In this episode of the Rise Up Culture Podcast, I shared my journey of discovering Jesus as the very foundation of life itself. Not Jesus plus rules. Not Jesus plus performance. Just Jesus. And that changed everything.

Jesus is not meant to be one piece of our lives that we fit in alongside everything else. He is the center. Our Creator. Our Savior. The One who fills the ache and longing we try to satisfy in a hundred other ways.

Every human heart has a God-shaped space. We feel it as restlessness, striving, comparison, insecurity, or a quiet emptiness that never quite goes away. That space was never meant to be filled with success, relationships, or even religious effort. It was created for Him.

When we encounter Jesus not as an idea but as a Person, love and purpose begin to replace the void.

My journey with faith started when I was fifteen, but it was not clean or simple.

After losing my brother, my relationship with God became complicated. I was angry. Confused. Hurt. I associated faith with pain, disappointment, and unanswered questions. I knew about God, but I did not know Him. And honestly, I did not want to.

Everything began to shift when I found myself in a non-denominational youth group. What stood out was not the music or the teaching. It was the warmth. The acceptance. The sense that I could show up as I was without pretending.

Someone gave me a Bible, and one day while reading it, something cracked open inside me. I suddenly understood the sacrifice of Jesus in a way I never had before. I remember thinking, How did I not know this?

That moment lit a fire in me. I was passionate, loud, and definitely imperfect. I talked about Jesus with everyone. I made mistakes. I learned in real time. But it was real, and it was alive.

As time went on, I ran into something many believers experience. Legalism.

Without realizing it, my relationship with Jesus slowly turned into a checklist. Do the right things. Say the right words. Look the part. I started to believe that if I messed up, I was failing God.

That pressure was exhausting.

Eventually, the Holy Spirit gently showed me the truth. This was never about how I looked, how I acted, or how well I performed. It was about Him. About relationship. About grace.

Freedom came when I stopped trying to impress God and started trusting Him.

If you feel stuck in your faith, burned out on religion, or unsure where you stand with Jesus, I want you to hear this clearly.

You were uniquely created by God. You do not need to become someone else to be loved by Him. You do not need to hide your weaknesses, clean yourself up, or measure up to anyone around you.

Your story does not disqualify you. Your questions do not scare Him. Your imperfections do not push Him away.

You are invited to step fully into who you are and meet Jesus there.

Drew also shared part of his story in this episode. He grew up in a church culture that emphasized salvation but did not always teach who Jesus really is or how the Holy Spirit works in our everyday lives.

Everything shifted when he stopped relying on his own strength and allowed the Holy Spirit to lead him. Ministry became less about having all the answers and more about staying surrendered. Relationships became less about fixing people and more about walking with them.

The Holy Spirit empowers us to live, love, and lead from a place of dependence on Jesus, not ourselves.

This episode is an invitation to come back to the center.

Jesus is not just the answer to a problem. He is the source of life itself.

-Jesus is our Creator, Savior, and the source of purpose.

-Faith journeys can be messy and still deeply holy.

-Authentic relationship matters more than perfection.

-The Holy Spirit empowers us to live out our calling with freedom and love.

If you feel tired of striving, weary of performing, or hungry for something real, start here. Just Jesus. Nothing added. Nothing missing.

And that truly is everything. 🤍