Baptism
Well after 10 years, lots of trials, failures, etc.....it finally happened. The Sunday before last, God was tugging at my heart during church. It finally felt time. Went up front and asked God for forgiveness of the sins I had kept in my heart and kept repeating. But that wasn't it. I stayed up front and talked to the pastor and announced to the church that I had sinned but I was ready to take that stand for Christ. I asked to be baptized. They accepted it immediately. So pastor came to my house to talk about it and wouldn't you know...they were ready to baptize me the next sunday! I was beside myself. Each time in the past, something would always come up and I wouldn't end up getting baptized. Well, honestly I think God was keeping that from happening. You see, I have had a lot of learning to do, and still do. But, this is not something you take lightly. Honestly, I took A LOT of time praying about this after I announced it. I prayed for God to prepare my heart for it, and for after it. Cause I knew the decision I was making was a huge one. I was making an outward statement that I was going to follow Christ. You are showing you are being obedient. It doesn't have anything to do with your salvation. It is what God asked of you and you should do it. Just like why I wear head coverings, which I know a lot of people don't understand. It is something God said in His word and I am going to follow it. It doesn't have anything to do with my salvation or anything, but God said it, so I am being obedient. That is how I look at it.
So for the next week I spent time praying about what God would have me say and to prepare my heart. I think God didn't give me much to say, cause He knew I would get teary eyed and I did. During my baptism I started to cry, but did my best to keep my composure. I just told everyone it took 10 years, but I knew it was time to be obedient. God told me it was time. So finally I have now been baptized. It was amazing! I can't explain it really. It was like a burden had been lifted. I felt so many emotions, not just one could be pointed out. There was another gentleman baptized that day, that was a last minute decision. Praise God!
Now, I'm not foolish to think that everything is just miraculously going to be better. Actually I was expecting it to get harder. I was reading in the bible about when Jesus was baptized, and right after that, in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, he was immediately led out to be tempted. Well I thought about it, and Satan doesn't like it when we do things like this. When we step out like this, he usually steps it up. Well, I know things are going to get harder. So I am praying to God for strength. I can tell Satan has already stepped it up. Somethings have been really hard lately. But, God has also shown some wonderful blessings. Yet, there are a lot of things we are all trying to do to serve God and spread the word. So I know it is just going to get harder.
Right now, the best thing I need right now is prayer. We all need prayer. God is going to do a lot of beautiful things.
So for the next week I spent time praying about what God would have me say and to prepare my heart. I think God didn't give me much to say, cause He knew I would get teary eyed and I did. During my baptism I started to cry, but did my best to keep my composure. I just told everyone it took 10 years, but I knew it was time to be obedient. God told me it was time. So finally I have now been baptized. It was amazing! I can't explain it really. It was like a burden had been lifted. I felt so many emotions, not just one could be pointed out. There was another gentleman baptized that day, that was a last minute decision. Praise God!
Now, I'm not foolish to think that everything is just miraculously going to be better. Actually I was expecting it to get harder. I was reading in the bible about when Jesus was baptized, and right after that, in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, he was immediately led out to be tempted. Well I thought about it, and Satan doesn't like it when we do things like this. When we step out like this, he usually steps it up. Well, I know things are going to get harder. So I am praying to God for strength. I can tell Satan has already stepped it up. Somethings have been really hard lately. But, God has also shown some wonderful blessings. Yet, there are a lot of things we are all trying to do to serve God and spread the word. So I know it is just going to get harder.
Right now, the best thing I need right now is prayer. We all need prayer. God is going to do a lot of beautiful things.
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