---

For Maddie, a high school senior, the decision to get baptized didn’t come quickly—it came through a long journey of heartache, healing, and rediscovery.

She had originally planned to be baptized this past January. But when someone casually asked, “Why not now?” Maddie realized she wasn’t quite ready. That question sparked a time of reflection—one that led her to look back on how God had been working in her life all along.

Known for her joyful spirit, Maddie also carried private struggles growing up. She faced bullying in school, and at just 13, she lost her father—a loss that left her feeling disconnected and distant from God. Over the next few years, she struggled with grief and the emotional weight of all she had been through. By her junior year, things became overwhelming, Maddie reached her breaking point, and finally surrendered to God. She experienced God’s love and intervention over her life. 

That moment of surrender changed Maddie. When her friends encouraged her and invited her to Willow’s High School Ministry (HSM), she began to rediscover her faith in a more personal and authentic way. Through HSM and summer camp, she found a supportive community and experienced God in a way she never had before. As her faith deepened, one night, after praying for clarity, she had a dream about Baptism—confirming the next step in her faith journey.

By March, Maddie knew she was now ready to make a public declaration of her desire to follow Jesus with her life, and on March 30, she was baptized, celebrating not just a decision to follow Jesus, but His transformative work in her life. “I realized that I wanted to get baptized because, through everything, God has given me the strength to keep loving, to be a light, and to feel deeply,” Maddie says. “I used to see these parts of my personality as a curse, but He showed me they’re actually a blessing. I want to continue growing with God, and show others that with Him, anything is possible.”

Maddie’s journey is a powerful reminder of how God’s love and grace can transform our lives, no matter the challenges we face. Her decision to get baptized was a step of faith that marked a new beginning in her relationship with God.

Willow Students Pastor Gretchen Dedina has walked alongside Maddie in her faith journey and knew her Baptism would be a special one. “On that day I didn’t realize how overwhelmed I would be,”  said Gretchen. “Maddie is pure light and joy. God uses her to influence and impact others around her—including me!”

On Maddie’s Baptism day, her mom and about 15 friends were there to witness her special moment. “Those friends have been influenced by her decision to go public with her faith, and it’s only the beginning. I know God is using her to reach everyone around her, I can’t wait to watch and keep cheering her on,” said Gretchen. “That’s why I love celebrating baptisms so much—we get to be a witness to God’s work, but we also get to cheer on what He continues to do in their lives. And He is not done yet!”

If you’re ready to publicly declare your faith as Maddie did, and to take the next step in your own spiritual journey, consider being baptized at Willow’s next Baptism Sunday on April 27. If you’ve already been baptized, come celebrate new beginnings with God! Learn more and sign up here.