Wednesday, 11th June 2008

Friday, June 13, 2008

God is GOOD! He is good ALL the time! I truly believe that with all of my heart. I love Him so much and I want to thank Him every day for all that He has done in my life and continues to do. I don't want to make this post a sermon but I do want to share a bit of what has happened in my life recently.

As many of you might know I came over to England to visit my family (Jill, Heath, Harrison and baby Isabelle was on the way at that time). I never knew that God would change my life like He did. I have grown up in a Christian family and my parents love me probably a lot more than I deserve. They are so good to me and I am so thankful for them.

I was baptized by my father and my pastor at the time, Jeff Collins in the river in Mason. It was such a special memory. It was something that I wanted to do and no one was going to change my mind about it! I was five a the time. My mom has photos of mine and my brother baptism up at home and they are sweet pictures, and sweet memories. I was there in my bright red bathing suit with my white blond hair and my belly sticking out! It is funny when you are little and you just don't have a care in the world... sometimes I wish I still had that instinct about me! That time in my life was very special and I made a commitment to the Lord. I was His child, and I have never doubted that.

But three years ago on 11th June 2005 I went on an alpha weekend away and my life changed forever and has never been the same since. Only a few days after coming to England I was invited on this weekend away and when I went I met and fell in love with the Lord like never before. I know that three years ago I made a decision to turn from my old ways, ways that I am not proud of but I now know that His grace is sufficient for me, even when I spent years of not walking with the Lord.

That day, 11th June 2005, was so significant. It has been marked out in my mind and I will never forget it. My whole life changed. Not only did I fall in love with the Lord, but I also met and fell in love with my husband (hence now why we are in England!). I know that when I came back home after having this experience that it was so hard for me to explain what happened in my life because I was a different person; I am a different person. I love the Lord with all of my heart and I want to follow Him all the days of my life. It isn't easy though. I had to leave behind family and friends and a life that I was very comfortable in. But I can honestly say that I would never go back to my old life. I would never trade my life now for anything any the world.

A few weeks ago I was laying in bed talking Jon's ear off as usual while he was just trying to go to bed and I asked him, "Babe, do you think I need to be baptized again?" His answer was "No." Because I had been before as I child he didn't think I needed to worry about doing it again. I understand where he was coming from theologically but I just knew in the back of my mind that I wanted to mark out what happened to me three years ago. So I didn't think of it much more until Sunday night when we had a baptism service at our church after the recent alpha weekend away. It is an amazing celebration! Many gave their life to the Lord and it is such a joy to see... a champagne moment that is for sure! As Mark was about to start baptizing everyone he just said "I feel there is someone here who has shorts and flip flops on that would like to be baptized... come on up if that is you!" No one came up so he just carried on.

Tuesday evening we had a night of celebration and worship at church again and this guy in our church stood up in front of everyone and apologized for not getting up there to be baptized because he was the one that Mark was talking about with shorts and flip flops on ready to go. But doubt came in and he just didn't do it. He asked for forgiveness and then Mark said well lets just baptize you tonight. He opened the hole (not sure what it is called) where you dunk people but there was no water so he said we will have to fill it up and do it tomorrow night because we were having the same kind of meeting. Then he just simply said, is there anyone else who would like to be baptized or would like to celebrate the child baptism (almost like renew their baptismal vows). And something in me stood up and I kept jumping up and down! So there I had done it... committed myself to being baptized the next day.

When I went home that evening I was trying to explain to Jon why I wanted to be baptized (again late at night while he was trying to sleep) and I just couldn't put it into words why I wanted to be. So Jon just said lets go to bed and hopefully the Lord will help you explain why in the morning. When I woke I just looked at Jon and said, I know why... I know that I want to mark out the change that took place in my life three years ago. I don't doubt that I am God's child but I want to publicly declare what He has done in my life and celebrate my baptism!

So Wednesday, 11th June 2008 I was baptized. The most special part was that Jon was able to help Mark baptize me! What a joyous celebration it was! Here are photos of before and after the dunk...

To top if off, my mom called me at work the next morning and she told me how she had been reading my bible that she gave me when I came to visit England and then I ended up leaving it when I moved here. But off to the side of one of the passages in Matthew that I had been reading I highlighted the verse and wrote the date out to the side along with Alpha Weekend Away. The date was 11th June 2005... exactly 3 years ago from when I was baptized 11th June 2008! So cool!

I know this post is going on for an eternity but I just want to say thank you to those who pray for me and for Jon. Thank you for your love and encouragement and thank you to my parents and brother for loving me so much. I also want to highlight the fact that yes, my life did change, but I will always be a work in progress... I am not perfect by any stretch of means... in fact, I am far from perfect! The Lord is continuing to do a work in my life and I pray that it never stops. I have to trust Him daily - I have to daily lay down my own selfish desires and plans and keep hold of the promises that He has given me for today and for the future.

I will leave you with a few passages that the Lord has marked out for me... love to everyone who reads this... I pray that the Lord will speak to you through what He has done in my life. I pray that you will know His goodness and His plan for your life.

Love, Jancie x

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Matthew 28: 18 - 20

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3: 5 & 6