"Picking up my Chip"

This past Sunday, Jeff and I were baptized. {Full imersion} As many of you know, We where looking for a church to call home for a while. With Jeff being in and out of Nashville alot and I being a fairly new Christian, we hopped around alot.

The music style is important to Jeff and the bible study classes offered is important to me. Well, it seemed like every church we went to the music style was very contemporary.(like stinkin' backstreet boys) It didn't really bother me too much. After hearing Jeff's side..I guess I agree. I shouldn't be at a "show" or looking at the guy who is singings face on a jumbo-tron. It is supposed to be about worshiping God, not a performace by musicans. When we went to Grace Community Church, it immediatly felt like home. Then, I saw too women from my amazing bible study! I didn't even know they went there. {sign from God}

We went to a new members class and baptism is required for membership. Neither of us have had a believer's baptism. I was baptized as an infant in the catholic church. We both felt ready. This was the time. I understand it to be an act of obidence. Water baptism is one thing for certain that Jesus asks us to do. So, {i took the plunge}

It didn't feel overly emotional to me, (most things are) so I wondered if I was doing it right.

I talked with a woman from my AA meeting about getting baptized and she really helped me to understand better with a metaphor.

You see, in AA we come to the front and pick up "chips" to signify our time in recovery every year. For the first year it is every 3 months. When you pick up your year chips, alot of the time you are expected to "share your story" ie {testimony} and I always got nervous. I didn't want to pick up the chips. My sponsor told me "it's not about YOU!, you pick up the chip to let others know that it works."

Same with baptism, It was an outward expression of what God had already done in me.

Im just glad I don't have to do it every year!