So, Dennis and I were Baptized today!! It was such an emotionally great experience!! We were so lucky to have his mom, her Boyfriend, sister and her fiance Derek, Aunt Laura, Uncle Terry, and his cousin Jennifer to witness the event! We went to eat afterwards and Aunt Laura and Uncle Terry gave us this amazing Baptismal statue!! I will take pics and post soon. The pastor read our testimonies
Dennis:Before Christ
My mom raised my sister and I with the good Christian beliefs, and because of her, I always considered myself a Christian. I believed in God and Jesus as my savior, but never actually asked Jesus into my heart until recently. Before Christ entered my life, I found that I was angry a lot of the time, while at others I just felt lost. My wife and I began attending a few different churches in Oklahoma while we were in the Army, but I never really pursued Christ.
Meeting Christ
Recently my wife discovered ORBC and we began attending regularly every Sunday. I started to look forward to Sunday. Then the question finally came up that I needed to hear, “Have you asked Christ into your heart?” It hit me like a ton of bricks that I had never really asked that question and now knew what I was missing. The Lord then took a hold of me and I knew that I was saved.
With Christ
Since that day I have found peace in myself that I never knew possible. My faith makes my marriage so much stronger and I find myself praying constantly for my family, friends, and all those I encounter. I know now, that I cannot really live life without Christ. I find great joy in talking about my faith with others and I can only hope to open others eyes and hearts as well. This is something I don’t want anyone to miss!
TarinBefore Christ
I was raised in a Christian home from birth until I was 6 or so and was told I was saved and baptized at the age of 5. Then my family stopped attending church due to a conflict in the church they had attended. I was always the outcast in school and never had very many friends. I always felt so alone and never understood exactly why. Then when I was 14 years old, a girl had transferred to my school and asked me to come to church with her one day.
Meeting Christ
Soon I began going every time the church doors were open and finally felt I had found somewhere I was welcome and comfortable. When I was 15 I attended a youth event called Acquire the Fire, excited to see my first concert (The Newsboys). That first day my heart was completely broken and I found myself on my knee’s asking Jesus into my heart and thanking him for his sacrifice on the cross. There was an overwhelming sense of completion that engulfed me and I had found the missing piece of my life.
With Christ
I finally convinced my family to attend with me and things were great until the church family I grew to love severed ties with me a short year after I was saved (I don’t know how to say this here, they basically banned me from church because I showed my belly button, but they never told me that was why, they just told me I couldn’t go to youth anymore. No one ever told me that it was a problem or anything I had no clue that it was improper!). My parents then lost all faith in churches and I was almost all but banned from that church. I attempted to find another church home, but never felt quite right anywhere else and was so torn. When I was in the Army I met my husband and we tried to find a church that fit, but it wasn’t until I came to Maryland and discovered ORBC. I prayed long and hard and God revealed to me that the church is made of people and that we are not perfect, that we are to attend church for God. While attending the 101 class I came to the realization that I had never been baptized on my own accord.
We attended the 101 class for our church last month as a step towards membership and Dennis has been a newfound Christian and I just was never Baptized with the knowledge of what I was actually doing, or remembering it! So we are now officially members of Oak Ridge Baptist Church of Salisbury, MD!! Makes it more real that this is my home now!! My first time that I could ever say that I was actually a member of a church!! WOO! LOL!
NOW, we still need prayers to continue on strong in our faith and I NEED MEGA PRAYERS CUZ FINALS ARE THIS WEEK!!! HELP ME LORD!!!! Love you all!
