Those words echo in my ears from the baptism I attended this afternoon at the river on the San Carlos Indian Reservation.  Words spoken by the Director of First Nations Ministries, our hosts for the week here on the San Carlos Reservation.  And nine people did just that this afternoon......they wept with joy and gave praise to their gracious Lord and Savior as their sins "washed down the river". 

What a privilege to share in this special, special day with nine Apache friends who have taken that step of faith and obeyed the command to "believe and be baptized."  A 12 year old who was baptized said that when he came up out of the water, he saw a streak of light and that "it was sooo cool."  He was filled with awe.

 

Another said he felt the power of the Holy Spirit and then wept with joy.  Still another shared his testimony that although he had been saved for 10 years he had never been baptized.  He went on to say that he was on verge of divorce and was looking at prison time when he came to know Christ as his Savior and that the power of God helped him to turn his life around as he was delivered from a drug addiction and prison time.

Since arriving in Arizona this past Wednesday, Satan has used certain circumstances to cause me great pain and discouragement.  He has said to me, "Bail out.  Go home.  This ministry is too hard."  I have been fighting, fighting, fighting for the last 72 hours to keep my focus on Jesus and have kept going each day on pure obedience.  Today, God used this baptism to break the bondage of discouragement as He used it as a reminder of what my ministry is all about......people; people giving their lives over to Christ and becoming new creations whose sins have been "washed down the river". 

 

I have been renewed, refreshed, recharged.......ready to continue to "fight the good fight".......ready to continue to walk in faith.......ready to continue to trust God with the pain and the heartache that comes with loving and ministering to the Apache people.  Today, God turned my sorrow into joy!  Thank you, Jesus!  To God Be The Glory!