Five Years Ago, I thought I was getting a divorce. On June 9th, my husband is getting baptized!

My life seemed normal until a week prior to October 20, 2008.  For a about a week, I had been praying for God to use my life to bring others to Him. My husband of five years and I had grown apart. Many years of his unbelief, as well as, an addiction to prescription medication had severed my desire to bring him to Christ any longer.

            I honestly thought that God would answer my prayer by sending me on another mission trip. The last trip I had taken was to New York in 2003. I missed being a servant to Him. But instead, on this date, my husband overdosed on prescription medication and physically hurt me. Prior to this night, my husband had never raised a hand to me. When I called the Sheriff’s department to report the incident, my husband put on his Navy uniform, greeted the deputies and lied about what happened. Consequently, I was charged with a felony and restrained from my home, belongings and more importantly, my children. My life was changed from that moment on. I finally acknowledged that Jesus is with me through my trials and that I can trust Him.

            While hunched over in jail holding cell, Jesus spoke to me through another inmate. When she came in, she looked right at me and said in a slang drawl, “Girl, why you cryin,’ God’s with you,” and then started to sing old church hymns. I stopped crying and asked her for her name. She simply replied, “Its t.”

            God was also in the Jail Supervisor, who put her hand on my shoulder and very softly said, “You are going to get through this.”  Further, I was offered blankets and told to call my mother by the tower watchman, as though I was a guest. I was released from jail only after a few hours. The Jail Supervisor and I noticed during my release, that she had neglected to take my cross necklace from me.

            The compassion of strangers that I received while at my mother’s house for the duration of my restraining order, continued to remind me that I was not alone. The criminal attorney that I hired was well known by the judge and prosecuting attorney. He cut me a large break in his normal fees and got the charges dropped as quickly as possible. The doctor who examined my injuries treated me with compassion. Childhood friends from my home town went out of their way to show God’s mercy and even the grocery store clerk said something personal and encouraging that only God would have known to say.

            I discovered hope and help in Jesus during this incident. I also notice huge changes in me. I could no longer boast about how I didn’t even have parking tickets on record. Many years of arrogance and self-righteousness erased quickly. I no longer had to be the center of attention. I learned to surrender to God’s will and I became humble.

            Because of the violence, I did move out of our home to provide protection to my youngest child, but when I met with a divorce attorney, I had the overwhelming sense to not proceed. Consequently, I did not divorce my husband. Instead, I enrolled in school. As the Lord would have it, the program I entered was Seminary and the degree was a Masters Degree in Him.

            I started to pray for my husband again. Amazingly, my husband sought the help of a counselor and after six years of never wanting anything to do with God; he began to go to church.

            My husband has since, accepted Jesus into his life and has encouraged my recent baptism and graduation from seminary. He professes his faith daily to others and I have learned what it means to trust in God and to truly surrender. I also know that when we offer to bring others to Christ, God may answer in a way we never expected.

             I have walked hand in hand with Jesus for over 3 years now. And, because I have found such hope and peace,  I continually share my story with everyone I meet. I watch in amazement each time a neighbor, friend and family member accepts Jesus into their heart.
             I know that God can work miracles, through us, if we let Him!!!  Today, I thank God for that trial. He changed my heart, my marriage and my life!

To read the complete Story, please go to:

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How to become baptized as an expression of new faith in Jesus Christ

John 3:3 (NKJV) "Jesus answered and said to him, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.' ”

        The first time I began to see through the eyes of a believer, was on the night of October 20, 2008. As I sat in a jail holding cell, I desperately thought, "How did I get here?" http://dlouyoung.blogspot.com/p/my-personal-testimony.html. In that moment, I knew I had to turn from my sin and selfishness. So, I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ. 

        Soon after, God orchestrated a way for me to attend a Baptist University. I enrolled in a seminary program and for the first time I began to read God's Word. Scripture had a way of piercing my heart. The more I read, the more I desperately tried to place my pride, my past and my entire heart in God's hands. Then, after a year and a half of repenting and turning from my past sinful ways http://dlouyoung.blogspot.com/2011/10/what-does-it-really-mean-to-repent.html God instructed me about the important act of obedience through baptism.

       In scripture, I read Acts 2:38 (NKJV). "Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." I also read Romans 6:4-5 (NKJV) "Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection." The more scripture I read, the more excited I became. Soon, I couldn't wait to publicly testify and stand before witnesses confessing my new identification with the Lord.
      One day, I approached our Pastor at church. I asked, "Is there any way that I can get baptized?" At that moment, another church member stole the Pastor's attention. As a result, I left the service without a reply. Still, God continued to reveal His desire and prepare my heart. I read, 1 Peter 3:21 (NKJV). "There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." Then I read, 1 Corinthians 6:11(NKJV) ^"And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God."
       Later, I approached our Pastor a second time. "Please Pastor, can I get baptized soon?" This time, he responded. He placed an announcement in our church bulletin. Almost immediately, several people of all ages expressed an interest in becoming baptized. Wow!
      At first, our church planned to hold the baptism at a local beach.  However, at the last minute, the event location was changed. Now, I would be getting baptized at a place my husband held dear, an award winning golf course he knew well. God had known just how to spark my husband's interest too!

        The day was perfect and my soul felt uplifted. While my husband joyfully barbecued all of the meat, I sat among friends, soaking up the sun and listening to our church's worship team play familiar songs.  Then unexpectedly, one of the few guests I had invited to witness the event, expressed her own desire to become baptized. Suddenly, I felt my cross necklace fall from my neck. There was nothing wrong with the clasp and I had worn the necklace without fail for several years. Now, in the very moment God was using me to lead others closer to Him, my cross necklace fell straight to the ground. I giggled at Satan's minor attempt to take my focus from God and used the situation to further praise Jesus Christ.
     Soon, it was time for the baptisms. All of the participants surrounded a beautifully designed over-sized jacuzzi that reflected the light from its overflowing waterfall.  I quickly and joyfully volunteered to go first. As I stepped into the warm water, I noticed a feeling of complete relief from the pain I had experienced the day prior. Was God telling me to let go of all my past pain?
        Then, as I stood by my Pastor's side, I listened as he proclaimed, "This is an expression of your faith. The water symbolizes being washed clean from all of your sins." I jokingly responded, "Well, you better hold me down for awhile then." Everyone laughed. Then quickly, my heart filled with gratitude and my eyes welled with tears. I prayed, "Thank You Lord for washing away my sins and giving me a new life through You!"
         Now, two years later, I find myself sitting at our breakfast table praying with our seven-year-old son regarding his upcoming baptism. Only a few weeks ago, on his own, our youngest son approached the same Pastor, and asked if he could get baptized too. What joy! 
       As my son and I read John 3:3 this morning, I quietly praised God for that valley I experienced back on 2008. Through it, the Lord provided a way for our family to live a new life filled with hope and joy. And now, one by one, we are outwardly professing our faith in Him and turning from a life of sin!

Please share your thoughts in the comments section below! 

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