I haven't blogged in a while--but in light of the Worship experience I had this morning...I have to write about it. I have been in many baptismal services in the past, but today was the most amazing I've ever had. Today was a sermon in the series of "WORSHIP WORDS"--today was Hallelujah! and that is exactly what the congregation did today when Raymond was presented for Baptism. Raymond was a new believer and was being baptized today. Prior to his baptism, he had a friend share his (Raymond) personal testimony. The story was about how Raymond had been born the youngest of 13 children. His mother was unable to raise him and the other children, so she gave them all up to a foster family. This was a german family who raised chickens. Raymond said that from the time he remembers, he was responsible for cleaning the eggs. If he dropped an egg, he had to eat it. He was tied to a stake in the yard and beaten by his foster parents as well as the older brothers and sisters. He was abused and tortured in some unbelievable ways. By the time he was 15 he had taken all he could, so he packed all he owned into a paper sack and left on his bike. He never saw them again. He ultimately married which turned into an abusive situation as well. He had 4 children in this marriage, but amidst the problems which were added to by his drinking problem, he ended up in prison for 10 years. Many times he had people try to get him to come to church, but because of all that he'd experienced, he felt he couldn't acknowledge a belief in a God who would allow him to go through the things he'd gone through. After his prison time, he met some people who actually became friends..and eventually met a lady who is a member of our church. She invited him to our church and he came and began to attend a Bible Study class for men and was comfortable enough to begin asking questions. The pastor later visited him in his home for 3 hours and Raymond professed his faith in christ. Today was the culmination of that as he was baptized. After he came out of the water and was dressed, he asked to speak. He came to the mic and called 3 of his 4 children who were there to come to the front at which time he turned to each one and asked for their forgiveness for his not being a good father, but promised them that as of today, they could count on him! The children sobbed (along with the entire congregation) acknowledging their forgiveness to him. After all this had been done, the pastor told him that he knew that Raymond had said that he'd never been told he was loved, and he'd never had a birthday cake...so the pastor said "Raymond, we love you and here is a birthday cake to acknowledge the birthday of your new life in Christ!" (and someone came out with a b'day cake)...it was amazing...what a TRUE sense of 'believer's' baptism. After the service was concluded, the congregation was invited to go to the baptismal pool and run their fingers thru the waters and remember their conversion experience. WHAT AN EVENT!! --HALLELUJAH!!--WHAT A WORD!