The life changing power of Jesus

Last Sunday I felt horrible because of a sinus infection and fever I had been battling all of Saturday night. I was really in no shape and did not have the desire to be at church that morning, but I felt compelled to be there because I had class to teach and a parent's meeting to conduct. The medication I had been taking made it really difficult for me to concentrate in class, that made the class kind of weird for me. Towards the end of the class I had begun to feel incredibly sick. As I finished the class some began to talk, others headed out the door, and others came up to me to say hey. As I forced myself to muster up some energy and respond to the conversations and be courteous I noticed one of our teens patiently waiting till everyone was done talking to me. As soon as the last person was done talking, she came up to where I was seated and said "Carlos, I want to be baptized". Wow, that completely took me off guard and my first response was, "What made you decide to want that?". She referred to something that was said at the retreat we had just come back from, here is what she said, "You said that a lot of people don't want to become Christians because they doin't want to give up their lifestyle, but Jesus gave up everything for us so that we would have forgiveness and grace". As she said this tears were streaming down her face. I asked her when shae wanted to do it, and she said, "right now". I asked her to get her parents, but come to find her dad had gone home sick just during services. She really wanted her parents there so we decided to do it that evening. I conducted our parent's meeting and towards the end her dad showed up. He mentioned to me that he was feeling better and that the family was all here ready to be part of their daughter's baptism. We walked over to our auditorium along with some parents and teens that were still there from the meeting. As I took her confession tears still streamed down her face, and there at that moment I was reminded of the life changing power of our savior. That afternoon we were all witnesses of something so amazing and so powerful that it does not compare to or come close to anything in this entire world. May God bless Kara in her new relationship with our loving God that is made possible only through Jesus.

"So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." 2 Timothy 1: 8-10