{our life} Plain & Simple: New

Monday, January 14, 2013

New

(Images by Allye Faye Huston)

It's a new year. A brand new year, fresh with no mistakes in it. A time for new beginnings, new commitments, new goals, new dreams. New days spread before us, waiting for us to fill their pages with our stories. More time for God to craft us into who He desires for us to be, if only we would allow it. And that daughter of mine? My biggest, little girl? She decided that she wanted to allow it, this molding of God in her life. On January 12, 2013, Emma publicly committed her life to Christ and was baptised for the remission of her sins by her daddy.

When Emma first started coming to Boss and I about this decision she wanted to make, I was tempted to feel that she was too young to make such a choice. Shouldn't she be older? Wiser? Shouldn't she know a little bit more, have a little bit more life under her belt? But then Boss gently reminded me that if we began deciding for her when she was ready, then it would no longer be her choice. It would become ours. So I began to pray, to try and have faith like my daughter. And I began to see the beauty in my daughter beginning her walk with God at such a tender age. I imagined my daughter one day at seventy eight years old, telling her own grandchildren and all who would listen, that she had been walking with the Lord for seventy years! And I began to get excited about her testimony.

So Boss began to study intently with Emma, and we began to make preparations. And when Emma was ready, she decided that she wanted to be baptised at home in our hot tub, surrounded by family and friends who love her. Boss spoke of how fitting her choice was. Home was where he and I both learned about the Lord, home was where Emma was committing her life to the Lord, and HOME is where we will one day all be together again because of her confession of faith. I fell a bit more in love with Boss that day, I must confess. It was a beautiful moment and one I pray guides Emma for the rest of her life. And because she has me for her mama, afterwards we celebrated! Because if a new life isn't reason to celebrate, then I don't know what is.

Emma, I am so proud of you. I know God has great BIG beautiful plans for your life, and I can't wait to watch Him write your story. This, my girl, is only the beginning.