and we moved that December.
On Christmas Eve, we attended a church in our new community where our online pastor in North Carolina had previously served as pastor. We felt an instant connection with others and a sense God had specifically led us there. I joined the choir, and Q became involved in a men’s group. In May 2022, we were both baptized to proclaim our faith in Christ to others. The following weekend, Q proposed to me in the warm, calm waves at Galveston Beach. We were married in January 2023 at our church, surrounded by family and friends.
Q and I have found true fulfillment in our journey with Jesus. We marvel at how God has worked in our lives. This fall I’m beginning a new chapter in my teaching career at a private Christian school. Q has left the corporate world and started a coffee roasting company that contributes a portion of its proceeds to local Christian ministries.
Each week we still watch the recorded North Carolina church services. Without COVID-19 lockdowns, I may never have discovered my first church family online. And without that San Diego running group, I wouldn’t have become friends with Lisa and begun to understand God’s love and forgiveness through Christ. God pursued two lost sheep in San Diego—through friends and a church in North Carolina—to bring us to faith, a new home and our church family in Texas. Praise God for his remarkable ways in seeking and saving the lost!
