okay so today is my birthday and of course what is the one thing i wanted more than anything on my birthday?! a baptism!!! yeah thats right, i got baptized on my birthday and it was in the philippines…how sweet is that?! seriously, how many times in my life do i get to say that, um probably just this once of course. it was such an amazing time and i feel like a new creation of god. so the only place we could do this baptism was at a pool located at a condo. it was a super nice place and a super cool pool. it was perfect. it was my team plus a few other people who decided to come, which really made my day. my whole team got into the pool with me and the rest stood around the pool. we started off with a prayer over me, which christine and margie had control over. then jake read a passage out of the bible for me. it was 1peter 1:3-9. ***really cool side note about that passage. a guy named tom that i was talking with at church in australia randomly read that passage to me not knowing anything about my story or my past. it was really cool and really hit home for me, so of course it was perfect for my baptism.*** then brook spoke to me about how proud she was of me. it was super sweet of her. then john read another passage to me from romans 6:3-4. ***another really cool side note about that passage. god told me a few days ago to start reading romans and i did. romans 6 wrecked me and i have kept reading pretty much all of romans 6 everyday. god spoke to john and gave him that passage to read for my baptism. weird right?! how can you not love god!*** then i told my story as to why i wanted to get baptized.
as most of you know i really wanted to become a new creation after finding 100% freedom. it has been something i have been working on since leaving for this trip and i am so blessed to have finally reached that goal!! yay!! that i want to continue down this path of freedom and not have satan come back and destroy it. i have finally won control of my mind and the battle and i want to continue to stomp out the demons that have plagued me for 13 years. i am free and i will freakin shout that from the rooftops and nobody can take that away from me. i am worthy and i am loved and i am gods beautiful daughter. watch out world emily is on fire for god and the holy spirit is pouring out of my body. amen sista
okay calming down. so then john talked about baptism and then dunked me in the water. when i arose, i arouse a new creation. i am a different person now than i was before. i came out cheering and my whole team and friends were cheering for me too. i hugged everyone and couldnt stop smiling. i still am smiling as i type out this blog. amazing. this is weird to say too, but i almost feel as my voice sounds different too. as if i am more confident in myself or something. after all that we had a free for all swim party for a bit, which was a blast as well.
i must say that it was the best birthday i have ever had!! and i would be the one to know that, of course. also, im pretty excited to finally associate the name john with something positive…a huge thanks goes out to john for that one!! it will never be the same. i also feel that this was a huge bonding time for our team. it was a great way for us to grow closer with each other. thanks to everyone!!
here are some pics of the baptism and there will be a video to come later…enjoy
us getting into the water
jake reading 1peter 1:3-9
my group praying over me
john baptizing me
us rejoicing afterwards
