My 2nd Birthday (#31DaysofMemories)
If you read the title of this post, you are probably thinking and expecting me to talk about when I turned 2. But let's be honest... I don't remember a thing about being 2. So how could I write about it??
Well, I'm not. I'm talking about when I was baptized. My mom always called it our 2nd birthday and it stuck.
I am what I consider a quadruple threat kinda girl... I was born and raised a preacher's kid. I was home-schooled. I married a youth minister. And I graduated from Bible college. Yup. You read all of that right.
I have had a whole lot of Jesus, Church, Ministry and Scripture in my life since the day I was born. And that wasn't and isn't a bad thing.
Growing up, I always knew that Jesus had died for me. I always knew that no matter what I did, He would forgive me. I always knew that I was responsible for what I believed, how I acted and what actions I took. And when I was nine years old, I made a choice. I took action. I decided what I believed.
It was August 2, 1998. Just a few months short of my tenth birthday. My dad was preaching at Community Christian Church in Racine, Wisconsin. At the time we were meeting in Park High School and remodeling an old grocery store to become the new permanent location. Community was a pretty small church, but my best friends went there and I thought life was perfect. And for a nine year old... It was.
Well on August 2, I stood before my church family and said I wanted to be baptized. I had spent time talking it over with my mom and dad. I put in some homework time doing research and studying baptism per my dad's request. And I was ready. I was certain that baptism was the next step in my walk with Jesus. So I made my public confession. I repeated the words of Peter with my dad guiding me. I made it known to my family and my church family that "I believe that Jesus is the Christ. The Son of the Living God."
My friend Ashley made the same commitment and declaration that day. And so with our families, we headed to First Christian Church in Kenosha (our sister church about 20 mins away). When we got there, my dad and I stepped into the water and he baptized me. Then Ashley's dad, Larry, baptized her. We then hugged, cheered and headed home. I later got a special, new Bible from Grandma (which I still have) in celebration of my baptism.
To some it may seem like all I did was get dunked. To others it may seem like I was too young. To others it may seem like I was brainwashed by my dad. But to me... it was the start of a brand new life. To me it was the beginning of a lifetime journey with Jesus. To me it was the point in time that I can look to when everything I did, do and will do became re-written in light of eternity and salvation and purpose. To me it was everything. It is everything.
My life is defined by my faith. My life is defined by my salvation. My life is defined by my relationship with Jesus. And I hope that's what people see when they look at me. I pray that when people look at me, they see hope, life, love, faith and most of all, Jesus.
Yes, I am a quadruple threat kind of girl. But more importantly than being home-schooled or a preacher's daughter or a youth minister's wife or a Bible college graduate, I am a daughter of the greatest King of all. I am a God-follower. I am one of Jesus' disciples. And that's the best thing I could ever hope to be.
Well, I'm not. I'm talking about when I was baptized. My mom always called it our 2nd birthday and it stuck.
I am what I consider a quadruple threat kinda girl... I was born and raised a preacher's kid. I was home-schooled. I married a youth minister. And I graduated from Bible college. Yup. You read all of that right.
I have had a whole lot of Jesus, Church, Ministry and Scripture in my life since the day I was born. And that wasn't and isn't a bad thing.
Growing up, I always knew that Jesus had died for me. I always knew that no matter what I did, He would forgive me. I always knew that I was responsible for what I believed, how I acted and what actions I took. And when I was nine years old, I made a choice. I took action. I decided what I believed.
It was August 2, 1998. Just a few months short of my tenth birthday. My dad was preaching at Community Christian Church in Racine, Wisconsin. At the time we were meeting in Park High School and remodeling an old grocery store to become the new permanent location. Community was a pretty small church, but my best friends went there and I thought life was perfect. And for a nine year old... It was.
Well on August 2, I stood before my church family and said I wanted to be baptized. I had spent time talking it over with my mom and dad. I put in some homework time doing research and studying baptism per my dad's request. And I was ready. I was certain that baptism was the next step in my walk with Jesus. So I made my public confession. I repeated the words of Peter with my dad guiding me. I made it known to my family and my church family that "I believe that Jesus is the Christ. The Son of the Living God."
My friend Ashley made the same commitment and declaration that day. And so with our families, we headed to First Christian Church in Kenosha (our sister church about 20 mins away). When we got there, my dad and I stepped into the water and he baptized me. Then Ashley's dad, Larry, baptized her. We then hugged, cheered and headed home. I later got a special, new Bible from Grandma (which I still have) in celebration of my baptism.
To some it may seem like all I did was get dunked. To others it may seem like I was too young. To others it may seem like I was brainwashed by my dad. But to me... it was the start of a brand new life. To me it was the beginning of a lifetime journey with Jesus. To me it was the point in time that I can look to when everything I did, do and will do became re-written in light of eternity and salvation and purpose. To me it was everything. It is everything.
Yes, I am a quadruple threat kind of girl. But more importantly than being home-schooled or a preacher's daughter or a youth minister's wife or a Bible college graduate, I am a daughter of the greatest King of all. I am a God-follower. I am one of Jesus' disciples. And that's the best thing I could ever hope to be.
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