Baptism

In January 2020, our youngest started to ask about baptism. My former husband and I made the choice when our kids were babies not to have them baptized. We wanted them to make that decision on their own. It was the right decision based on where I was in my faith journey at the time. Our blended family now faithfully attends church and our youngest loves attending youth ministry. She has found a special place where she has come to know and love God. Sharing her baptism story is further confirmation God’s timing is perfect.

At the time she asked about baptism I signed us up for a class at our church to learn more. Following the class she chose not to get baptized. I respected her decision, but started to feel a stirring in my own heart. I was baptized as an infant in a Lutheran church. However, I couldn’t shake the feeling I had to recommit as an adult. In February 2020, I was baptized again. I believe God worked through my daughter to reach a place in my heart that needed (and wanted) to change. Funny how that works.

Fast forward to this summer when we attended an all church service for the Fourth of July. They were baptizing people during the service and our youngest grabbed my hand and said she thought she might be ready. I was excited! As we walked toward the front I felt her hesitate. She paused and said she really wanted her dad to be there for her baptism. What a special pause. So she waited.

In September, I had the honor of baptizing our our daughter – now 10 years old. At the beginning of this year our church started an all church mission. We were challenged to pray for three people to join us at church. Each of our family members individually wrote down three people we would pray for. On the day of our daughter’s baptism six of the people our family had been praying for attended the service. Once again I believe God’s timing was perfect, and it was beautiful to see those special faces sitting in the crowd that day.

The night before her baptism I asked our daughter if she was nervous. She replied yes and this gave me a chance to share more about my faith journey. I got to thank her for being a special part of my baptism. Because of her I attended that class and something changed in my heart. She smiled and then she said “you know Mom, doubt is the devil and love is the Lord.” I knew she was ready. That morning before her baptism our host encouraged the two of us to pray together. She grabbed my hands and they folded together with hers. She said the sweetest little prayer and I was in awe. I will forever cherish the moment she led me in prayer right before she made the decision to follow Jesus. I still don’t feel worthy to have lived that quiet moment with my baby girl. She brought me to tears. I knew we were right where we were supposed to be.

I believe now more than ever that faith is very personal, and our journey can’t be rushed. That once you believe in Jesus deep in your heart for yourself, you know that no one could have forced you to get there. That you arrive in His perfect timing. Patience, love, and grace are such hard things for us as humans to get perfectly. Thank goodness we don’t have to. We get to surrender, trust, and believe in something far greater than us – a God that does get it perfect.