Firstly, I got baptized in the river. We went down the beach for church, and there was even a sound-system somebody provided for us to use! ^.^ My friend's dad led worship, and I loved it! :3
After singing a couple songs, I shared my testimony. (There were officially nine of us getting baptized; four of those shared their testimony)
Here is the one I gave:
Okay, well, I've been raised in a Christian home, and never really considered myself as someone who was not a Christian. I remember I was at my grandparents' house in (the place my grandparents live) and was sort of on a spiritual high-for a seven-year-old, at least. That was when I first prayed the prayer asking God into my heart. So, I went on like that. Came to (my town's name), made friends really easily, and life was going well. I went to church, but I was usually more interested in drawing with my friends than listening to the message.
I became a pretty shy kid. I was a follower more than a leader, and I went through a few little troubles with my friends. I wasn't really talking to God a whole lot during those times. I mean, I prayed about certain things, but looking back, my view of God seemed rather different than it is now.
I think those times where I was going through problems of feeling ganged-up on and betrayed by those I trusted the most were when He first started really changing things in me. I remember being in my room, and basically crying myself to sleep because I was feeling so sorry for myself. I know I talked to God during those times, and I also knew that Satan was trying to turn me away from God.
I forgave those who hurt me. I knew they were sorry, and that even if I didn't have them, I had God.
So, basically, I started getting closer to Him. I learned a lot in Sunday school, and I listened to my dad's sermons, as well as trying to read my Bible more often.
Last December, when my sister got baptized, I was seriously considering doing the same. Then in February, my understanding of God and everything changed. First off, that was when my grandparents were in their accident. That was when I first really started seeing things God showed me spiritually. Like a dream I had. It was a really powerful dream, and was sort of when I realized His awesomeness in full.
I learned to talk to Him more. I listened to little things He said through my thoughts and what was going on around me. When I saw the bulletin talking about holding a baptismal service in the river, I knew that it was time for me to get baptized. I'd been growing closer and closer to Him. It would be a good thing for me, and it was time.
Last week, I went to (name of the camp) Bible camp. I won't go into a lot of details about it, but I really liked the speaker, and I learned a lot about becoming free. It was a good week of growth for me.
So here I am now. I've had some highs and lows spiritually, but I know that God will help me through whatever, and I'm ready to continue on growing. I've truly learned how to have a relationship with Him, and this baptism is the next step.
One of my favorite verses is Jeremiah 29:11. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Yeah. So, that was the testimony I shared for my congregation and the guests who were there. It's a very, very short, cut-down version, but I couldn't go on for too long...
Anyways, we did more singing, a couple others shared their testimonies, more singing, and then, my dad came down to do the baptisms. (In case any of you didn't know, my dad is a pastor)
Just when he came down the beach to the waterfront, the sun came out. It was the most amazing thing.
And then, well, he dunked us in the river. Well, first he asked the two questions. ('Do you believe Jesus died for your sins?' and 'Will you commit to following God for the rest of your life').
So, yeah! I got baptized! It was so awesome! <3
And, my little brother, who originally wasn't going to get baptized but had expressed interest in it, got up and was baptized as well! So did one of his friends, and then, my friend's older brother decided he would go up and be baptized too! So, there were three more people getting baptized than was originally planned! Praise God!
It was such an awesome morning. We had a big lunch down by the beach, which was yummy ^^ We played mafia on the beach XD, and people visited and talked and such...then! I went canoeing with some friends of mine! Which was so cool. I live in this place where you'd expect the locals to have already done all this stuff (the X-country skiing, canoeing/kayaking/sailing down the river or the channel, floating down the channel, going tubing/water skiing/wakeboarding, biking the trails, and a whole bunch of other stuff, but, really, even though we do do a bunch of this stuff, it's still like, so cool...and it was my first time going down the channel like that. It was so awesome...and I really expected my arms to get tired! We left at 4:30, stopped for food at this place a little over halfway there, and then got there at 7:00...ish. Maybe a bit after.
So, that was awesome. It was really fun, and I praise God for giving me that opportunity.
Then, at the end of the day, I watched Band of Brothers with my sister. Man. Such a cool show. We only watched, like, two or three episodes, but if we'd been watching FMA:Brotherhood (like we did earlier that afternoon while waiting for my ride) we'd have watched maybe ten episodes in the same time
...I think that it was because of watching Band of Brothers before going to bed that when I woke up to thunder outside, I thought it was gunshots XD
Anyways. I had to tell you all about the glorious day God gave me yesterday. It was so awesome.
