Today we had 2 baptisms at church. The 2 girls are sisters - an older sister and a younger sister. There is a middle sister in the family who was baptized a while back. This is an incredible family. I love them dearly. I am always excited when people decide to dedicate their life to Christ through baptism. But, today was different for me. Today I sat there and held my little girl while watching my husband take the confession of these 2 young souls before a lot of people and then I watched their dad baptize them and I saw their mom watching so proudly and I just began to cry. Yes, I was crying tears of joy but also tears that came from an overwhelming sense of responsibility. I couldn't help but dream about the day that Jack and Tatum will decide that they want to confess Christ Jesus as Lord and die to themselves. And then that's when my role as a parent just hit me like a ton of bricks today! My role is to lead my children closer and closer to that decision to follow Christ everyday. But, then once they are baptized, I don't get to just say, "Wahoo..........now my whole family is saved and my job as a parent is over!" Nope - it's just going to get tougher. Then, my job changes to showing my children how to live the life of a believer in EVERY decision for the rest of their lives. However my role will also change because that is when my children will be declaring that they are going to follow Christ and what HE wants for their lives. I will just be a mere instrument in that.

You see - today was just the beginning for Isabel and Claira! It's not an end to a lifetime of prayers by their parents. It's just the beginning. Tonight I got to sit and talk with Isabel for a while and share in her excitement. She is just a "baby" and her whole future is ahead of her. A future following God. Is she always going to be perfect in that? No. Is she always going to be bold and brave in that? No. But, is she EVER going to be alone in that? No. She is God's child now and NOTHING can take her from HIS hand. nothing. Wow - what an amazing truth!

Nothing can take me from my Father's hand. Nothing. Now, get out there and live the life of a baptized believer (if you are one, of course). And, if you're not.......consider the life that you can have with 100% commitment to the God who will never leave you. When I was baptized, I remember so well what Mike (my youth minister at the time) said to me. After I confessed that Jesus is the Christ - the son of the living God.......he told me that was a question I was going to have to answer everyday for the rest of my life. And, yes - sometimes I forget that. But, today I was reminded of that in a powerful way. Everyday is a new day. Everyday is an opportunity to live for Jesus. And, everyday is my chance to share that with my sweet kids. And, I look forward with great anticipation to the day when I get to tell them that they will make that confession everyday for the rest of their lives too and then I look forward to having a front row seat to watching them grow in Christ.

You see? It's overwhelming! But, Praise God! I am not alone!