november 5, 2020 // a holy day.
what we thought would be an ordinary day on the race quickly became a day of revival for gap d. a day of declaration, salvation, authority, and power. a day that all heaven’s angels would sing and celebrate.
twenty-five people.
death to life. shame, guilt, fear, comparison, and sin died at the bottom of lake lanier. freedom rose again.
and i’m simply here to share the story.
stick around as i release several blog posts displaying testimonies of my squad mates and their baptisms!
Emma Austin // Gap Year Racer
Team Stride
JOY & FREEDOM
“I was baptized when I was nine years old and I knew what that meant in the moment. Since then I haven’t really had the strongest relationship with the Lord. Very on and off, especially throughout high school. I never had it on my heart to be baptized again but when Madie mentioned it in devos that one morning my heart started beating really fast and I actually felt sick to my stomach. That’s usually how the Holy Spirit will prompt me to do certain things. Going into session I asked the Lord to make it super clear to me if being baptized was something He wanted and something I needed to do. And the Lord MOVED in session – He completely wrecked me in the most amazing way. I heard the Lord speak over me that He doesn’t condemn me and I need to stop believing the lie that He does. I still needed more clarity though so I opened up my bible to Zechariah 2. It was talking about Israel and a prophecy spoken over the land. They would be a city without walls and the Lord’s fire would come and replace those walls. He would be the glory within the city. I just knew in that moment that the Lord wanted me to get rid of my walls and allow him to come in and be that fire. He wants to come and dwell. My on and off relationship with the Lord stopped there and I committed to serving Him the rest of my life.”
“So, I got baptized! And it was the most amazing thing!”
“There was just so much joy. There hasn’t been another moment in my life where I’ve ever felt so much joy. I couldn’t stop smiling. I was jumping around in excitement. I could totally feel the Lord’s presence as He smiled down upon us, so proud of all His children stepping into this with Him.”
“Joy + Freedom”
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Wesley Cannon // Gap Year Racer
Team Kenosis
Dedication
“The baptism experience for me was life changing. It was really cool how I was able to take part in an active representation of what the Lord has done through me. He has blessed me with new life and challenged me to give up my old ways and give up my old self. It’s really just stepping both feet into faith and making a stand as a follower of Christ. Leaving everything behind that I came from and glorifying Him through that. I loved being able to do something physical to represent dying to yourself and coming live again – being born again in Christ. It was just life changing and a blessing for sure. I didn’t plan on being baptized but the Lord really put it on my heart last minute. I loved just listening to His voice in the moment, it was even more special with that.”
“Right before (I was baptized) I was honestly hesitant. I hadn’t planned on this and the Lord put it on my heart so strongly. It was an opportunity to step out and represent what He has done through me. I also loved being able to take this experience home to others where I could show this is something that I chose to do and wanted for myself. Others have really been able to hold me accountable to that (sharing the testimony) – it’s such a beautiful thing. I was nervous at first but then I was just thrilled and excited to have my brothers and sisters standing alongside me, rejoicing in the Lord and what He was doing in us all. Afterwards it was an insane feeling of just everyone around me, as we all stepped up as new believers. We lifted each other higher and it was so beautiful – straight from the Lord.”
“It’s been awhile since the baptism day. It’s such a blessing to be home now where I can apply that (experience) in my life. When things get hard I can look back and think about how I went into the water, died to myself, and came up as a new person. Not everyone is going to understand that and see us as different people so it’s shocking to some when you come back. That’s a really hard thing because you want to justify yourself and have them know you are different. But the cool thing about it is the rest in Christ. You rest in the fact that He has made us new and He sees who we are in Him. I can use this when times get tough and when I want to go back to the sin I left behind. Praise the Lord for that. I can remember what happened when temptation comes and I want to fall back into the habituary sin. I look back and remember what the Lord called me to do that day.”
