This coming Sunday, Aug. 8, I am being baptized! Words cannot express what this means to me personally. It has been said that the sacrament of BAPTISM is like a wedding ring - an outward symbol of the committment to Christ you have in your heart. Ironically, when listening to the radio this morning, I was reminded that our salvation and desire to follow Him doesn't come from our own desire to follow Christ; but from being born of HIM! His Holy Spirit living in me is the reason I have surrendered my life to Him! He has called me, EVEN me! I heard His still, small voice and answered...thank You, Jesus, for your unfailing, unconditional love for me.
I don't believe in coincidences, but as my friend Lisa calls them, "God-incidences". I would like to share with you the significance of this day.
The church that I have recently been worshipping at, Central Wesleyan, holds adult baptism services just once every summer. It is a full immersion baptism, in the pond behind the church. Before I knew of the date, I had already made the decision to be baptized, so this God-incidence, for me, is mindboggling. August 8 was my and Steve's wedding anniversary. Not only that, our former pastor, Kevin Harney, both of Corinth and Central, who had moved to CA last January, will be visiting and preaching at our church this day!
While my heart breaks that our marriage ended in divorce, a marriage that blessed us with the loves of my life, Ashley and Tyler, I am in awe that Jesus has chosen this date to signify the redeeming and healing work that He has done in my life. I now choose Him, and only Him, to spend eternity with.
There is a song, by Kutless, whose lyrics speak of the testimony that I will give the day of my baptism. I would like to share them with you. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your sacrifice on my behalf. I pray my life will be a living testimony of Your great love for me. Amen.
I'M STILL YOURSIf You washed away my vanityIf you took away my wordsIf all my world was swept awayWould You be enough for me?Would my beating heart still sing?If I lost it allWould my hands stay liftedTo the God who gives and takes awayIf You take it allThis life You've givenStill my heart will sing to YouWhen my life is not what I expectedThe plans I made have failedWhen there's nothing left to steal me awayWill You be enough for me?Will my broken heart still sing?ChorusEven if You take it all awayYou'll never let me goYou take it all awayBut I still knowThat I'm YoursThat I'm Still YoursI'm Still Yours
Went to South Haven on a long awaited road trip with my friend Jan. We visited a really cute shop that's walls were the same color of yellow as my siding. They had the trim painted in the "watermelon" colors and it was so bright and cheery, just knew I needed to make a trip to Menards!!
Just a few more finishing touches and, mostly decorative, and the project will be finished! But it's definitely time to be put to use!! It was a lot of fun and I hope to have lots of beach bums coming to visit!! The BEACH sign was made by my neighbor Katie! She just graduated from Holland High and this was a project from her art class that she offered to give to me! It's just perfect!
I've finally discovered my hidden treasure! When Tyler, the name of the "sandman", delivered my "beach", he informed me that the sand was from a dune that he owns up in Ludington!! I was so geeked!! I have so many amazing memories from there when I was growing up; and now I have a little tangible piece in my own backyard that will be a reminder everytime I look out the window!! Now comes the "fun" part of filling in where the sod once was!!
I was able to get a little bit shoveled before I left for work tonight, and then worked on it again when I got home, by "security light"!! It's a slower process than I expected but it will definitely be worth it!!
So please stop by, everyone, anytime, and spend a little time in Ludington!! lol I have lots of landscaping/decorating ideas yet that I want to add, like an old wood dock for sunbathing, beach grass to line the fence with, and some other surprises that you'll just have to stop by to see!!! I should have the sand all in place by Sunday, hopefully!!! I'm so glad the weather is cooperating!! What a blessing indeed!! Have a Happy 4th!! Thank you to all who serve and protect our freedom, and a special thank you to the ones I am so privileged to know; Carolynn Czepiga, Scott Johnson, John Wilson, and Karl Palmberg; the friends I met from AZ that went to Ghana with us!! God Bless you all!
