Tommy's Story
I first came into contact with Ridgeline Community Church while taking my 2yr old son to the park on a weekend afternoon. We had only been in Temecula/Murrieta area for a few months and didn't know more than a handful of people. Within the first six weeks of moving out the area we had lost a pregnancy in the 3rd trimester. It made for a difficult transition to say the least with no family support close to us, and few friends in the area. As is my normal approach, I decided to take on the challenge of making things right for my wife and family. I had managed in the past to deal with my father's passing at age 8, my mother nearly dying a year later after a back surgery, financial struggles growing up, etc. I viewed this a just a small test in life that I would conquer as I had done before, but the challenge was more than I had estimated. I could tell my wife wasn't right. I came to the conclusion that I couldn't do it alone and that we really weren't connecting to our new community. If not for this realization, and the timing of meeting Matt and Jay at the park one day we may have never engaged at Ridgeline so openly.
The community and service aspects of the church is what drew me in and now it is my personal and spiritual growth that has me committed to Ridgeline. The community group that we participate in is one of the best parts of our week as we can share and learn on a much more personal level with other couples. The other community group members have become some of our closest friends. What I am most looking forward to is the growth that I will continue to make in all aspects of my life because of the decision I have made to become a Christian and get baptized. Through Ridgeline I have found my desire to want to connect with God, and to live a life that is bigger than just what I want or desire, but what God desires for me. I have become a better person, father, and husband ever since I joined Ridgeline and it is the path I want to continue on for as long as possible.
Sincerely, Thomas Powell