“Dedication. We are able to make this choice. To dedicate ourselves to the Lord and fully too. Two feet into faith, not just one. Stepping off that cliff for Jesus and knowing we are fully in His hands. Nothing in our plans really matter, but we take it all to Him – as new people and warriors that forcefully advance the kingdom of God wherever they go.”
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Libby Stipp-Puffer // Gap Year Racer
Team Agape
Celebration.
“I wasn’t planning on getting baptized that day, because I’ve actually been baptized two times before already. Then, as I was watching everyone in the water I was just full of so much joy and the Lord reminded me of how far I’ve come since I started the race. One thing I struggled with my whole life is fear and being scared of EVERYTHING. I’ve cared a lot about what people think and have been really anxious about a lot of stuff. The Lord wanted me here to have a physical representation of fear no longer having a hold on me. When I come out of the water fear washes off. No more fear!”
“Right before (the baptism) my heart was racing – holy spirit heartbeat. The whole day prior was so exciting – full of celebration, screaming, jumping, and fun times. After I was baptized I felt physically lighter. I felt free and as if a weight was carried off of me, and I had been carrying it for such a long time.”
“This past week I had this situation with my car and I really didn’t want anyone to come and help fix it, I guess I was scared of being embarrassed? As I was talking to my dad about it he literally said, ‘Why did you get baptized then?’. I feel like I’m constantly being reminded that I said no to fear. I said no then, and I’m saying no now. Just continuing to walk in courage and bravery rather than fear.”
“Celebration.”
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Ben Bigcraft // Gap Year Racer
Team Kenosis
Overwhelming Love
“Baptism is something that God started to put on my heart last summer. The day when Madie said we had the opportunity to be baptized I just knew I was going to do it. I was super excited and the whole day I had this smile on my face and on my heart too. I was really excited to just show that outward sign and profess my faith in that way.”
“Right before getting baptized I felt this peace. It felt awesome and I was ready to do it (get baptized). After I just felt really free. I believed in my heart that I was free in Christ and that I can actually be free. All this time I was just me walking back to old habits and thinking I was a slave to my old ways, but Christ really has freedom for me every time I turn to Him.”
“I’m always reminding myself that I am made new in Him. It can be easy to take that day for granted and pass it for a moment of ‘getting dunked in water and it doesn’t mean much now’ but the fact that it’s a profession of faith and what Jesus has done in my life and in my heart gives it lasting meaning. One phrase we’ve spoken a lot over this day is putting on the wedding ring of my covenant with Christ. It’s just this overwhelming love that He has for me that I want to do my best to match, even though I’ll never be able to give Him as much love as He does me.
“Overwhelming love.”
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Madison Stephenson // Gap Year Racer
Team Align
JOYFUL
“The night before baptism day, the Lord had told me that there was no going back now. I still had some doubts, mostly if I was even capable of that kind of commitment to the Lord, but He kept reminding me that it’s about His ability, rather than my own. And I had known that I wanted to be baptized again for about a month. So when the opportunity arose the next day, I knew it was time.”
“I was SUPER excited to start my new life with the Lord, and a little nervous – but mostly excited. As soon as I came up from the water, I just had this joy that was so intense I couldn’t stop crying or smiling. I know that it was the joy of the Lord.”
“Now, over a month later, that commitment I made to never go back keeps me going when things get hard or when I’m mad at the Lord and can’t understand what He’s doing. I remind myself that He is good then, He is good now, and that I promised my savior I would pursue Him no matter what life throws at me.”
“JOYFUL!”
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five people. five stories. five kingdom-bringers.
“One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
Ephesians 4:5-6
Photo Credits to Anjali Joy and Ellie Miller
YESSSSS JOY & FREEDOM BABY!!!! seriously this was one of the most holy days I’ve ever been apart of. so proud of all 25 humans that went under the water that day!!!! THANKS GOD!!!!
Beautifully curated Gretch! Thanks for being a vessel for other peoples stories to be told!
AMEN ! AMEN ! AMEN !
Wow, thank you Ellie Miller!! God is moving so much in this squad!