Sunday, July 24, 2005

Personal Commitment

This morning, Andrea made public her commitment to Christ by being baptized.  This was a decision she made on her own without a push from us.  She came back from church camp changed in a visible way.  Her worship at church was deeper and her desire to know more of the Lord palpable.  She's been studying her Bible and writing scriptures to learn.  It's what we wanted for her, but we are thrilled that she is motivated to do it on her own as well.

There were tears of joy in our faces as we watched our daughter come up a new creation.  Her testimony and that of the 11 other young people who made this step of obedience is a testimony to the work the Lord is doing in the young people at our church.  We are so proud to be her parents. 

Before the young people were baptized, the pastor asked us to pray and to take time to remember our own baptism as well. In my hands I held a Bible that was presented to me just 4 days after my baptism in the ocean in Mexico.  I stepped into that cold March water a free woman and came up a new creation. 

That Andrea's relationship with the Lord is more profound is obvious.  It's her relationship with Him, not hers through us or through the leaders or pastors.  the change in her is palpable.  Her worship time is more personal. 

She's grown into Christ right before our very eyes.

Amen, Jesus, Amen.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am so happy for Andrea. What a wonderful thing for her today. A moment in time she will never forget! Love, lj

Anonymous said...

Oh Penny, I am so happy.  Beyond happy.

Love, Krissy
http://journals.aol.com/fisherkristina/SometimesIThink

Anonymous said...

Alleluia!  Another sister in Christ!  Sometimes I can't wait to get to heaven just to see everyone who is there!
Traci  

Anonymous said...

Beautiful pictures, sounds like a great service!

Anonymous said...

And mor than that she has  been marked by the Lord. She has chosen him to be her husband, an as brothers and sisters in Christ, she now makes up the greater community of his Church with us. We are one body with the Lord at its head, and while she now has her own personal committment to the Lord, she has been made one with all of us. A true blessing
Peace and love,
Charley
http://journals.aol.com/CDittric77/Courage

Anonymous said...

Awesome!!!!  Congratulations again to Andrea and your family.  There is NOTHING like witnessing your children witness!  :-)
~Miss O

Anonymous said...

LOVE LOVE these pictures Penny!  You can see the joy on her face!!  I remember getting baptized and I had no idea how wonderful all of it was going to be - the walk with the Lord... oh and the challenges that come!!  Andrea's spirit knows the joy!!  Thank you for sharing!!  I'm working through my old alerts from the past few days and got to this one and am so glad I got to stop by.  Now I'm going to go to bed.  I'll be dreaming of the happy smile of baptism!!  My grandfather baptized me and he was the preacher so it was really a special time for me too!  Hugs,
Lisa