Skip to main content

Stormy Birth

    One of the people at Michele's baptism was her neighbor Severina, and she said, "Soon it will be me." For a long time she has wanted to dedicate her life to Jesus, and she would start going to a church somewhere, but as she got more involved, her husband would begin to threaten and forbid her to go, and she would end up doing what he wanted.
    This time, though, she has decided for good; if he leaves, then he leaves but Jesus will be the Lord of her life. Severina gave her life to God and a small group met at the beach to baptize her. While we talked there, a strong wind arose suddenly - we rushed to the water's edge - then a storm cloud flung open its floodgates. Someone opened a flimsy umbrella that was nearly torn apart by the wind.
    Severina and I rushed into the dark waves, and she was reborn in the midst a storm, possibly a foretaste of what her new faith must weather. Since her baptism, her husband has brought her to despair with fights, manipulations, leaving home, coming back, and prohibitions.
    That night everyone was soaked and teeth-chattering cold - pray that the brethren can also share in her burdens and help shoulder her tribulations that try to turn her away from the Way. 
   

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Unity Through The Word

          Thank you all for your prayers for the PORMISSOES meeting last month.  It was a great blessing.  We sat and studied God's Word together for the entire day.  There were some differences of understanding on some passages, but we worked our way through them.  In the end, everyone was saying how the meeting was edifying.            It started around 9:30 am.  We broke for lunch at 1 pm.  We started back around 2:30 and went until 6 pm.  They wanted to keep going, but the SEARA class started at 7 pm.  If every meeting could be as encouraging as this one, we would be in heaven.           My goal with these meetings is to teach the church workers throughout the state how to listen to someone who has a different belief about God's Word, try to understand their logic, their thought process...

First Time Baptizing

        Last Wednesday Lucas decided to give his life to Jesus and was baptized. His parents were converted in Cajazeiras, and since moved to João Pessoa and meet with the Luna congregation. Renato started studying the Bible with him, and then Adeliton continued the study. Adeliton is one of the AME students, preparing for the mission field.   "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it,  but God has been making it grow."  1 Corinthians 3:6                  This is the first time Adeliton has baptized someone; he was excited and is preparing for more. I talked to Lucas about counting the cost of following Christ, and he said that following Christ no matter the cost is what he wants for his life.         First time baptizing, a new life bor...

The Second Generation, Part II

In 1993 when we came in contact with a young struggling couple in Caruaru, Paulo and Simone, we never imagined what plans God had in store for them. Now 18 years later (Wow, has it been that long?), after conversion, ups and downs, growing pains, working to further the Kingdom and living it, they have had the pleasure to witness the beginning of their daughter's life in Christ. Juliana (age ten) was baptized by her older brother, Jheymerson, who was also ten years old when he gave his life to Jesus. What a wonderful blessing to have one's whole family saved in Christ! Maria and Cícero were also converted when we lived in Caruaru, though single at the time. They dated and got married, the ceremony performed by yours truly. Maria has been faithful to Jesus all these years though going through several difficulties. Cícero, on the other hand, fell away, but came back and renewed his life and his marriage, and now, along with Juliana, his daughter Vitória (age ten) was baptize...