Baptism

WOW! ok, so I have never had such awesome, feelings in a day...well, maybe one other day, April 23, 2005...which was the day I took hold of my faith in Jesus Christ. I was finally able to be baptized today:

B A P T I S M

John 3:5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.

Acts 2:38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

1 Peter 3:21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ

God wants every believer to be baptized; it is a command...I have wanted to do it for quite some time now, but with the numerous surgeries and times of doubt or 'distance' from God...I was kept from it...and, I feel like that is a blessing in disguise because I was able to really understand and know what baptism is and why we do it.

Today I was joined by family and friends; some of which drove for up to three hours just to see me be baptized. I feel so privileged to be part of a family of believers who love and support me and I am so glad that together we are serving and awesome, mighty, faithful, trustworthy, graceful, just, and LOVING God. I know that the only freedom I will ever find is in Jesus...I have found my place with Him. I want to be "God's girl;" used by Him in ways I cannot imagine...I want to look back at my college years, and know I followed God and kept telling Satan no! I want to put all my trust, faith, dreams, desires, everything in Jesus - He is FOR ME!

This is one of my life verses:

Philippians 3:8-9
What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be FOUND IN HIM, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.