Last year, T started coming to us with questions about baptism. We would answer them and then he would say he wanted to get baptized. I don't know why, but we would always kind of put the idea aside. I think we really wanted to be sure that he really understood what baptism truly is.  Since he is 8, we wanted to be know that he had a true grasp of this act of obedience. He kept reminding me that he was a Christian and that he accepted Jesus when he was 4. But, as parents, we just wanted to be sure.

So a few months ago, I get a call from his Sunday School teacher, who also happens to be a friend of mine. She tells me that T had a lot of questions in Sunday School about baptism and that he seemed to have a good understanding. Her husband then asked T if he wanted to get baptized and T said, "Yes, but my parents keep making me wait. Maybe you could talk to them." We were really impressed that T had taken such initative to talk to his teachers that we couldn't put it off any longer. We realized that he truly did understand, as best as any of us ever can, about the gift of salvation and the act of obedience in baptism.

So on Sunday, March 8th, T went to the prayer room with us following to be baptized. Our church is a large one, and one service has about 1000 people. Timothy talked to one of the deacons and then asked if his dad could baptize him. Of course, that was ok. Then the deacon, DH, and T went to the front of the church and was introduced. T asked to say something and he said, " I want to show everybody that I love God." I was shocked when he said this because in our church, only a few ever say something to the congregation, including adults. And here was my young son sharing his love for God and showing it with his act of obedience in baptism.

It was such a humbling moment for me! When T was in the hospital as a baby, fighting for his life, baptism was one of the things I thought of. I wondered if I would ever be able to see this child grow to make this choice. And now, here he was, showing everybody how much he loves God.

T and DH right before baptism.