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[608.42 --> 611.90] I loved worship through singing, and this made me want to go to church on Sundays.
[612.62 --> 615.36] I kept these practices throughout the last two years of high school,
[615.36 --> 619.04] and every day my relationship with God was building and strengthening into my own.
[619.96 --> 623.38] Because of this, I felt God was helping me enjoy life to a bigger extent.
[625.60 --> 629.82] And I was and am starting to understand who I am and why I'm here.
[630.70 --> 635.62] The last years of high school was also when our youth small group formed, and this helped me in so many ways.
[636.34 --> 641.88] God provided me this group where I was able to talk and process being a Christian and how to live in the world as one.
[641.88 --> 649.10] I could grow my faith with them walking beside me, and they created a space where I could wrestle with my faith and with their support.
[649.96 --> 651.42] Now I cannot forget about my parents.
[652.20 --> 655.68] I'm not sure where I'd be today in my faith journey without my parents.
[656.56 --> 662.54] They opened a home where me and my siblings could ask questions, have chats, and learn from and with them about Christianity,
[662.86 --> 665.82] and have been inspiring parents to watch and learn from as I grow up.
[665.82 --> 672.60] I'm now happy to say that in the beginning of high school, I fully depended on my parents' faith,
[672.76 --> 676.90] but now as I finished high school two days ago and leave a part of my childhood,
[677.34 --> 680.40] I know that my faith is my own, and that's why I'm here professing my faith.
[680.40 --> 694.40] Hi, my name is Kyla Gerber, and this is my testimony.
[695.54 --> 699.96] I'm incredibly fortunate to have been born in a Christian household where attending church,
[700.40 --> 705.08] praying before meals and bedtimes, and reading the Bible were prioritized from an early age.
[705.50 --> 709.32] These rituals helped shape my understanding of faith and what it means to be a Christian.
[709.32 --> 717.48] While these practices helped me gain a solid foundation, my journey to fully embrace my faith as my own didn't begin until high school.
[718.12 --> 724.18] During my grade eight year, I felt compelled to dive deeper into the Bible and gain a more personal relationship with God.
[724.76 --> 729.46] I was inspired by my sister Amanda, who had read through the entire Bible cover to cover,
[729.70 --> 731.96] and I decided to challenge myself to do the same.
[732.76 --> 738.32] Every morning, I would dedicate an hour to reading the Bible, gaining a deeper understanding of the scriptures.
[738.32 --> 745.54] Through this process, my faith grew significantly, and I felt as though I was growing closer to God as well as growing as a person.
[746.28 --> 750.34] Those hours reading the Bible were more than just an exercise in devotions.
[750.62 --> 755.70] They also helped me gain a deeper understanding that shaped who I am as a person as well as my worldview.
[757.02 --> 760.12] God has gifted me with the ability to sing and write songs.
[760.12 --> 766.30] Ever since I was a young girl, I expressed my love for music, and I am truly grateful for the voice that I have been given.
[767.00 --> 772.90] I therefore feel called to serve in the community by sharing my talents in singing and playing guitar for worship.
[773.68 --> 781.06] Additionally, God has blessed me with a big heart, caring deeply for those around me and empathizing with those in pain, especially my family.
[781.80 --> 785.06] Giving to others gives me joy as I love to make those around me happy.
[785.06 --> 790.64] I am thankful for these gifts that God has given me and the opportunity to use them for the good of others.
[791.32 --> 793.20] I have not reached this point on my own.
[793.54 --> 796.38] I would not be here today professing my faith without my mom and dad.
[796.98 --> 803.16] They have been the foundation of my faith, raising me up to trust in God and to believe He has a plan for my life.
[803.60 --> 809.22] As my dad always says, my identity is not defined by what others think of me, but rather my identity is in God.
[809.22 --> 813.30] I know that He loves me and cares for me always, and that will never change.
[813.92 --> 818.36] Therefore, I am here today to give myself to God and to strive to live how Jesus did.
[819.10 --> 823.42] The verse I would like to leave you all with is the verse that was used for my baptism.
[824.26 --> 829.42] Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.
[829.62 --> 830.96] Luke 18, verse 17.
[830.96 --> 831.96] Thank you.
[839.22 --> 846.26] So at this time, what we've already alluded to, that they were baptized as babies.
