Camping in God's Creation

My family and I are going camping this weekend.  It is what we do together..it is what we LOVE to do.  There is something about being out in nature..in God's creation...that completely relaxes me.  There are no distractions.  I can't get cell phone service and no electronics are allowed in my camp site! 

I have two favorite things to do when we go camping.  The first one is that first cup of percolated coffee on the river bank watching the mist rise and listening to the early morning sounds.  I love to spend that time with the Lord..just me and Him...it is so precious to me.

My second favorite thing to do when we go camping is sitting around the camp fire at night talking about the kids memories, telling funny stories, talking about what God has done for us, and what He will continue to do for us.  It is always a great family time and moments that I will always cherish.

This weekend is going to be extra special.  Our 15 year old has asked my husband to baptize her in the river where we camp.  We are so excited, humbled, and in awe that God has provided the opportunity for my husband to baptize two of our children so far.  We are blessed. 

Tonight, we told our daughter that she needed to pray and study her Bible and come to us with the answer to 3 questions prior to being baptized.

1. What does baptism mean to her?
2. Why does she want to be baptized?
3. How does she think her behavior should change after baptism?

It will be interesting to see what she comes back with.  It seems like a simple thing doesn't it?  You get into water and someone lays you back into the water until you are completely covered then raises you up.  It is a physical act to symbolically represent what happens to us when we accept Christ as our personal Lord and Savior.  The old man dies, and a new creation is formed!

2 Corinthians 5:17 - So that if anyone is in Christ, that one is a new creature; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

I am so thankful that we are made new!  Even our hearts are made new!

Ezekiel 36:26 - And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you.  And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. 

It is so awesome to serve a God who cares so much for us that He does not want us to stay in the state we are in when we come to Him.