Surrendered

       I was really moved at church this morning. I've seen countless baptisms before, but today was different. Ten or so people - ages ranging from five to fifty - were baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit. It brought to mind my baptism, in the neighborhood swimming pool at the  age of 12. Commitment. God changed my life and continues to change it. The people being baptized this morning had so much joy on their faces as they experienced new beginnings. There was an innocence about them as they crossed their arms over their chests and held their noses and were submerged in the water by the pastor. After the baptisms, several people shared their testimonies of God's work in their lives: restored marriages, inner healing, deliverance from sinful lifestyles. Our God is so great and nothing is impossible for Him. He takes wrecked lives and puts them back together. He heals human hearts. He sets captives free. He watches us from above with love and compassion and daily shows us mercy.

t's just incredible how God makes things happen. We think He doesn't hear our prayers, but He hears them and understands them more than we do. You know how you plan things out and hope they go a certain way and then they don't and you freak out? Yeah, me too. Especially as a planner, I like to stay organized and know exactly how things will work out. Change in plans usually equals stress. We're extremely human and don't really know what's good for us. And it's hard to accept that sometimes (lots of times) God's plans are different from ours. We see on such a small scale while He has the big picture, and knows how to make everything fit together perfectly. A few hours ago I was freaking out hardcore about something that "messed up" my plans. But I'm beginning to realize that God is answering my prayers in ways I couldn't even imagine. I'm watching His faithfulness and goodness unfold right before my eyes.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways", declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."- Isaiah 55: 8-9