When a Christian becomes a Baptist

Shelby and I decided to join a Baptist church.  We've felt right at home among the congregation, beginning the very first Sunday we worshipped there.  We think it's a good fit for our growing family.  To join the church, we had to submit a statement of faith or be baptized by immersion.  I chose option #2, although I have been baptized before.  I used to be Baptist a long time ago, so I wasn't baptized as a baby.  Instead, I was baptized (aka "sprinkled") as a Presbyterian at the unusual age of nine.  Most Presbyterians are baptized as babies, so my shy, nine-year-old self was terribly embarrassed to be so OLD...  I chose to declare my faith in Christ 15 years ago, with my Presbyterian sprinkle.  But as a continuing testimony that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior, I did it again, pulling out all the stops.  And it will be very exciting to tell Josie that she was with me when I was baptized!

It's harder than you think

I started a new Bible study last night: Beth Moore's Esther: It's Tough Being a Woman. I was a week behind, so I spent a lot of time catching up on the homework. The study looks like it will be exciting and interesting. I've been through Esther in at least 2 other Bible studies, but never this in-depth. I hope I can keep up with the at-home portion... If I work on it too late, I fall asleep! This will be the first time I go through Esther with a little girl on the way. I want to teach her about being a woman, and how it might be tough at times. Looking forward to a new perspective on Esther this time around.

Seek and Ye Shall Find

We've been looking for a church off and on since I moved here.  I say "off and on" because we search in little spurts - we'll try a few and then get discouraged, taking several weeks (or months) off until we try again.  We're looking for a place that we can have fellowship with our peers, but also worship in a traditional setting, with hymns, prayer, and Biblical teaching.  

I'm beginning to think this church does not exist.  We've found that most of the people our age aren't into hymns, and would rather plan the Easter pageant than serve in the community.  If the music is traditional, the preaching is radical.  If the music could be interrupted at any moment with women speaking in tongues (no kidding), the preaching is right on target with the B-I-B-L-E (yes, that's the the Book for me).

Our goal is to find a church by the time Baby Sears arrives.  After more than 2 years on the hunt, I can see that we haven't prayed enough about it - and that prayer is the only way we're going to find what we're looking for.