And now... for something completely different

If you page back through my blog, you'll see that baptism and theology has been an ongoing discussion in our house, as seen here and here. Last September - the 25th, to be exact - Daniel decided-decided to follow Jesus. We've talked and talked and prayed about all of this, and next Thursday is the big day - the day he'll be baptized. I've been working on what I'll say as our church allows anyone (who meets their requirements) to do the actual baptizing. When Daniel asked me to baptize him, wow. I was totally overwhelmed. It NEVER crossed my mind to say "no," but wow. What a journey it's been. I had to submit what I'll say to our pastoral team ahead of time and this is it. I just want to put it out there ahead of time to give myself some time to process all of this. Here's to hoping I can get through this without falling apart!

Daniel's story

Daniel attended Nicole’s Salvation and the Gospel class back in September. The very next night, I tucked Daniel in and said goodnight. A few minutes later, here he was, in the kitchen. He told me that he didn’t know what he needed to say or do, but he was ready to ask Jesus into his heart. I don’t believe I’ve ever heard sweeter words in all my life. I knelt with him there in the dark and led him in a prayer of salvation. He told God that he knew he was a sinner and he knew he needed Jesus to take away his sins and that he was ready to follow Him all the days of his life. A huge wave of emotion washed over me – joy, excitement, pride, relief. Then he asked me then if I’d be the one to baptize him and a whole new wave of emotion hit me – anxiety, fear, an overwhelming sense of responsibility. But the more I’ve prayed about it over the last 6 months, the more I’ve come to realize that this is exactly what Daniel went through. He was excited to ask Jesus into his heart, but he was anxious about whether the water would be hot or cold. He was proud to call himself a Christian, but he was worried that his clothes would get wet. He wasn’t sure what all of this looked like. But he found the courage to stand here on this stage and let it be known that he believes that our God saves and is alive today so I can be brave enough to stand here with him. And Daniel? I want you to look out into this church at these people who are brave enough to stand here with you and to be a part of your life with Christ. I want you to know that each and every one of these people loves you and they are here for you, not just tonight, but to support you in all that you do. If there ever comes a time when you are anxious or fearful or overwhelmed with responsibility, know that you never walk alone for God is with you and so are His people. So without further ado, it is my privilege to baptize you my brother in Christ in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.