A new life

Do you remember the day you were baptized?? I do, I was 14 years old, and it was at the South Texas Youth Conference in San Antonio, Texas. I had that all important moment when I realized if I died that day, I would not go to heaven. That was the instant I knew I wanted to be baptized. Now you might find that odd for someone who grew up in the Church, baptism is usually the natural progression. But you see, I wanted this, the biggest decision I would ever make, to be my own. My mother had begun to despair of me ever becoming a Christian. She had resorted to making me study the Bible, and baptism in particular.

But it wasn't that I did not know what baptism was or what it meant. It was simply that I would not be pushed in to making a decision that I was not ready to make. I took my eternal life very seriously, and I wanted to do it for the right reasons, not simply to make someone else happy. I cannot imagine what would have happened if I hadn't had that "come to Jesus" moment.

This morning I had the privilege to witness two women be baptized. These women had been brought up in the Church, but had fallen away and both had only recently come back to Him. They both talked about how they had always meant to be baptized, but had just never seemed to get around to it. Wow! How easily that could have been me.

It has been a while since I have viewed a baptism. I'd forgotten what a beautiful thing it is when someone dies to themselves and decides to live for Him. This morning it was a joyous occasion, one chock full of clapping, praising and joyful tears. It gave me just a minute glimpse of what heaven might be like....and I have to tell you, it was AWESOME!!