Happy Re-Birthday

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV)

Today is a special post because it is a very special day for me. 

Today I woke before sunrise, went out onto my porch to stand in the misty, foggy morning listening to the birds singing and thanking God for my eighth Re-Birthday. 

Today, eight years ago, surrounded by most of my dearest I died.

Okay, okay … drama aside, let me finish that statement.

I died to the World. 

I lived in Christ!

I took the step of baptism. I chose to make all the rest of my days about Jesus Christ. 

Now before you picture me surrounded by a heavenly choir or glowing … I promise I am not as spiritually enlightened as that sentence reads. There are days it’s a fight to pry my eyes open, let alone crack my Bible. I’ve gotten angry at the Lord and yelled or cried tears of desperation, many times. I know there will be many more times I fail at being a “good” Christian. (Good thing it’s not about me or up to me right??) 

And I’ll be transparent here. In many ways, these last eight years have been the hardest I’ve walked, not even including the world’s cultural climate.

The death of my twin brother, the life-threatening illness of my husband, saying goodbye to a beloved dream, moving 3,000 miles from my closest friends, massive realignments at my job, and coming to terms with infertility are just a few of the challenges.

These were all beyond hard to walk through, in fact, in reflection I don’t think I walked through at all. I was carried. Which is why I am so extremely thankful that they came after my Re-Birthday. I cannot imagine having had to go through any one of those things without Jesus at my side. 

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. (Hebrews 6:19a NIV)

All has not been mourning though. There have been some of the greatest joys too!

Husband pulled through wonderfully and in recovery we got to experience the humbling beauty and sustaining strength of dear sisters and brothers in Christ feeding us physically with warm meals and spiritually with prayer and scripture, and ultimately aiding us on the biggest adventure yet; becoming homeowners. In owning a home, we’ve been further blessed to bring our parents under one roof, found a new home church and a community of believers, and I’ve been blessed with opportunities, like this one, to live my dream – writing Christian-based content (stories, articles, and even movie scripts). 

So on this, my eighth Re-Birthday, I am thankful for Jesus’s presence in the dark times, His presence in the fun times, and His presence in the future to come!

I highly encourage you, if you don’t celebrate already, to take your day of baptism – your own Re-Birthday, and make it a day of thanksgiving, remembering, and prayer over the future too. Let this day serve as a day set aside to polish the remembrance stones of your life. Might I suggest reading Joshua 4 as well? God can use these big-moment memories for far more than just your scrapbook. 

If you already do, please comment. How do you celebrate? What have been some of your greatest insights through the highs and lows?

God bless you and keep you until next time.