M y name is Murali and I was born in India to a devoted Hindu family. When I was a teenager, our neighbors invited me to church— that was the first time I heard the name of Jesus.
My grandparents, whom I grew up with, didn’t approve of me going to church. They resisted the idea of allowing me to get baptized and become fully Christian. They wanted me to worship Hindu idols, go to temples, and see Jesus as one of many gods. One of reasons I didn’t get baptized back then was because my grandparents told me that they wouldn’t let me stay at their house if I did.
When I would visit my parents, my mother and I would take the opportunity to go to church together in their village. I became curious about the God of the Bible and as I learned more about Jesus, I found Him so different from the Hindu gods I grew up believing in. I began to read the Bible, which helped me to know God more and surrender to Him, leading me to believe in Jesus as my Savior.
I started coming to Highlands about a year ago after a friend of mine invited me to come on Sundays. I was looking for a church where I could continue to grow in my faith, and, in Highlands, I found just that.
I had always wanted to get baptized, but never felt that I was perfect enough. I knew I had accepted Christ, but would Christ accept me? Today, I decided to get baptized because I’ve come to a deeper understanding of the grace we have in Jesus and what He’s done for me.
I know He’s working in my heart and has been transforming me everyday to be more like Him.
