Look what I did last Sunday!!

Last Sunday in church I was baptized!! It was an awesome experience. Below is what I shared with the congregation before my baptism:


When I gave my testimony a few months ago I shared with you how I had the privilege of growing up in a Christian home. I will be forever grateful to my parents for teaching me Christian values and for providing opportunities for training through church attendance, Sunday school and summer camps. I don’t remember an exact moment when I became a Christian, but I know I am God’s and I know He is mine.

In high school and the first year and a half of college I really struggled to make my faith my own. I knew that I couldn’t live on my parents’ faith. God did totally win me over in those years. One way even today that I am still learning about making my faith my own is choosing to be baptized. My parents chose to have me and my siblings baptized at the same time about 40 years ago. I have wondered about that for a long time and just recently asked my parents about when I was baptized. From their response, I realized that, at age 7, I didn’t understand the meaning of baptism, and I understand now that it was mostly their choice. I realize that this is something that God is asking ME to make the decision about.

Currently, God is showing me His abundant love and I am learning how to rest in that -- and how to be okay with just that. I have a lot of transitions coming up in my life. Megan will be leaving for college in a few months and my daily job that I have LOVED tremendously for the past 21½ years will change dramatically. Caleb will not be home this summer and he will graduate from college in a year. Dan and Cheryl’s leaving will be something major for me to adjust to as well.

Earlier this week when I was praying about what to say today, God spoke to me through these couple of verses. One is Psalm 23:4&5 --

Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.

The other verse is Isaiah 41:10 --
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

So no matter how unknown the future may look to me right now, these verses tell me I have God’s assurance that He will be there to guide and protect and comfort and strengthen me. And He will hold me up and overflow my life with blessings!

I will end this with saying what I wrote to Caleb in an email when I told him about my decision. So, your 47 year old mom who has served Jesus for as long as she can remember, is going to be baptized!