"If you declare with your mouth,
“Jesus is Lord,”
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved."
Romans 10:9
Yesterday we had the wonderful privilege of watching one of our sons as he was baptized! It was a very special day, and I did shed a few tears, but they were happy, joyful tears! 
David and our pastor, Bro. Hal Warren, praying before his baptism...
David's baptism was followed by a very powerful and moving service as men from Louisiana Teen Challenge shared their testimonies of how God had delivered them from lives of sin to lives of grace. As I listened to the men share, and watched them sing songs of worship to our Lord, I could tell from the looks on their faces and their hands lifted in surrender, that they had experienced what they were signing about... that they were now passionate about Jesus, and desired to live for him and no longer return to lives of sin.
What struck me the most, and what I have thought much about since the service, is that these men no longer desired the sin they had once loved. They met Jesus, really met Jesus for themselves... they have come to know Him personally through His Word and through prayer. When we meet Jesus, really meet Jesus, He changes our desires... we no longer desire the sin that at one time entangled us... yes, we are still sinners and we still sin everyday. But our sin does not define us, does not entangle us and does not keep us in bondage... for when we truly know Jesus, we are quick to recognize our sin as sin, repent and ask Him to empower us to turn from our sin. It is only by the power of Jesus that we can overcome a lifestyle of sin, and He freely gives us that power if we just ask...
"His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence." 2 Peter 1:3 NASB
Later yesterday afternoon, we presented David with a letter from the pastor of the church we were members of when he was a baby. Bro. Bill Wilks presented us this letter on the day we dedicated David to the Lord before our church family, instructing us to save it for him, to be opened on the day he was baptized. So we gave it to David yesterday, and explained to him that when he was a baby, we took him before the church, dedicated him to the Lord, and prayed with our church and pastor for his salvation and for him to grow up to be a Godly man who serves the Lord wholeheartedly. So... David read the letter out loud, (all by himself... another proud mommy moment, as I taught him to read...)
October 17, 2004
Dear David,
On October 17, 2004, your parents dedicated you to the Lord. On that day, as your family's pastor, I prayed a special prayer for you. I prayed that you would give your heart to Jesus at an early age and that God would have very special plans for your life. I gave them this letter to give to you when the first part of that prayer was answered by your acceptance of Christ as your Savior.
I am so proud of you for your commitment to Christ and believer's baptism. The Lord has answered the first part of that prayer that I prayed for you many years ago. I believe the second part of that prayer will be answered too. As you grow in the Lord and seek His will for your life, I believe you will discover that He indeed does have special plans for you.
Take God's Word as your guide, never take your eyes off Jesus, have the courage to live every day for Him no matter what the consequences, and your life will be richly blessed. You can always count on God's faithfulness (Philippians1:6).
If possible, please call me and let me share with you the joy of your salvation and the answer to my prayer.
Yours and His, Bill Wilks
So, I believe we have a phone call we need to make...
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