When we begin to plan for Baptism Sunday, it is a time that I get very excited. This is a day when we see souls saved and God's Kingdom expanding. This was a special year for Baptism for several reasons: this would be my first time doing Baptism, and I had two people signed up—one of those being a student of mine and the other my daughter.
As I sat listening to all the faith stories on Sunday morning, my eyes filled with tears of joy. There were students and adults alike sharing their pathway to faith in Jesus Christ in front of our entire congregation. What an exciting thing to witness lives being changed, and hearts given over to God.
I got to experience two very different perspectives during the Baptism. The first perspective was from that of a teacher as I baptized my student, Braelyn. I first met Braelyn during VBS in 2018 and coached her for cheerleading during our Mega Sports Camp. She was so incredibly involved, with such a sweet and kind personality, and a big heart for Jesus. It was that VBS experience that led me to want to be involved in Children's Ministries, which led to me becoming Director. I had Braelyn in my Brooks class all last year, consisting of Kindergarten to Second-grade students. Each Sunday morning built more fond memories filled with fun and excitement while learning the Bible. Braelyn making her decision to be Baptized helped me realize just how important my job teaching and leading our Westbrook kids really is. I was so happy, excited, and proud of Braelyn taking the step forward to declare her faith. Yet another great memory to add to my time as Director.
The second perspective I experienced was from that of a parent. My husband and I have always believed that Baptism is a very personal choice and agreed that it was not one we would make FOR our children. When I approached my oldest daughter Emily about the planning of Baptism Sunday, I was pleasantly surprised when she said that she wanted to be baptized. We had a lengthy conversation about the significance of Baptism to be sure that she clearly understood what she was signing up to do. As a parent, I was impressed by her knowledge of faith and understanding of Baptism. Often, it seems as parents we do a lot of talking, but how much registers is unclear. I was so proud as her mother to hear her make this decision. On Sunday, she stood in front of our congregation, confessing her sins and where she fell short, talking about how she wanted life change and how much her faith has helped her. This was my proudest moment as a mother! Baptizing her and hugging her after is a moment that I could never forget.
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