With Love and Thanks: My Baptism

Saturday, November 18, 2006

My Baptism

HmM.. I'm supposed to be preparing for my upcoming exams. However, i was not able to concentrate so i have decided to spend my time blogging. silly right?? any way.. here it goes...

12th November 2006 was an unforgetable day! It was my baptism!!
After about 6 years of being a christian, i finally taken that step of faith to proclaim my faith in Christ Jesus. Before i turned 21, i always wanted to be baptise straight after i turn 21. However, my desire is to have my parents consent about me going for baptism. If you do not know, both my parents are non-christians.

I have come to know the Lord through the Girls Brigade in my primary school. I was expose to a "new" religion then. I know about Jesus, the miracles he has done on earth and he died and rose on the third day. All these were just mere knowledge but i did not have a relationship with God. I grew up as a GB girl. I went to Tampines Sec which does not offer GB as a CCA. However, i continued to attend GB at Springfield Sec. Initially, i was afraid that i would not have CCA points because GB is an external CCA. I think it is really God grace for me to join GB at another school because Tpss is willing to help me endorsed GB as a CCA. So i continued being a GB girl. I received Christ into my life when i was in primary 5 or 6. But my life and lifestyle nothing has changed.

Hmm.. So you must be wondering what changes is the turning point...

The turning point happens when i was in sec 3. Being rebellious and curious, i was caught for shoplifting. I can still remember the incident vividly. In short, i simply stole a toe ring that is worth less than $5 from Montip at Tampines Mall. I was caught red handed and was hand over to the police. I was locked up in Bedok Polce HQ and it was my most terrifying moments of my life. I was locked in a cell all by myself. Sitting on the concrete step, I was wondering about my future and many questions were playing in my mind. " How would the society look at me? ", "Am i able to find a job next time?", "Would anyone would dare to employ me??", "How would my parents react when they know this?".

When my parents bailed me out, i was prepared for scolding and canning. However, they did not which made me feels even more guilty. That Sunday, all my relatives were at my grandmother place and i really feel so ashame that i locked my self in the room.

The next day, thinking that all was over. No one would knows except my family. To my horror, my form teacher came and talk to me about my shop lifting. I was shocked. My form teached told me that she needs to send a report to the police regarding my conduct in school. Thinking that all was over, i also came to know on saturday that my GB officers also knew about it.

My captain, Ms Loh, came and counsel me. She used the bible verses to show me my mistake and sin. She also show me bible verses that God is a forgiving God if we confess and repent of our sins. She then ask me if i would like to confess and repent. I agreed and she lead me into prayer. The burden of guilt and shame was like a big rock that is deep in my heart. It was after the prayer that i felt relieved because God's grace and burden of guilt and shame was removed instantly. I was really grateful for Jesus for dying on the cross to carry all my guilt and shame. I am no longer living in guilt and shame but was set free. The feeling of being set "FREE" is unbelieveable. No words can really expressed that kind of feeling.

From this incident, i have committed myself to Christ and allow him to work through me. This is why i am still serving in the GB ministry as well. I have receive the blessing and the grace and i want to give back and share with others how God is working in my life. (Ask me any questions if you want to know more. I would be more than happy to share with you.)

So back to my step of faith for baptism...

My parents have always allowed me to go to church. My mum thinks that she would rather i be in church on sunday than to hang out somewhere with my friends. She felt that all religion teaches people to be good. So, i have been attending church regularly after the incident.

So after being a christian for 6 years, i decided to take the step for baptism. =)

I have kinda test water even before i turned 21. I tried talking to my parents about my faith and it always ended up in a quarrel. That is once when i asked a question like "What if i go for baptism?" My parents faced turned 180 degrees. They also said that "wait until i die then you go baptise". From my mum's comment's i knew it was a real NO NO sign for me.

When i turning 21 this yr, i wanted to go for baptism in feb but fear of my parents' objection. I was unprepared and i would always wanted my parents to agree and come witness my baptism. When the next baptism class opens, it took me lots of courage to sign up because i was worried about my parent's reaction. I prayed before I tried again asking my parent's for permission to attend baptism, but they rejected and scolded me. My mum especially. She was telling me that i was unfilial, i was disrectful to my parents because i disobeyed them. She also mentioned that "Your God is more important than your parents la"

I was really hurt. I did not meant to be disrespectful. I am not unfilial if i am baptise. I will continue to support my parents when they are old. I tried to explain but nothing worked out. My parents thinks that i'm disobedient and disrespectful. However, i took that step of faith to sign up on the day itself of the baptism class. With sermons, my daily time with God, i knew that and i was convinced that i should be baptised.

As the dates draw nearer, it took me another boldness to tell my parents that "My baptism is on the 12th nov. Are you coming? " These simple few words are the hardest words to tell my parents. I managed to mustered all my courage and boldness and tell them on the 11th of nov after lots and lots of prayer. My parents simply kept quiet and pretended that they have not heard anything. I guess that was a positive reply in the sense that they did not comment anything or chase me out of the house.

Finally 12th of November came!! Even though my parents did not gave any reply, i was still hoping that they would come. However, they didn't. I believed that even that they did not attend, God has placed something in their hearts through my baptism. I believed that one day, they would also come to know God. =)

Here's the photos taken during my baptism. Enjoy.. If you want to watch the water baptism, ask from me. I have the video clips.

Picture taken straight after baptism (Left hand side).