One hundred forty-two plus One.

Today was awesome! I thought for sure I'd cry during the service because I always cry when I'm witness to a baptism but I didn't. I was just too elated! I was so excited but not just for me, you should have seen all the people turning their lives over to God this morning. Last Sunday, they asked people to sign up to be baptized today. They had 65 people sign up! Sixty-five people publicly declaring that they are committing their lives to God - Wow! How awesome is that?

Well, it gets even better. Spring of Life Christian Church offers two Sunday services - 9 am and 10:45 am. I attend the second service. During that service, Pastor Kevin announced that during the 9 am service, 66 people came forward to be baptized. Praise God!

But wait, it gets better!

During the second service, 77 people started life anew in Christ Jesus! That's a total of 143 people baptized this morning!

143!

Of that 143, let me tell you about 1. She is a friend of mine. I was standing in line, waiting to prepare for baptism when I realized she was behind me. I turned to find her wiping big, wet tears from her eyes. I asked her, "Tears of joy?" She replied positively. She then started to tell me how earlier in the week, she had prayed to God asking for direction. She prayed for God to speak to her through scripture. What came to her was this:

"And I tell you, Whoever declares openly [speaking out freely] and confesses that he is My worshiper and acknowledges Me before men, the Son of Man also will declare and confess and acknowledge him before the angels of God." ~ Luke 12:8 [Amp]

She then proceeded to tell me that she began to feel a push while seated in service that morning and she asked God, "If this is what you want me to do, please let me know." It was at that moment that Pastor Kevin turned toward her side of the congregation, looked right at her and recited the above verse.

She immediately got up and got in line to be baptized!

Some of us realize what we need to do but take weeks or, like in my case, months to act on it. Some of us hear God's call and immediately get up and go forward. I think there is a unique story behind each and every one of the 143 baptisms that took place this morning but, in all honestly, I think when you really break them down, they are, in fact, the same story:

We feel a void.
There is a nudge.
We get a word.
We hear a call.
We get up.
We go forward
and declare to the world:

I'm with Him.