Welcome to the New

 

"Baptism is not only a sacrament of our union with Christ; it is also a sacrament of our communion as the body of Christ." -Michael Horton

Today was one of the most memorable moments of my life. Today, one day before I leave for camp, I got rebaptized. Well, I am just simply going to say baptized because finally today, my old self died, and I was raised to life. True life.

A little back story:

I was saved when I was seven years old, and baptized shortly after. At the time I was not living with my grandparents yet, so church and reading your Bible was not a thing in our household. Learning verses for Awana consisted of going to my grandparents after school and repeating them over and over so I would be able to go to the girls club sleepover. And reading my Bible meant finding it in my Awana bag on the days that were hard and hoping the Lord would lead me to a page that would "fill me". And then I would put it back in my bag until Sunday, well, every other Sunday because of weekends with dad.

When I got to youth group, we didn't have to learn verses anymore (which I was so excited about, sadly). When I started, the youth room had cubbies to put things in, so I'm sure you know where my Bible stayed for a few years. When they finally got rid of them, I stopped bringing my Bible. They had extras to use, thank goodness, because in all honesty I didn't remember where I had placed my Bible or even the last time I picked it up, alone.

When high school hit, I found out a lot that I didn't know people did. I found out that teenagers really do have sex before marriage, that people start smoking weed as young as thirteen, and that being a Christian is not cool. As someone who grew up allowing themselves to feel rejected, I took every opportunity to not stand out or give people a reason to reject me. By beginning of sophomore year I found myself no different than any other non-believing high schooler. I gossiped, I made crude jokes, I swore like a sailor, I dressed in the tightest and lowest cut clothing I could find, and I used it to break as many hearts as I could as fast as I could.

I was living of the world, not just in it.

Things took a serious turn on the summer before my senior year. That summer my dad passed away. Something about watching someone you love so deeply breathe their last changes you. Though it started in frustration that's what God used to grab my attention. Slowly my walls started coming down and my heart started to open up. However, my friends didn't like this change because I wasn't the crude joking gossiper anymore. I started feeling Christ's love not only for me but for everyone around me. That year I lost all of my friends at North except one (who has been my best friend until sixth grade). God was calling me to a new season of life that couldn't be a part of, and I am thankful for that.

I started to realize that I put my faith in Christ at seven, but didn't pick up my cross. Actually, I side stepped it and ran. But I knew that it was finally time to seek first the kingdom of God.

The Lord started leading me to and through scary things, including calling me to leave my church and start new. After losing my dad, all of my friends and the other craziness happening with family at the time I did not want to make anymore changes. But finally I did. That Sunday morning, I found myself sitting in a chair alone in tears, and in that moment I had no idea that amazing things that God had planned for me. I became a youth leader, made the most amazing Godly friends that I could have never prayed up in a million years, I applied and got accepted as a counselor at my dream camp, and He opened a door to finally die to my old self.

Today was not just a baptism, today was a reminder of what my Savior has brought me through. It was a reminder that I am no longer the girl I was in high school. It was a step out in obedience. And it was a outward "Thank You" to an inward change.


Welcome to the New - MercyMe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MilLxXAa6I


John 15:16
"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you."