Down to the Sacred Waves--Baptized in a Trough!

This morning, Rosie and Hannah joined another young lady in the sacred ceremony of baptism, in obedience to the specific, New Testament command of Christ for all who believe in Him. 

We have to admit that one reason we've occasionally visited at this country church is precisely because it is so very country--cowboy, western, and humble. 

I  mean--when have you heard of baptisms happening in a trough?

Love it, love it, love it!

 We were so happy to have Jonathan's mother and father there to witness this happy occasion.

 And also Ward and Naomi French, our children's Sunday School teachers off and on, through many years, who have remained 100% faithful friends through good times and bad. We appreciated so much them taking time and effort to attend and that it was not beneath their dignity to darken the doors of another kind of church. They have always made investments of time, energy and love for our family, for which we are so grateful.

 Here the girls are going up after being called upon by the pastor, who explained that although our family attends elsewhere, we were being included today, and he was so happy. 

I loved the hanging on the wall: "I have called you by name; you are mine!"

 That was soo precious!

Another young lady who had just given her heart to Christ last week was baptized first, and we heard later that she had been reticent about being who she thought was the only one to be baptized!

It was a happy thing for there to be two other young people baptized, too, so she did not have to be baptized alone! The pastor asked her to be baptized, first.

Then here Rose, our cowgirl, is getting into the trough.

 As I told yesterday in my last post, the pastor wished for Rose's dad to do the "dipping!"

So here she goes!

The pastor explained that baptism is a symbol of burial with Christ, and resurrection through Him as well. We arise to newness of life in Him.

A large towel was provided for the girls as soon as they came out of the trough, and then they went back to change into dry clothes. 

 Now little Hannah bravely climbs in. I had saved a pretty pink and white dress for her for some special occasion, but she was about to grow out of it, and I decided her baptism was the perfect special occasion to wear it, as symbol of the purity and beauty Christ bestows on us when we believe in Him.

It was questioned about us parents permitting a child so young to be baptized. But Hannah has spoken of her faith and how she asked Christ's forgiveness more than others of even the older children, and when she expressed a desire to be baptized, we felt we should not hinder her.

Baptism is a token of our faith, not our maturity.

And is not a child's simple faith set forth by Christ as an example to us adults?

 Why must we hold our children back from believing and trusting simply, expecting them to have to wait until they have sinned a lot or become afraid of God and afraid of death and stricken with deep conviction of sin? 

Granted, we must all acknowledge our sinfulness, but are we just jealous that we could not trust and believe as simply as this little one until we were so much older and had suffered through many agonies of soul?  Why not let a young child simply believe God's Word about their sin and Christ's remedy, rather than suffer a great deal like so many of the rest of us did?

The pastor and father who baptized the girls. 

The pastor expressed his gratefulness to us for having confidence in him to ask him to baptize our daughters.

 We parents were so very, very happy! This step in our children's lives, after their trusting in Christ as Savior, this step of public confession of Him as Savior, is one of the most important things

they will ever do.

Here is a very sweet rancher's wife who has been so sweet to our family.

The message of the morning was actually a trial sermon given by a new young preacher, since the older pastor is retiring. We had brought one of Jonathan's work guys with us this morning, who had come out with Jonathan last night and worked a bit for us and stayed overnight.

Jonathan and I had spent some time listening, counseling, and praying with him last night.

And amazingly, this young preacher shared a little of his past that was so exactly like this young man's that we were working with last night.

 So here our friend sat listening to someone who had the same kind of past, someone who had forgiven and been forgiven, and had overcome and was a preacher of the gospel!

Visiting with the homeschooling family who had invited us to the service. 

Here are the ladies and girls visiting,

 and the guys of this family as well as the pianist.

 The rest of the church people were already over in the fellowship hall for the Pre-Thanksgiving dinner.

 Sometimes we wonder why we end up in the kinds of places and situations that we do.

But our girls baptism this morning was an opportunity to encourage another baptismal candidate

and for our friend whom we brought to hear a story of redemption out of his very kind of situation.

 How good God is!

What a delightful, full day!