Today, I am a new creation in Christ!
This blog is a DEEPLY personal writing but I am compelled to share it with you.
In seventh grade, I stood in a wooden pew at Berean Baptist Church and confessed my sins to God. When I went home to tell my parents, who did not attend church, I was so excited! I wanted to be baptized and I was ready to be immersed immediately. My daddy encouraged me to think about it some more and in fact, told me that I would need to wait until I was 18 and then I could make that a personal decision. I remember the pure frustration I had in that situation. I remember talking to the youth minister about it and him telling me that the Bible said to obey your parents. I was not pleased. I continued to attend church at Berean for several years. When I changed schools in my freshman year from Hale to Washington, I met Janet. She was a faithful and loving friend who led me to Asbury United Methodist Church. I started attending Bible Study on Wednesday nights and church with her on Sunday nights. Janet gave me my first Bible, one of her own and I still have it today! I met a bunch of fabulous people, went to church camp and onto Oklahoma Baptist University to surround myself with other Christians. I served as a camp counselor at Dayspring Camp while in college. I worked so faithfully to serve God and walk in His will for me. I had quiet times, read the Bible, witnessed to others, prayed with many to be saved, I even joined a sorority (called social club at OBU) to minister to others. As soon as I turned 18, during my freshman year at OBU, I immediately did 2 things... got a second set of holes in my ears (Dad said I had enough holes in my head but I could add more at 18 if it was still important to me) AND I scheduled my baptism!! I was attending Asbury, a Methodist church, so I was sprinkled. It isn't everyday that you see an adult baptized at Asbury. I just felt SO STRONGLY that I needed to be baptized as I understood scripture to mean that it was commanded. Have you met me?? I am a rule follower and I told my daddy I would be baptized! I have to tell you, at that moment, I still felt I need to be BURIED with Christ but I didn't see that option at Asbury.
Fast forward some years, Todd and I were married at Asbury on March 19th, 1994. Both of us wanted to find a church where we would "fit". We moved to Broken Arrow and started attending Arrow Heights Baptist Church. We both had a desire to be "dunked" but when? We kept waiting for the right time... in hind sight, I am glad we did. We attended there until about 6 years ago, and loved our Sunday School class!! My friend Teresa encouraged me to try her church, First Baptist in BA. We did and I loved Sunday School! Here is the thing, I LOVE church. I LOVE Bible Study! I LOVE being with Christian women and a group of people who encourage me in my walk with God. Todd was just not comfortable there. I so wanted him to be but he wasn't so WE stopped attending when Emma was born. That's right, I said WE STOPPED ATTENDING... CHURCH. My faith has remained strong. I have continued to align myself with believers and Christian women but I didn't want to attend church without Todd. My friends tried to tell me to just go and it became a JOKE that I missed ANOTHER Sunday and was worshipping at Saint Mattress with Todd. It was never a joke to me... I desperately wanted to be in church and yet I could not propel myself to go without my husband. I know many women do it and that it AWESOME, and amazing demonstration of faith and obedience!
In August, Katherine started asking if she could go to Awanas at First Baptist so I enrolled her. She was a faithful attender... EVERY Wednesday she was there! Katherine LOVES church just like her mama. That girl has a desire to learn about Jesus and it is my responsibility to take her to church with or without her daddy. So... as I was trying to muster the courage, in swoops Kelly Parrott. She encouraged me to just TRY her church. Katherine had gone once on a Wednesday night when I was sick. So, I got my happy self up one Sunday...Katherine and I were off to the Church of Christ.
What was it going to be like? They don't even have musical instruments! HELLO! I can't sing!!!! (Let me just add RIGHT NOW that the instrumental music or lack there of, really isn't missed... WHY? Think about it, God WANTS to hear His children sing. Doesn't He? That is easily accomplished without music! Just my 2 cents on that!) Kelly is a sincere Christian who has always walked a VERY straight line. I have the utmost respect for the woman but COME ON... I can't possibly mingle with her people. I am not a party girl... and I saved myself for marriage but attend Church 3 times a week. PLEASE! Turns out that the COC (AKA Church of Christ) is a church of BIBLE BELIEVING CHRISTIANS! They are a family of God's children. Traditional? Oh yeah but they are modeling the church after the churches of the New Testament. Why wouldn't I want to be a part of that? Well.. I would and I do. I am a Christian...PERIOD! I love Jesus Christ. I believe HE died for my sins. I am a BIBLE BELIEVING CHRISTIAN!
Romans 6:4 says "We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."
After MUCH studying... HIGHLY intense studying, tons of prayer, and more tears than is needed to fill a river, I am where I need to be. Today, I was baptized... I was buried with Christ and raised to walk in newness of life. Thank you Jesus for dying for me and for the road I have traveled that led straight to you! Yes! It was a curvy road but you placed people in my life to get me where I needed to be. I have to thank Kelly because it was a tearful few weeks as we studied and talked and studied and cried. I have learned a TREMENDOUS amount about the Bible lately. I thank God daily for the gift of loving friends. They are the reason I am where I am today.
WOW! This is an intense blog, deeply personal too but I wanted to share my journey with you. Today, I am FRESH and I am so excited about my new adventures on my road to the cross! Thanks for reading and celebrating my joy!
I have goosebumps after reading about your journey! I am so thrilled that you were baptized! What an amazing and life-changing decision!
ReplyDelete