God convinces

Three: two girls and one guy. Very different one from another. Three different stories.

Elisa, 17 years old, grew up in a Christian family, daughter of the pastor of a local church. Musician, a bit timid, but always ready to participate in and help out with the actives of MY SPACE and summer camps. God convinced her by working in her in a kind, delicate, and constant way. At her baptism she declared with conviction that she wants to follow Jesus, and her expression was full of joy.

Andrea and Clelia, brother and sister, with very different personalities, grew up in a well-respected family in which only their mom regularly attends church. They, too, participated regularly in the activities of YFC Sicily.

As Andrea gives his testimony at his baptism, we discover that God convinced him by responding to his questions and doubts. “During every camp God answered one of my questions…. Now I know that I don’t need to pretend with God; I can be myself, knowing that I’m accepted by Him.”

Clelia, 18 years old, is very outgoing. Her testimony shows this: “I was convinced that in order to get baptized I first had to be perfect and read the entire Bible….I heard others talk about how God takes care of them and I wanted the same thing….Then I spent a year in the States, and I saw that when I prayed God responded. For example, since I was hosted by a non Christian family, I was looking for a way to go to church. God responded by sending someone who was willing to drive 2 hours to take me to church.” God convinced Clelia through the practical love shown to her by other believers.

There was one phrase that was present in each of their testimonies: “I’m getting baptized, not because I’m perfect, but because I realize that I need Jesus to help me and guide me in my decisions!”

Kids’ baptisms are moments of joy and encouragement for parents, youthworkers, church leaders, and brothers and sisters in Christ. They are moments in which we can listen to the words of kids who express how Jesus has worked in their lives, and we can admire His wisdom and His ability to persuade. God is the director, Jesus the protagonist, the Holy Spirit the actor, and in their perfect and mysterious unity they allow us to have a small part in their masterpiece.