[846.52 --> 855.06] And it's through that faith and baptism and the commitment of the church and their families that they have been raised.
[855.06 --> 858.60] And the faith of the gospel working in their lives, as we've just heard.
[859.04 --> 867.92] And so for a moment, I'm going to invite each of the girls over to the table to return their hands to the bowl that they symbolically were baptized in as babies.
[867.92 --> 874.56] And I'm just going to have a word of prayer for them to honor and thank God and to pray blessing over them and their lives to come.
[897.92 --> 898.92] Thank you.
[927.92 --> 928.92] Thank you.
[928.92 --> 929.92] Thank you.
[957.92 --> 958.92] Thank you.
[987.92 --> 990.26] пока под Ber
[1006.86 --> 1009.32] Speaker 2
[1009.32 --> 1015.58] At this time, I would like to invite the family of each of the girls, our youth leaders, to come up and pray,
[1015.58 --> 1017.22] and even share a scripture with them.
[1018.90 --> 1019.42] Yeah.
[1045.58 --> 1061.26] I don't know who wants to start, but we can just pass the mic,
[1061.36 --> 1064.58] and then I'll finish praying for us when we're done.
[1070.16 --> 1072.72] I know this is a time of transition,
[1072.72 --> 1079.40] and as you go through graduating, and we're so proud of you.
[1080.40 --> 1083.42] And just know that the Lord is your rock.
[1084.02 --> 1088.90] And I want to leave you with this scripture verse of Isaiah 41, verse 10 to 13.
[1089.60 --> 1093.62] So do not be afraid, for I am with you.
[1094.14 --> 1097.80] Do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
[1098.32 --> 1100.46] I will strengthen you and help you.
[1100.46 --> 1103.38] I will uphold you with my righteous right hand,
[1103.56 --> 1108.36] for I am the Lord your God, who takes hold of your right hand
[1108.36 --> 1114.10] and says, do not fear, for I am with you.
[1114.10 --> 1126.04] True to form, with our family, I don't always come prepared,
[1126.56 --> 1128.30] but hopefully that the Spirit leads.
[1129.50 --> 1135.90] So I'm kind of reflecting on one of the chapters in the Bible,
[1135.90 --> 1142.98] that our family has kind of circled their life is Philippians 4.
[1143.48 --> 1146.16] And there's two areas, two pieces of that.
[1146.24 --> 1148.46] One, rejoice in the Lord always.
[1149.12 --> 1151.22] And so I want to say that no matter what happens.
[1151.28 --> 1154.00] And later on it talks about praying continuously.
[1154.68 --> 1157.94] And do not be anxious about everything, and pray with thanksgiving.
[1157.94 --> 1160.78] So I will say that we're very, very thankful.
[1160.92 --> 1163.90] We're very, very thankful for everybody in this whole community
[1163.90 --> 1165.98] and the community that the church we came from,
[1166.48 --> 1168.96] how they impacted Maya's life.
[1169.04 --> 1170.64] And so we're exceptionally grateful.
[1170.64 --> 1178.76] Well, Kyla, many years ago you were baptized, as you mentioned in your talk,
[1179.54 --> 1182.02] and Neil Plantinga actually baptized you,
[1182.86 --> 1185.04] and talked about being receivers,
[1185.64 --> 1189.12] that unless we enter into the kingdom of heaven like a little child,
[1189.72 --> 1195.88] we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven unless we receive like a child in great humility.
[1196.58 --> 1199.06] And so the promise from Scripture that I want you to receive today
[1199.06 --> 1202.68] is from Jeremiah 29, 11, where God says,
[1202.92 --> 1206.66] I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you,
[1207.08 --> 1210.18] and not to harm you, to give you life and a future.
[1210.40 --> 1213.60] This does not mean that life is going to be without trouble.
[1214.06 --> 1218.92] It means that ultimately God is making all things new, including us.
[1219.20 --> 1221.46] Our great hope is new creation.
[1221.90 --> 1224.90] And it begins now as we walk with the source of life.
[1225.30 --> 1226.12] So walk with him.
[1226.12 --> 1233.78] So I'm going to start us off in our prayer, and Misha is going to end the prayer.
[1234.24 --> 1239.28] But first of all, we're so proud of you all for taking this next step in your faith,
[1239.28 --> 1244.54] and we look forward to all that is to come in your lives.