Christi Waguespack is passionate about her family and her faith after dark times in her life.

A resident of New Iberia, Waguespack loves learning and plans to pass on her knowledge to future generations.

“I’m really passionate about my faith and my family, and I love learning,” Waguespack said. “It is really important to me to continue to grow and challenge myself.”

Waguespack will bring that passion for learning to 4- and 5-year-olds at the Foundations Class for Classical Conversations.

Aside from Waguespack’s passion for teaching, her other love is her family. Waguespack and her husband, Jarrod have been married for seven years now and have four children, three boys, Kyle Landry, Koi Waguespack and Gabe DiMaggio, and one girl, Johannah, the couple’s only child together.

Waguespack grew up Catholic, in a family that loves their faith to this day.

“I have memories of my grandmother praying the rosary several times a day, and one of my uncles is a wonderful priest,” Waguespack said.

Waguespack’s Catholic faith was a huge part of her life, but she had a hard time embracing her faith after her parents divorced.

She said she also had a really hard time with bullying in school, and then hit another really hard time years later when her mom was diagnosed with cancer.

During troubling times in her life, Waguespack struggled with her faith but continued to listen to God.

“I felt like God was distant and that in some kind of way, those hard things were punishment,” Waguespack said. “I always questioned whether God loved me and I rebelled out of anger at the lack of control I had over various situations. I coped with things in really unhealthy ways and hurt myself as well as a lot of other people, and I regret that so much to this day.”

Waguespack said that in looking back, the first time she began to see the love of Christ was thanks to her former in-laws — and she’s greatful for them to this day.

“They knew about my past, but always believed the best and welcomed me with open arms,” Waguespack said. “They truly loved me like Christ — when I least deserved it, when I was incapable of receiving it.”

Waguespack said they continued to pray for her when she was stuck in her pride and gave her a study Bible, which she regrets not appreciating at the time.

“I regret not appreciating that blessing then and not using it until many years later, when I hit rock bottom,” Waguespack said. “I’m sure they didn’t realize the impact of those seeds that they were planting, what was ‘deaf ears’ at the time.”

After bottoming out as a single mom, Waguespack began to notice how God had always provided what she needed — not what she wanted — when she needed it most.

“I felt helpless, loaded down with sin, and just needed to feel nearer to God,” Waguespack said. “I went back to the Catholic church, but was still just going through the motions and had so many questions.”

Waguespack then was able to complete her Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults to help grow in understanding.

RCIA is a process developed by the Catholic Church for prospective converts to Catholicism who are above the age of infant baptism. Candidates are gradually introduced to aspects of Catholic beliefs and practices. The basic process applies to adults and children who have reached catechetical age.

Waguespack then met Jarrod, who went to a non-denominational church. It was the first time she had experienced a spiritual connection with a man, and she said it was a breath of fresh air.

“I felt so honored when he invited me to worship with him,” Waguespack said. “After that first sermon, I finally felt what I had been missing in my relationship with God.”

Waguespack said when she was able to understand more about who God is, she was better able to understand who she was as a person, as it helped her prosper in all areas.

“I finally grasped that the Bible is God’s word and is a story about who He is,” Waguespack said. “It isn’t about me. My whole life isn’t about me. It is about pointing glory to God in all things.”