Christian Living · Forgiveness · God's Love · Thankfulness

A New Life Has Begun!

Elihu

Praise the Lord with me, my friends—a new life has begun!

Late last night, our middle daughter came to us and said she wanted to be baptized. Her heart has pondered this decision for quite some time. She has done lots of bible reading on her own and asked us to explain sin, baptism, and related concepts.

When she gripped my arm last night, looked me in the eye, and said, “I want to be baptized,” I knew she had made her decision.

We have tried to teach our children about God, but we also make it very clear that the choice to serve Christ must be their own. They should not make the choice lightly not me do it to please us—it should be made for Christ and Him alone!

Our middle child is a deep thinker with a tender, loving heart. She has always longed to do what is right, but she recognized that she has not always made choices that please God. None of us are perfect. All have sinned.

So, after she asked to be baptized, we loaded up the whole family in the car and drove to the church building where her dad baptized her. There are no words to describe the joy I feel that one of my own children has decided to follow Christ of her own volition.

Please pray for her, for I know that while there is much to be joyful about, this is also the beginning of the battle. Satan does not want any of us to follow Jesus. After I was baptized, I was hit hard almost immediately with trials, abandonment from my best friend, and challenges to my faith in the form of an anti-Christian science teacher.

Pray for the Lord to provide friends, mentors, and teachers who will help to influence and equip her as she lives her life for the Lord. Pray for us, as her parents, to be an example and encouragement to her in her walk with the Lord.

May the Lord guard her in the shelter of His wings.

May He strengthen her to do what is right all the days of her life.

May He bless her with the peace that passes all understanding as she puts her trust in Him.

May God provide friends and mentors to influence her to remain on the path of truth.

Rejoice with me, and rejoice with the angels in heaven—a new life has begun!

*P.S.–Sorry I don’t have pictures, I only took video to send to her grandparents.

“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.”

~ Romans‬ ‭6:3-5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Published by Elihu

Elihu Anderson is a California refugee currently thriving on the West Texas plains. She is the founder of elihuscorner.com and is a contributor to Kirk Cameron's website TheCourage.com. When she isn't writing, reading, or teaching, she is sipping on some iced homemade chai and enjoying time with a good friend. Come by and say hi at elihuscorner.com or visit me on Facebook.com/elihuscorner

22 thoughts on “A New Life Has Begun!”

  2. Amen! Such good news. This is even better than a birthday party! 🙂

    I’m glad you mentioned surrounding her in prayer and your own trials when you were baptized. Stuff does seem to like to come against us when we’re on the right path. I’m older and wiser now, but when I was young, I really wrestled with that.

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    1. Yes, I wrestled with it too. I wondered if I had really done the right thing, if God still loved me… I don’t want her to lose her faith when the storms come—and they will come!

      It’s funny you mention birthdays because we just celebrated my husbands birthday two days ago, and yesterday we celebrated new spiritual birth! 😊

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  8. Zeph 3:17 “The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”

    This is one of my favorite verses. My sister gave it to me after I was baptized (for the second time, but that’s a looooong story.) and it has brought me so much comfort since.

    Congratulations! I am praying over your sweet girl!

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  10. Elihu, thank you for sharing the wonderful news of the Lord’s grace in your daughter’s life. Our prayers go up to the throne of grace for His dear child. He will keep her by His power even as he has kept you (1 Peter 1:3-4).

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  11. Praise God Elihu. Luke 15:7 TPT
    Jesus continued, “In the same way, there will be a glorious celebration in heaven over the rescue of one lost sinner who repents, comes back home, and returns to the fold-more so than for all the righteous people who never strayed away.” There is a greater celebration going on at home in heaven over your daughter. Congratulations. Please get her baptized ASAP. God is always with you and your family.

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    1. Yes! All praise to God our merciful Father!

      She was baptized that very night. We told her as soon as she started thinking about it that baptism should be done without delay. 😊 Paul, in relating his story of conversion said Ananias stated, ““And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’”
      ‭‭(Acts‬ ‭22:16‬ ‭ESV‬‬) There is definitely an immediacy and importance to baptism.

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