"I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” These are the words that thousands of catechumens around the world heard on Easter night when they were baptized. Throughout Lent, Aleteia shared with you the stories of some of these men and women, who are happy to become children of God. Read all of the testimonies here.
Emily DeBouver spent years searching for meaning in all the wrong places. Born in Chicago's northwest suburbs, her early religious life lacked a strong foundation. Her Catholic father made sure she received her Baptism and First Communion, but her mother embraced new age spirituality after painful experiences with the Church.
“There was an unspoken tension in our home about what we were supposed to believe,” DeBouver said. “That tension quietly seeped into every corner of our lives.”
When she was nine, her parents' divorce triggered a six-year custody battle that left her estranged from her father for seven years. With no spiritual direction during these formative years, she drifted toward destructive behaviors:
I became vulnerable to the grasp of the world and the devil. With no grounding, no direction, and no moral compass, I turned to alcohol, sex, and drugs at a young age to try to fill the hollow ache in my chest — the ache that only God and my father could truly fill.
Following her mother's path, DeBouver immersed herself in new age practices. She meditated, built pagan altars, and even relocated to Bali for seven months in her spiritual quest. Despite these efforts, true fulfillment remained elusive.
“After eight years of Eastern philosophy and godless spiritual work, I found myself buried in debt,” she said. “My relationship was in crisis, with persistent emptiness I couldn't shake — until I met Jesus.”
Everything changed when she encountered Christ. This meeting challenged her long-held objections to Christianity:
Welcoming Jesus into my heart brought with it a whole inner reckoning. I had to confront all the objections and narratives I was raised with: “Christianity is sexist, racist, patriarchal — it’s a tool for control.” I had to question how people would perceive me, knowing that for years I had mocked people of faith as “Jesus freaks.”
Though initially wary of Catholicism, she gradually became more interested the more she researched. Finally, she couldn’t stay away any longer.
“Ultimately, I came to see that the Catholic Church holds everything I’ve been searching for,” she said. “Truth, depth, beauty, and Christ Himself.”
The sacraments changed her life. Through the Eucharist, she connected with Christ with an intimacy not possible anywhere else.
Confession brought liberation from burdens she had carried for years:
I didn’t go to Confession for 18 years. When I finally returned, I was stunned by the grace and gentleness I encountered. For so long, I believed confession was about guilt and judgment.
I had convinced myself there was no such thing as sin or hell — as long as I didn’t “hurt” anyone, I was fine. But sitting in that confessional, face to face with a priest who radiated Christ’s love and mercy, I unraveled. I sobbed as he reminded me of Jesus’ love and desire for me to live in intimacy with Him.
I walked out of church lighter, unburdened, and with a new heart. Jesus gave us these sacraments because He knew we’d need them, to know Him, to receive His grace, and to be truly free.
Now DeBouver is preparing for her June 7 wedding to her Catholic fiancé at St. Mary of the Angels. Their relationship has flourished under their shared faith.
“The spirituality I practiced before drained our love,” she said. “When I gave my heart to Jesus, that fear disappeared.”
Her spiritual life now includes devotion to Mary through the Rosary and inspiration from the saints' examples. DeBouver's path from skepticism to faith shows the profound peace and joy that awaits those who seek the truth.
“Because of Jesus, His Church, and His sacraments, I am safe and I am home,” she said.
If you got chills reading Emily's story, you're not alone. Each new member of the Body of Christ enriches our entire Church. Her witness reminds us that God patiently awaits all who search for meaning and purpose.
“I owe my life to the Holy Trinity and to the one, holy, Catholic Church,” she said. “This experience has changed my future family's story for generations.”
