Follow {CSI Case File No. 153}

So, I got behind again, but I wanted to share a layout I did with the last January Case File at CSI: Color, Stories, Inspiration:

I generally start my layouts with a story, so I chose to document a milestone I've celebrated as my Testimony clue. I decided to make a page about my baptism. Mom and I were baptized at our church in December. Testimony clues I used: texture paste, architectural accent, sprinkle something (the confetti shaker), labels, string, lace (in the form of a doily).

Here are some details. I found the perfect yellow on this Studio Calico paper, which also had architectural elements. I wanted to include a cross as an element on my page, and Tracee helped me with the idea of using part of a starburst. I left out some of the rays to leave the shape of a cross.

The plus-sign stencil reminded me a little of crosses, as did the pink fleur-de-lys paper when I turned it upside down. The chipboard window is by Maya Road. Those gold accents are by Crate Paper.

I added some tiny white and yellow star sequins to the vellum accent, which I thought looked a little like a window.

My journaling, on the back:

I was baptized as a baby in the Catholic church, but really, that didn't mean anything to me. I have no memory of the event. As an infant, I was unable to choose to follow Christ. We weren't really raised with a faith. Any encounters I had with church left me bored and confused. And so I remained faithless for five decades. In July 2013, I attended church with Mom--it was her wish to have her family go to church on her birthday, and so I told her if it meant that much to her, I'd go early. That day in July changed my life. This church was everything I never dreamed it could be. Not boring, but exciting, not confusing, but full of truth and meaning. This church, you see, is Bible based.

I soon learned that the Bible is an instruction manual for life. I've read Scripture every day since I bought a bible the second week of going to Frederick Christian Fellowship Church. And one of the things I learned was that the baby baptism I received 50+ years ago is not biblical. The Bible teaches us about baptism in Matthew: 28, where Jesus gave instructions... 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

I learned that we become a follower of Christ the moment we make the decision to put our faith and trust in him. It's not just a one-time, static thing, becoming a follower--it's the start of a life-long relationship. We follow Jesus when we are willing to continue to learn his will. That's what being a disciple is.

Even though the decision was already made to follow Christ in the past, we are baptized to let the rest of the world know what's happened inside us and how we're going to live the rest of our lives.

Romans: 6 explains the symbolic significance of the act of baptism...all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

When I went down into the water, it symbolized that the old Debbi who used to follow my own way is dead and buried, and the new Debbi has been been spiritually raised to life--resurrected--not to do my own will but to do the will of Christ, whom I trust.

This was such a joyful celebration, and I'm so grateful to have shared this moment with Mom. Our friend and my first growth group leader, Paul McKinley, baptized me. Farzad, of course, was there. It touched my heart when several of our friends we've met in growth groups came to celebrate with us. These people have become my church family.

Although I was baptized as a baby, December 2, 2014 was the evening of my real baptism. I will forever treasure this memory as I grow in in my relationship with Jesus.