Baptism is a symbol of the new life believers have in Christ. This is Gracie Dennis’ public profession of faith in Jesus from her baptism on Sunday, October 7, 2024.
As a child I dealt with a lot of chaos and uncertainty. My parents divorced when I was very young, and it took a great toll on my whole family. From a young age, I took on the role of being the joyful, positive kid in the house who could always lighten the mood. People would always ask me how I could be so strong and cheerful in times like those that my family were going through, but I was just a child filling a need in my home. The divorce between my parents led to an even split in my time spent between my mom and dad. Because of this, a lot of my childhood was spent being confused about religion. I was only going to church half of the Sundays, reading devotionals half of the mornings, and saying a prayer before bed half of the nights. And honestly, that half of the time those things just felt like chores.
One weekend I went to a church retreat in middle school. It was my birthday weekend, and I was so bummed that I had to spend it doing these “chores” instead of with my family and friends. But I went. And one day, me and the rest of the middle school girls were sitting in the front row during worship. The girls always came up with these cheesy dance moves to dance along to every song. On this day, I was sitting next to one of the girls who didn’t often get up and dance. Instead, she would sit quietly and write to herself in her notebook. A song came on, and singing “The joy of the Lord is my strength”, she stood up and raised her hands. Then I knew, I felt it, that all these years of joy that I felt in the midst of pain and confusion, it was Jesus, my Savior, and his love for me brought me right to where I was. I then knew that I wasn’t just a crazy, insensitive little girl. I was a sinner feeling the love that God had for her before she even knew that it was God who loved her. And I knew then what God reminds me every day since- that the pain and suffering that sin brings upon this world, on one glorious day, will all be forgotten and undeservingly wiped away. Since God revealed himself to me as my savior and protector all of those years, I have known his truth. I have known that even before I loved Him, Christ loved me like I was already his.
A couple of months later I told my parents that I wanted to be baptized (then of course came COVID and plans were postponed till now). But I am glad that I get to share to you now, that every smile I have smiled in the midst of confusion in my childhood or laugh I have laughed in the midst of fulfillment in my young adult life with my Jesus-loving community has come from the strength of the Lord and the joy that he puts in my heart. My testimony is that Jesus’ undying love for me has protected me and guided me through a sin-filled and messy life, and that since I can remember, God has known me and loved me as his own. He is my father and the source of all my peace, and I am hungry for an eternity spent with him in his kingdom.