Into the Water

 by Sarah

August 23, 2009 was a big day for our family.  Every year, our church has its annual adult baptism. It's a fantastic time for our church family to see and hear about the amazing ways that God is working in people's lives and to see people proclaim their faith and publicly dedicate their lives to God and His service.

About six weeks ago, I began feeling a little nudge on my heart to be baptized. I had been baptized as a baby in my parent's church, but never as an adult nor had I publicly proclaimed my faith and my desire to serve God with the way that I live my life. It was strange because although I knew I was being nudged, I still felt a little bit anxious about stepping forward and walking into the water. Why? I guess I was wondering what people would think about me, my faith and about where I am on my walk.  But the more I thought about it, the more I knew I needed to do it for God; not for myself or for anyone else.  I know with certainty that God has been moving in my life over the past few years (especially) and that He was wanting me to do this so who was I to say no?

So I broached the idea with Joe and he shared that he too had been thinking about getting dunked. He talked about how every year he walked away from the lake where the baptisms had just taken place with a little tug in his heart about wishing he had been baptized too.  So that sealed it. We were going to be baptized together and the fact that we are expecting a baby made it even more special because technically, our unborn baby was going to be baptized with us!  We were very excited about our decision.

So three weeks ago, the big day arrived and it was a gloriously beautiful day- highs in the mid 70s, which for those of you who do not know Kansas in August...that just does not happen! The way our church does baptisms, is that we all break out into share groups and those people who are getting baptized share their story of how Christ has been working in their lives and why they are choosing to be baptized.  Those who are not being baptized are free to go to whichever group and listen to whatever stories they wish and then as an entire congregation, everyone moves over to the beach (at the lake) and watches people proclaim their belief, be dunked under the water and raised again to a new life. It's truly beautiful to behold.

Joe and I were in the same share group that was being hosted by our dear friend, Harold who is on staff at our church.  We individually shared how Christ has been working in our lives.  Joe shared more of his personal faith history, while I chose to focus my sharing more on how God has specifically been moving in my life and heart over the past three years.  I told people about how two years ago, Joe and I were not speaking to one another, and how God was teaching me to praise him even when in the midst of storms and darkness in my life.

I shared that there were days when I would just barely be able to eek out the words of praise for God during that time, not because I felt like praising him, but because I felt like it was what I was supposed to do- praise His name in good times and bad. I shared that as i said those words back then, I was hoping that there would one day be a time in my life when the praise for him would come easier and where it would feel like an overflow of the joy....and how far away that felt- then.  But now...the day of my baptism, I was able to look over, see my sweet husband Joe standing there by my side, know that we were expecting our first baby and just feeling richly blessed in life.  I felt like there was nothing I would rather do than give God glory for his amazing work in my life. I shared how while I did not know what was ahead for us, I knew He had been instrumental in getting me to where I stood that day and that I would be following His call on my life going forward into the unknown adventure ahead.

I was bursting with joy and happiness that day. I felt not only blessed,  but safe, protected and just plain happy.  We were surrounded by dear friends, old and new. We invited people we did not know into our lives and journeys by sharing our stories that morning. While I can't speak for Joe, I know that I felt a renewed sense of community and belonging to our church family that day. I was energized spiritually like I had not been in a long while. I could feel God's embrace and presence in the smiles and hugs and conversations shared on the beach and over picnic lunches. It was a new beginning for me. For us.  For our family.

Our Pastor Dan prayed a prayer that morning for everyone present and while talking about baptism, he said that those being baptized were going to be raised to a new life in Christ and that nothing would be as it was before.  Looking back on that statement just three short weeks later, its easy to see how it could not have been more accurate for Joe and I.

Just four short days after being baptized, our lives sadly changed forever.

Photos are by Grady.  Thanks, Grady for capturing the day.