Baptism and Texas

As we spent our final day in Arkansas last Sunday, we attended our home church where Pastor Vance Eubanks was preaching a series on the life of David. As he and most of the men were away at a men's encounter, our music minister, Keith Bostain gave is the message on cultivating a heart for worship. Five simple steps to follow to worship God: honoring Him, showing Him gratitude, acknowledging deliverance, showing respect, and surrendering.  As I wrote in a previous blog I attended a Prison to Purpose workshop where the theme was - yep - surrendering to God's authority - as I read my daily online devotion prior to Sunday's sermon, the theme was - again - surrendering to God's will. Now on Sunday  one of the points to ponder is surrendering. Guess God was trying to pound that point into my brain and heart. I need practice in surrendering to authority!! But we am so thankful that God uses the most unlikely to serve Him - otherwise we would not be doing so.

We received a surprise as we attended our Sunday night small group study. I mentioned David and Lyndsey Owens, who gave up their teaching positions in Guatemala to  surrender (there is that word again)  to God's will to become full time missionaries in Guatemala. Lyndsey was brought up in the church, always a "good girl" (she always was, too ), being baptised at an early age and taking part in many church activities and programs. She believed that being good, never doing anything wrong was an assurance of eternal life. As she entered college, the Holy Spirit began to work in her heart and she truly gave herself to the Lord. She didn't announce it to anyone and did not proclaim it through re-baptism because she was afraid of the reaction of others - those who knew her as the "good girl" and would criticize and wonder why she needed to be re-baptized After she and David totally tuned their lives over to God she realized that she (as well as all of us) are sinners, fall short of the glory of God, and needed God's grace. She surrendered to God and was re-baptised last Sunday evening in the swimming pool at her parent's home, where our small group class was held. We had a thunderstorm and downpour shortly before that (which Arkansas really needed) but it cleared up , the sun began to shine, and the Holy Spirit was there among all of us who were there. Chapter 4 of Matthew relates the baptism of Jesus Christ just before he began His ministry - is it not fitting that Lyndsey chose to be
 re-baptised to declare Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior as she begins her ministry to through Him???

Lyndsey with her husband, David, giving her testimony

baptism

a new body in Christ

view from the baptism site - the sun is shining as the Holy Spirit smiles down on us

We left Arkansas early Monday morning and traveled to S Texas, arriving there early evening to a cool home and water and ice cubes in the refrigerator with thanks to great friends, Carol and Ron Pease!!!. We drove straight through, as were anxious to return to the Valley and our ministry there. It was a very easy trip. We noticed huge cotton fields, some in full bloom, ready for harvest. There were many areas that desperately need rain, as is the case in most of Midwest America. We also saw quite a few burned out areas, where the dry land was prone to any spark. Arkansas had been under a burn ban all summer - and we noticed it in many other  areas on the way.

 

Now that we have begun to get re-settled, we attended Sunday service at First Baptist Church in McAllen with Chaplain Dennis and Sally Maloney. Dennis is our chaplain here at Alamo Rec Veh Park and is anxious to begin his Sunday services as we wait for the Winter Texans to return.

 

We are planning our Monday night Bible Study , as well as resuming our duties as chaplains  at CHI. Pray that this year becomes a wonderful year for the Lord - that He works through us to bring His word to those in need, and that we serve Him for His glory and none for ourselves.