Q3 / 2025
Give God a Year JONATHAN & ANGIE’S STEP STORY — IN OUR WORDS
We’re like a lot of people—we’d driven past Victory City on the way to Costco. One day we finally said, “Let’s look that church up.” A quick Google search turned into TikTok and Instagram. Two weeks later, we walked in for our first service. That Sunday happened to be Connect Group Launch, which was perfect timing. We were looking for more than just a place to attend, we wanted to find real community. From the very first visit, something clicked. We kept coming back, week after week, and before long, Victory City wasn’t just the church we attended it became home. In January, Pastor Eric preached on serving and then said, “Why don’t you give God a year?”. It felt personal. We looked at each other during the service and both knew: this is our step. They shared a couple of stories that morning, and that sealed it. We said “yes” - that we would Give God a Year. (Angie) We signed up for VC Track and joined the Creative Team. My husband, Jonathan, does photography and I help with socials. Nothing felt forced. It was like the right puzzle pieces finally fit. Serving didn’t just give us tasks; it gave us people and a place. We leaned into Groups, too—started with 20s & 30s and then fully joined the Marriage Group. That’s where it clicked for us: different ages and different marriage seasons in one room, honest conversations, real community. The common theme at that group was that everyone was serving at the church somewhere. (Angie) I grew up knowing about God—Christian school and even Catholic school—but I never felt like I was walking with
Him. This year I did. For the first time I felt real conviction to let go of things that aren’t of God, and at the same time, I felt a love I didn’t know I had—not just for God, but for people. I’ll never forget someone at church telling me, “I’m praying for you,” when we barely knew each other. That was new for me. God used moments like that to show me I’m seen and valued. I’ve prayed for a circle of women for years; this year I found them. (Jonathan) It took me a while to break out of my shell. I’m shy and tend to get anxious in new spaces. Serving helped. The Creative Team cares about you as a person, not just what you do. I feel joy when I’m with them. Our team lead keeps it fun but grounded— always back to the point: helping people take a step closer to Jesus. This year stretched us, but it’s been good. We went from Sunday attenders to part of the church family. We found friends. We found purpose. We started saying no to things that didn’t fit where God was leading and yes to rhythms that did—Sunday, serving, connect group, showing up even when tired. The more we said yes to God, the clearer His work became. If you’re on the fence, here’s our honest take: Give God a Year. Join a Group. Pick a Serve Team. You don’t have to have it all figured
Sign up for a Connect Group
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