Raised to a New Life of Hope

Wow. Sunday was surreal. Being baptized can do that I guess. For me, this was a different baptism. I had been baptized before…twice actually.  The first time was because I saw everyone being baptized, so I thought it was the thing to do. The second time was because I was joining a church that was of a different denomination than the first, and I just chose baptism as how I wanted to join. This third time was very different for me.

Back in August I genuinely made Jesus the lord and savior over my life.  I had been playing games with Him for too long. I had been running from the truth for too long.  I had been fighting battles by myself for too long. It was all too long, but God won the chase. He won my heart. I finally surrendered my mess, my broken, my ugly all to Him. And it was glorious!

On Sunday I made that decision public in front of friends, Cho-fam, and strangers. And this baptism actually meant something to me. I genuinely was “buried with Christ and was raised to new life.”*  I am in awe of what God has done in my life in just 5 short months, and I am in awe thinking about what is still to come.

I am also in awe and mind blown by the amount of support I had there at church that morning. God showed me just how loved I was. He made it known that I definitely was not alone even though I had felt alone for so long and just a few months prior to all of this. He blew my mind so much that morning that I was pretty quiet the rest of the day because I wanted to soak it all in and just reflect on all that God has done in my life and the community He has placed around me. I was in the midst of great community the whole time, but I did not see it. I did not see all the many people that loved me. I did not see all the ones who wanted to cheer me on in a battle I was dealing with alone. But I definitely see it now, and I am oh so thankful for it.

God is faithful.  He is unchanging. He is love. He is mercy.  He is grace. He is all those things and way more than we could ever comprehend in our little human minds. You may feel you are too far gone, or that you need to get right before you can get right with God, or maybe that you are too broken for Him to use. Can I let you in on a little secret? You are none of those things, and you do not have the power to do any of that on your own anyways. God is bigger than any sin in your life. He is bigger than any brokenness in your life.

Maybe you are struggling with loneliness like I was. Maybe your mind is clouded with darkness and lies. Maybe you just do not know how to live life anymore. Whatever the case, I promise there is hope. There is a peace that surpasses all understanding. There is light at the end of the darkness. Friend, do not wait any longer. Give it all to God. Let go of that monkey bar you are holding on to so tightly right now. Even if you fall, God is there! He will catch you!

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance – an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.” 1 Peter 1:3-6 NLT

Our hope is in the death, burial, and resurrection! Choose hope today!

*Colossians 2:12