"Mommy, what does it mean to be baptized?" - Liam, as I was tucking him into bed a few weeks ago.
"Well" I said, "Baptism is the outward expression of your relationship with God. It represents the inward change that happens when you decide to follow Jesus. You go down the old you, and come up a new you - and everyone knows in that moment, that YOU have decided to follow Jesus!
"Do you feel like the Lord is leading you to be Baptized?" I asked. "Yes" he said. "I do. But I just want to be baptized in the bathtub by Papa J. I don't want a lot of people around" he said.
Later that evening I told my husband what Liam had said, and told him that Liam wants him to be the one to do it. My husband expressed that he wanted to speak with Liam first to make sure he really understands what Baptism means.
This is where the two of us are different lol.
When Liam said he wanted to be baptized, I was ready to draw a bath and do it right then and there lol. My heart was leaping and I didn't want to delay. My husband is a little more balanced. I suspect this is why God brought us together!
He also wanted to make sure Liams grandfather was aware - and he wanted to honor him as Liams Poppy is also the pastor of the church they attend with their father on Sunday. His Poppy said the same thing as Jovan - "That sounds great! I want to talk to him to make sure he really understands what it means".
Long story short, they all had their talks - and we decided that we would go up to the beach and baptize him in the Ocean!
Liam was terrified. He did NOT want to do it. He was completely paralyzed with fear.
Jovan tried to talk him through the process, and tried to encourage him in multiple ways but Liam wasn't budging. He was trying to convince Jovan to do it right there on the shore! ha!
As you can see...the talk ended up getting cut off by some rough waters. We decided not to press the issue any further, and just allow the kids to have fun. It ended up being a beautiful evening of surf, and sand...lots and lots of sand (I had to vacuum the dryer out the next day lol)
The beach baptism may have been a bust, but the time spent together wasn't. Luckily, we have a pool where we live - and we have decided it will be the perfect spot.
As a mama I can't tell you how much I love that he was obedient to the heart prompt and that he wants to be baptized in water. He says when he gets older he wants to be just like Pastor Donut and teach other kids about Jesus and I don't doubt that his purpose, and God's plan, includes the very thing he has spoken.
Liam Asher, I declare in the name of Jesus, that you will fully walk out God's plans and purposes for your life. That no weapon formed against you shall prosper. You shall declare a thing, and it will come to pass. You will be a man of presence, and you will carry with you the Glory of the Lord. You will lead your family in the ways of the Lord and boldly declare "as for me and my house, I will serve the Lord".
