Baptism Sunday

 Our family had the very best kind of day Sunday.  We celebrated Andrew's baptism with our family and friends.  Back in April, Andrew started asking lots of questions about salvation, sin and forgiveness.  Brent and I answered them each time, but didn't push him to make any decision before he was ready.  We wanted to be sure he understood the gospel completely - that we are all sinners in need of a Savior.  God knew it would be this way from the beginning, and out of His great love for us, He sent Jesus to rescue us from our sin and make a way for us to live eternally in Heaven with Him.  The only thing we have to do is humbly admit our need for Christ, and accept His free gift of salvation. 

One night after many conversations with me about salvation, Andrew and Brent sat down for a chat.  Andrew shared with his daddy that he knew he was a sinner and that the only way to be right with God was to ask Jesus to save him.  Brent asked if he wanted to do that, and Andrew said he already had.  He told us he prayed, "Lord, I know I'm not a perfect man.  I need you to save me."  The Bible tells us that all it takes to be saved is a childlike faith, so on April 11, 2012, Andrew was saved.

Last Sunday, Andrew was baptized, making his faith public.  It's not the water that saved him, but God's grace.  The water is an outward sign of an inner decision.  We were so blessed by our church family that day.  Andrew asked for Pastor Matt to baptize him, so here they are in their robes before the service.

Andrew was super excited before church.  Matt said he'd never seen anyone so "chatty" before being baptized.  Here he is heading into the pool.

We are so thankful for a pastor who is a friend to our boys, and to us. 

 After he came back up, the stool had floated away and he couldn't get his footing.

 So Matt just lifted him up for all to see.

 Here we are after church with Matt.

 And the whole family.

We headed home for a celebration lunch.  Fried chicken, bar-b-que sandwiches, slaw, potato salad and chips were on the menu.  

 

When Andrew was dedicated as a baby, Brent was asked to choose a verse to read over him during the service.  He chose Proverbs 3:5-6.  We thought it would be a great reminder for today as well.

 We ate lunch and then enjoyed chocolate cake and ice cream.

After cake, Andrew had a few gifts to open.  Gigi and Papack chose a devotion book for him.  He has reminded me for us to use it every morning before school this week.

Nana and Pop-O chose a cross for him that has Proverbs 3:5-6 on it.

He got several cards and gifts with which he can choose something special to remember the day.  Brent and I had a hard time figuring out something to get for him.  We wanted to mark the occasion in a special way, but for a six year old boy, it was hard to figure out what that would look like.  When he saw our gift, he cried, "Shotgun!"  Well, no.  It was not a gun.

It was his first Zebco grown-up fishing pole.  We decided to get that to remind him that he is now to be a fisher of men, just like Jesus told his friend Andrew in the Bible. 

Andrew, we are so proud of you for choosing Christ as your Savior.  We prayed for this many, many nights for over seven years.  It is our prayer now, that you will continue to grow in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man, just as Jesus did.  What a blessing you are to us.  We love you so much.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above."  James 1:17