Raul

Hello World!My name is Raul Betancourt Angel Mendoza (head wobble; with some attitude). I was born and raised in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Life has always been pretty normal until my freshman year of high school. I was at Luigi's Pizzeria with a couple of friends and Arthur Ingraham began to share about Jesus Christ and what it meant to have a relationship with him. As he was sharing, some of my friends that were listening began to sharply oppose the message. As for me, a sense of amazement and recognition came to me as I began to realize that this seemingly distant God that I have always known of was closer than I thought and wanted to intimately relate with me. I continued my friendship with Arthur and tangibly saw how God was changing him and his entire family. He would invite me to come along to youth group where Jono (youth leader) would paint pictures with his words of this intimate God who wanted to have a relationship with us. After attending several youth groups and many hours of conversation with Arthur discussing the mysteries and wonder of God, I gave my life to God my sophomore year of high school. Jesus Christ became both my Lord and Savior! At the time this took place, it was like everything that I had built my life on had melted away. I felt like I didn't know who I was anymore and needed to come to find who I really was - from God's point-of-view.Since then my life has not been the same and he has opened up the eyes of my understanding to see the truth of who I am in Christ: pure, righteous, and blameless. Not by anything that I had done but solely on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He has made me a new creation, given me a new identity, and sure purpose. He has also surrounded me with a Church Family that has never failed me in times of great difficulty and who have rejoiced with me in times of victory.What a journey – What an adventure – What a love.