I have either gotten really bad at updating my blog or really busy or both. :) Anyway, a few weeks back, the church that Sarah and I have been attending had baptism down at a little park on the Snake River. Leading up to that date, I thought about getting baptized. I even talked to the pastor, Mark Bradley, about it. Over all, I have thought a lot about it and this is the conclusion that I have come to.
God definitely commands us to get baptized once we are saved. This act speaks of our allegiance to Christ, of our burial and resurrection with Him. I believe that baptism by immersion is the way to be baptized. Sprinkling or pouring is not what was intended (although in some situations pouring may be acceptable).
Baptism is a very special privilege. I would love to have been baptized back on that Sunday in September. I would have loved to publicly proclaim my allegiance to my Redeemer. However, I decided that I am not going to get baptized quite yet. The reason why is for the sake of my testimony and ministry with my parents. I do not want them to think that I made the decision to get baptized hastily or because someone else influenced me to (particularly anyone connected to Grace Academy). I want them to know that the decision I made back in January is one that is never going to change. It was not one that was made because I felt pressured in any way. I want them to know that I plan on sticking to my commitment to Christ. So, for the sake of my parents' salvation, I am opting to wait on baptism. I don't plan on waiting for numerous years. But I do want to wait at least another year.
I have prayed about this and have decided that this track is the best for me at this point. If you agree with me or think that I am greatly mistaken, please let me know.
As I mentioned above, I have gotten to talk to Pastor Mark. In talking to him, I learned that his wife is going through breast cancer as well. Her treatment has been more aggressive, including two masectomies. But how great is our God?! There is great potential there for a ministry to my mom and even just something to help me deal with being so far away from my mom while she is going through this.
Speaking of my mom, I just want to thank all those that have so tenderly and lovingly brought meals, chatted with my mom and have helped with any chores. I am very grateful for the kindness that is being shown to my family during this time of trial. I am sure that this showing of Christ's love through you all will impact my family for His kingdom. (For He has a great plan.) I also just want to thank the volleyball ladies ahead of time for the yard work they will be doing at my house. I'm sure it's a mess by now and will be hard work. But I know it's going to be a great blessing to my mom-she would most certainly have done it herself otherwise.
College life is going well. Sarah and I are adjusting and settling in bit by bit. Things have been tough at times but we just remind ourselves that God has brought us here for a reason and He has a plan for each of us. It is so good to be able to trust in a sovereign and loving God.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
At WSU again...
Well, for those of you that didn't know, I was home for the Labor Day weekend. It was amazing coming home to my family, my home, my nice long showers. (I didn't actually come home to my bed because my sister took the one I had upstairs and I'm still allowed to sleep in the one I have downstairs because there are no curtains. So, I slept in Loveleen's bed which just wasn't quite the same.) I really enjoyed being able to see friends including the volleyball ladies, many teachers who are so very dear to my heart, and various others. It was really sweet being able to go to Grace for church on Sunday. The entire weekend was refreshing. I do wish that I could have met up with more friends, especially those that I graduated with but I'm sure that I will see them when I come for Thanksgiving. I also wish that I hadn't had so much homework to do when I was home but it's all good.
In my personal devotions, I have been going through Genesis. I have recently reached the story of Isaac's son, Jacob. I was so confused in reading this portion of Scripture as to why God chose Jacob for His blessings. I was further confused as Jacob continued to do things that were deceitful, sinful. God pored blessing after blessing on Jacob yet Jacob continued to view the Lord just as the God of his father. Later on Jacob would accept God as his own God and would serve Him wholeheartedly.
I was ruminating Jacob's story earlier and made a profound realization; I am just like Jacob. For years and years I had God's blessings over me and I refused to even recognize Him. And when I did acknowledge Him, it was not as my Lord but as the God of my teachers and schoolmates, as the God of Christians. I excelled in many areas and was blessed profoundly, far more than I ever ought to have, being the sinner that I am. I never truly gave the glory for those things to God, much less acccepted Him as my God. Yet, for reasons unknown, God had singled me out for the greatest blessing He has ever given man; the free gift of salvation. I was and am by no means deserving of this gift. I hourly fall short of the standard by which I might "earn" this salvation on my own. In fact, I was disqualified from the moment of conception and have been disqualifiying myself ever since. In spite of my shortcomings and my lifelong rebellion, Christ saved me. He wrapped me in His love and in a whirlwind of grace, took me from the road leading to destruction and placed me on the path leading to Him (and in Him, eternal bliss). It is beyond my understanding why He would be so kind to one so fallen.
In so many ways, every Christian was just like Jacob, seeking blessings without acknowledging the One from whom all blessings come. And there are still so many Jacobs out there. We do not know who they are, whether they are across the world or down the hall (or both). But we do know that the same gracious God who saved us does know. And He is faithful. I am really challenged to pray for those people around me who are not saved (and being at a secular university there are many) but for all I know could be Jacobs just ready to become Israels. Please pray that I would be faithful to share Christ both by my words and by my actions. And that I really would be faithful to pray for people, especially for the other ladies on my floor and in my building. I want to be an instrument through which God can bring them to Himself. I want them to wonder at His level at a personal level just as I am. And through all of it, I want the glory to go to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
In my personal devotions, I have been going through Genesis. I have recently reached the story of Isaac's son, Jacob. I was so confused in reading this portion of Scripture as to why God chose Jacob for His blessings. I was further confused as Jacob continued to do things that were deceitful, sinful. God pored blessing after blessing on Jacob yet Jacob continued to view the Lord just as the God of his father. Later on Jacob would accept God as his own God and would serve Him wholeheartedly.
I was ruminating Jacob's story earlier and made a profound realization; I am just like Jacob. For years and years I had God's blessings over me and I refused to even recognize Him. And when I did acknowledge Him, it was not as my Lord but as the God of my teachers and schoolmates, as the God of Christians. I excelled in many areas and was blessed profoundly, far more than I ever ought to have, being the sinner that I am. I never truly gave the glory for those things to God, much less acccepted Him as my God. Yet, for reasons unknown, God had singled me out for the greatest blessing He has ever given man; the free gift of salvation. I was and am by no means deserving of this gift. I hourly fall short of the standard by which I might "earn" this salvation on my own. In fact, I was disqualified from the moment of conception and have been disqualifiying myself ever since. In spite of my shortcomings and my lifelong rebellion, Christ saved me. He wrapped me in His love and in a whirlwind of grace, took me from the road leading to destruction and placed me on the path leading to Him (and in Him, eternal bliss). It is beyond my understanding why He would be so kind to one so fallen.
In so many ways, every Christian was just like Jacob, seeking blessings without acknowledging the One from whom all blessings come. And there are still so many Jacobs out there. We do not know who they are, whether they are across the world or down the hall (or both). But we do know that the same gracious God who saved us does know. And He is faithful. I am really challenged to pray for those people around me who are not saved (and being at a secular university there are many) but for all I know could be Jacobs just ready to become Israels. Please pray that I would be faithful to share Christ both by my words and by my actions. And that I really would be faithful to pray for people, especially for the other ladies on my floor and in my building. I want to be an instrument through which God can bring them to Himself. I want them to wonder at His level at a personal level just as I am. And through all of it, I want the glory to go to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
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