Baptism

Okay. Where do I even start when it comes to all the Lord is doing right now…

Some of you may be asking why did I get REBAPTIZED? It started in Guatemala. I had a huge God moment during debrief. I had the craziest encounter with Him that truly I’ve never had before. The thought crossed my mind in the slightest throughout Guatemala, but I never acted on it. 

Getting here to Africa, the Lord has done some crazy amazing things. As I wrote in my last blog, I am just gonna share all the things! The Lord revealed a lot through people: the day Morgan left, I had that conversation with Naomi. The Lord gave me so much peace in everything going on. One of the most amazing things is also realizing how much the Lord works so so much through the hard moments. I realized that night that I was to walk alone with the Lord. I stayed in from worship the night Morgan left. I was alone at the base so I just casually had a snack, called my sister, then was just about to journal when I heard someone pulling up. As I was going to check, I heard Wendy (A part of our base host, she was like a mom to us! Truly thankful for all the Lord did through her for us.) say my name, I walked down to open the door for her. She asked me what was wrong. I just told her that I was just struggling with Morgan leaving and all the things. Stopping me mid-sentence, she already knew that wasn’t it. So we went upstairs to talk. I told her about everything with my team, things with ministry, wanting to just go home and leave it all behind. I hit such a hard wall, and I truly had zero desire to be here any longer.

It was literally the Lord that brought her to me that night. She poured so much into me, showed me that the Lord wasn’t finished with all that he was doing. Giving me so so much life and hope.  Asked me if the Lord was in a relationship I am almost in. Asked me to pray about it. Asked me how my relationship was with the Lord.

Surrender: that night the Lord spoke so clearly through her that I knew it was time to FULLY surrender. Your surrender is so much more then just saying it. For me, it went as far as making a physical sacrifice to the Lord. Letting go of something so so small that was a symbol of control for me.

Commitment: its a EVERY day commitment to follow the Lord. Sometimes he does things that in the moment feel like the worst possible thing, that he is absolutely ripping our heart out with. But not a single thing that has come into my life wasn’t what he already knew was happening. There isn’t a single trial that we will go through that He isnt walking in along with us. He’s got our back in every situation. Trust is all we need. It may seem like the hardest thing. It so easy to get angry with the Lord for certain things we walk through. It’s not that he is ever doing it to hurt us, it’s truly to mold us into such strong deciples of him. Our testimony is powerful.

That night she prayed for me and got a vision of me getting married. Originally I was like, oh my goodness, yes thanks God, it’s a desire I do have. But no it wasn’t me physically getting married on this earth, it’s me bring the Bride of Christ. Wow that’s a beautiful vision.

Wendy continuing to ask me questions… are you baptized? I told her yes, but I got baptized when I was 14 and truthfully only did it because my sister was doing it. She asked me to pray about that as well. I told her it has been on my heart since Guatemala, which was exciting, so I prayed about it. 

About a week after the conversation with Wendy. It was worship again. Right before I went in, Liz (one of my squad mates) asked me how I was. Truthfully, I was struggling, the Lord just wasn’t saying anything to me… I was seeking clarity in so many different things. I started to explain the conversation with Wendy and she stopped me where Wendy asked me to surrender (take off)  something. I hesitated at first, then proceeded to take it off. Then Liz said, right there, you are still hesitating to give it fully to the Lord. I was like, oh my goodness. The Lord isn’t asking me to give up something, he wants the peoples hearts around me just as much as mine.  I went into worship that night knowing something was going to happen. Before I went in I prayed and then sat where we had worship, and I instantly started crying. Knowing the Lord is about to move is actually the most beautiful thing. That night I made a sacrifice to the Lord, repented for not fully surrendering when I said I did. Imediently after that I got sooo much clarity about getting baptized. The Lord told me, “you are ready” it was actually amazing. 

Then hitting a little set back, I got really sick and had to get covid tested the day I was supposed to get baptized. I was positive, so for a week, I was in quarantine. Truthfully, I was so confused and the enemy attacked my mind so much and made me second guess this decision I just made. Then once I finally got out, I was gonna turn back. Then realizing it wasn’t the Lord stopping me it was a commitment that I made it just got delayed a little. The night before I left, on the most beautiful night, I got baptized by my sweet friend Naomi. It was the most amazing night. The Lord gave me a clear vision that brought me to tears. I was running full speed down the beach with him. He said to me “it’s full speed ahead” I Know there is so much coming in Ecuador that I have this excitement for. But He’s got me and I am so ready for what is coming!!!