My name is Ralph Baldelli. Jesus saved my life, and it is an honor to share my testimony with you all. It is very surreal to be here, I never imagined I would be.
My testimony is not one of a sudden, dramatic conversion experience, but rather a gradual journey of discovering who Jesus is and what it means to truly follow him.
I am grateful for God's grace and mercy, and I am committed to living a life that honors Him and shares His love with others today, but it wasn’t always like that.
My mom left when I was two, and I always asked how a “good God” could place me in such a family.
I played and idolized sports, and for a time it kept me busy, until a Turning Point that changed everything.
At 12, I began experimenting with drugs.
At 14 I emancipated myself, breaking my family up further, and I was placed into DCF custody.
The Devil had his grip on me. All I wanted to do was either die or get high.
At 17, I moved out of foster care, got a job, and began studying organic chemistry at a local college.
That's when my addiction really got bad.
I was blinded by the false sense of power money offered, and the peace that drugs gave me.
I thought I was in control, but the reality was that my life was spiraling off course.
After many arrests, I faced a sentence that would lock me behind bars in maximum security prison, for the rest of my life. And I accepted my fate. This circumstance left me feeling hopeless, and I decided to commit suicide.
Broken, filled with shame and guilt, and having ruined a generational name, I felt like there was nothing I could do to turn my life around.
One Sunday morning I sat in my car and started writing a suicide note to my dad. That’s when I heard the Holy Spirit direct me to go to church. I began driving, and remember feeling as if I wasn't in control.
I walked in, sat down and the woman leading worship stopped mid-song, and began walking down the aisle. She beelined for me, and I remember thinking that I was in trouble, but when she got to me she mentioned that God had given her a message to share. The lady prophesied about things that I was sure nobody there knew.
She was very precise, telling me things like, “Son, you will not be harmed, God has angels watching over you, not a hair on your head will be harmed, and my giants are being slayed.”
That's when Jesus entered my life and everything changed. I drove home and was sentenced to court the next day.
Blown away by this experience, I received a bible in prison and began reading.
God’s Word came to life, and the promises within it touched my heart, which is when I realized that I needed Jesus’s help to transform my life.. I knew that I had been living a life of sin, and needed to make a real change. I asked for forgiveness and for His help.
But when I was released, I moved in with my dad and step-mom and began studying chemistry again, and I idolized it, along with pride, money, and control.
One night, I remember praying, asking God for a wife that was similar to my Aunts, or grandmother. I soon met a wonderful woman who’d later become my wife.
Little did I know, getting married to a Godly woman, would require that I become a disciple myself.
My wife would take me to bible studies, and a wonderful spirit-filled church.
Soon though, I became complacent. I moved out of my parent's home, got married, and remained sober for a bit. I slacked in my faith, went back to my childish ways, and began using again.
Very quickly, I destroyed my marriage. One day my wife came home with an ancestry DNA kit. It sat on the counter for a month, when i decided to pop it open and send in the test for myself. My results came back, and I found out I was 33% levant, which is Lebanese and Palestinian, and that my ancestors come from the same area Jesus’ life and ministry revolved around.
Suddenly, I had a connection with Jesus that I did not comprehend, and I knew I needed Him back in my life. So, I called a Christian rehabilitation program.
Turning Point Christian Center gave me a place to recover, to grow with Jesus.
And, while there, I began to see my life through a different lens, through the eyes of Christ.
I embraced a new identity in Christ, knowing that God had given me the right to become his child, as long as I believe in Jesus’ Holy and mighty name, as John 1:12 says.
Since then brothers and sisters, my faith has continued to grow and deepen. I know that I still have struggles and challenges to face, and in those times I remember what Christ did on the cross for us all.
I have faced difficult times and made many mistakes, but I always know that I am loved and forgiven.
James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trials.” And I am here today to testify that His promises are the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
My marriage has been restored, I have a purpose, and things are going well.
Today, I am super blessed, halfway through my ministerial and theology studies, on my way to becoming a Pastor, and all of the experiences in my life that I was once ashamed of, are being put to use, helping others.I am honored to be used by God to help others.
Because the Messiah met me in the midst of my despair and struggle, there is one thing you can count on, whether it be to the homeless, the cashier, or a resident, I will be talking about the love Jesus has for us all, what He did for me, and what He has, and can do for you.
Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” my life is a testament to that promise…
I no longer live a life of crime. Instead, I live my life for Jesus and use my experiences to share the gospel with others.
Thank you to Pastor Bob for always exemplifying the love of Christ, and giving me a chance to turn my life around when I had nothing but some dirty clothing.
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