Shall We Gather at the River

Today, my sister Danielle was baptized. As her younger sister (by almost 10 years), the thought about her being baptized or not never crossed my mind. I always assumed she had been baptized before or shortly after I was born therefore, I didn't remember it...

It's amazing how you can live with someone almost your whole life and still discover new things about them every day...

The seriousness of the occasion really struck me as we stood beside the lake on this beautiful hot August day. A simple act of submersion that symbolizes so much more. The process is over in about 5 seconds, but the grace and forgiveness that Christ gave to us is everlasting.

As we stood on the shoreline, I began to daydream about what it would have been like to be baptized by John the Baptist- or better yet, Jesus Himself. My dad is a close 3rd though, and he has had the honor of baptizing my entire family- including his own mom and dad who came to Christ later in life.

Wyndham stood with me amazed as we watched 6 other young people from church profess their faith publicly.. it made me want to get baptized all over again-- I feel like I have learned so much more since I was 12.

My mind wandered back to last Sunday when my dad had a small commissioning ceremony for Randy and I at church as we are leaving for Ohio soon-- He quoted from Isaiah 6:8, "And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said, 'Here I am! Send Me!"

That passage is often quoted for people entering the ministry (such as ourselves), but truly, it is for all believers. I think of my sister and the 5 others who were with her today-- God has a plan for all of them, whether it be here in Muskegon, some distant land far away. We can show the salvation and grace of Christ in our every day lives, wherever we may be...we are all called to go forth for Christ.

One of my favorite memories from this day was shortly after the service as over. Wyndham ran up to Danielle and said, "You went under the water Auntie! You love Jesus Auntie".





A child's prayer...



Today we were at the River... someday, we'll all meet again at the real river...I can't wait...