Newness of LIFE!

Romans 6:4
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

We had a wonderful dinner Friday night with our dear friends Aaron & Morgan filled with tortilla soup, amazing dessert, wine, & our sweet babies (who slept in our arms while we talked the night away), tearful time with Jesus in prayer, and communion. I appreciate their commitment to our family, to love us and deal with "real" life stuff along side us.

(We love you guys so much)

In this time, Dustin decided it was time to be baptized!

(after following Christ for 4 years now.)

I've always prayed that Dustin would someday get baptized but, I never badgered him about it much (only the arm jabs at church when we'd watch people get baptized.) He's not the type to draw attention to himself- and I respect that. So when Dustin asked Aaron to baptize him, I was very surprised. We were all prepared to trek on down to Aaron's community pool, babies in toe, late at night, but then realized that Dustin's parents needed to witness such a major experience in Dustin's walk with the Lord. We spent much time praying about his baptism, and God rocked our worlds the night prior to the baptism, purging us of garbage in our hearts/minds/souls, we've both been dealing with.

(If you're married, you probably know what an "all nighter" is. Basically, you talk, cry, confess, pray, hug....into the wee hours of the night, and don't sleep until anything broken is mended. "All nighters" aren't fun, they're painful, but they always have purpose to make you cling to Christ in your weaknesses as a couple and make you closer than you were before.) Every marriage should experience "All nighters", I don't care how holy you are damn it!

God is so faithful to not let us stay how we are, but continually change us.

I got baptized when I was 19, in a church I didn't attend, when I was young in my faith, by a guy I didn't know and to be honest, It didn't mean as much as it meant to watch Dustin be baptized by one of his closest friends in obedience to Christ, proclaiming to be the husband he's called to be, and the Dad he's called to be. Publicly expressing the change that has occurred in his heart, in the presence of the people he loves. It was sweet, intimate, & filled with meaning.

(I believe there is a video of it on Aaron's blog to be posted in the coming days)