I found Discovery Church by searching the internet for a church with contemporary music. I love to worship and it’s where I feel the Holy Spirit. Discovery was at the top of the search for Bakersfield churches. It’s a family environment where you don’t feel the need to prove anything. You come as you are with your baggage and you’re accepted and loved for who you are. There are mentors here who can help you through those things that you hold onto, especially at my age, when there’s so many things from my past that I discovered that I hadn’t really dealt with. Slowly but surely I’m dealing with them. It’s such a welcoming environment, where you don’t feel like you’re being judged.
“When I walked in the doors, I loved it from day one.”
My favorite part of Christmas at Discovery Church is the snow. Growing up in Michigan, the one thing I miss about being in California is the snow. Last year, I was here early in the morning and saw the snow being made and it was such a beautiful, white, cleansing experience. I love serving and I have helped in many areas of the church. I make the bulletins for the services on Sunday, I volunteer for outreach to the community, and I work on the productions team doing slides and lights. I’m also training to be a service director. It’s a great feeling of accomplishment. You get to bring the Word of God to people who need it and you get to try to make it flawless for them.
“I’ve learned how to relax and how all my anxiety goes away when I’m serving God.”
I’ve been growing in my faith and learning a lot about myself. God is teaching me how to let it go and to be still. Let Him do with me what He will, rather than control the situation. It’s hard because of my past. I had a rough childhood and I raised my children alone. I thought I had to always take control, so to actually realize I wasn’t in control was a huge key. The moment I knew that God was working in me in this area was when I was praying because I knew I couldn’t do it alone. I needed God and I prayed to let go and within 30 seconds I had this calm come over my body that I never had before. I wasn’t anxious and now that’s what I do, I pray. I never knew it was going to be God changing that in me. On top of that, my son is an addict but he’s been clean for two years now. He was on the street for six years and I didn’t know if he was dead or alive. He was arrested all the time, but God brought him back to me. There’s so many things you take for granted that God gives you. I didn’t have money for Christmas and the state check that everyone is supposed to get came just in time for me to be able to have Christmas.
“It’s a beautiful feeling to see these miracles happen.”
In 2022, I’m looking forward to taking the time to appreciate the growth that I have in chasing Jesus and continue to grow in my faith and in this church. I’m going to go through the Discovery School of Emerging Leaders program and look forward to being a mentor. My past can help others. They may think it’s only happened to them but they can know there is hope. If people can see the life I lived and where I’m going now at my age, they can see it’s never too late.
Linda Sepulveda, Productions Team Member, Two year church member