Author: Believe By Battle
Date: July 21, 2026
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Follow: @33trauma_Official

Juan Battle Jr.’s story did not begin behind a microphone or inside a ministry. It began in New Jersey, surrounded by pain, anger, and circumstances that forced him to grow up quickly. When Juan was nine years old, his father stabbed his mother and was sentenced to 17 years in prison. The trauma of that experience left him carrying an anger he did not yet know how to understand or express. By the age of 15, Juan was incarcerated and received a three-year sentence. After returning home, another major responsibility entered his life. Juan became a father and, at only 19 years old, unexpectedly found himself raising his son as a single parent. He was still trying to navigate his own pain while learning how to be present and responsible for someone who depended on him.

One Foot In and One Foot Out

Before fully surrendering to Jesus Christ, Juan lived a life he now describes as being completely rooted in sin. He was involved in gang life and pursued music as a secular recording artist. His lifestyle included drinking, smoking, sexual immorality, and decisions he is no longer proud of. All the while, he was raising his son, Juan believed in God and had always possessed a desire to know Christ, but he did not yet understand what complete surrender looked like. Even after moving to Florida to improve his life, he remained caught between two worlds—wanting God while still holding on to parts of his former lifestyle. “I was one foot in and one foot out,” Juan explained. Although he had begun making changes, true transformation had not yet taken place. He was building a better-looking life, but God was preparing to address what was happening inside him.

When Success Disappeared

By 2025, Juan’s professional life appeared to be moving in the right direction. He had his own office, operated a growing record label, and managed a platform that served hip-hop recording artists. Then he lost everything. What appeared to be the collapse of everything he had built became the beginning of something far greater. During that season, Juan watched a message from Pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell. Something shifted within him, and he asked God to fill him with the Holy Spirit. Shortly afterward, Juan found himself crying as he reflected on how far God had brought him. He thought about the pain he had survived, the wrong he had done, and the mercy God had continued to show him through it all. For the first time, he did not simply recognize God’s existence—he began to understand His grace. That realization produced a love and appreciation for God that Juan could no longer ignore. He opened the Bible, committed himself to learning God’s Word, and surrendered his life to Jesus Christ. He never turned back.

A New Voice and a New Mission

Today, Juan creates Christian rap under the name Trauma. The name reflects where he came from, but his music points listeners toward the One who transformed him. His purpose is no longer to glorify the lifestyle he once lived. His mission is to tell the truth about sin, share what Christ has done in his life, and reach people who may believe their past has placed them beyond redemption. Juan also believes God has called him to lead. Rather than depending entirely on his own understanding, he continually asks the Lord for wisdom and direction. “I know that as long as I have God, I’m good,” he said. That confidence is not based on believing he has every answer. It comes from trusting that God will continue providing the wisdom, correction, and guidance he needs as he remains submitted to Him.

Finding Purpose in the Dark Seasons

Juan’s message to anyone experiencing a painful season is direct: stop giving Satan more credit than he deserves. Satan is not equal to God, and he does not have the final authority over anyone’s life. At the same time, Juan encourages people to look beyond the pain and ask what God may be revealing through it. “Start looking deeper and searching for growth in those dark times,” he said. “God may be trying to show you something so you can grow.” Dark seasons can expose what needs to be healed, corrected, surrendered, or developed. For Juan, losing what he had built helped him discover what truly mattered. The collapse of his former life created space for complete surrender to Christ. His testimony is not the story of a man who rescued himself. It is the story of a man whose sin, pain, anger, and past were met by the mercy of Jesus Christ. Juan Battle Jr. once used his voice to participate in the culture around him. Today, as Trauma, he uses that same voice to call people out of darkness and point them toward Christ. His life is proof that a painful beginning does not have to determine how the story ends. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.” — 2 Corinthians 5:17 (WEB)

Kingdom Conversations features the stories of real believers whose lives have been transformed by Jesus Christ. We share the testimony, plant the seed, and trust God to produce the growth.

From the Streets to Surrender: The Testimony of Juan Battle Jr.