Belinda’s Story
"About four years ago I spoke with Marcus, the Effingham Student Pastor, about getting my teenager to join the youth group. Ashley would attend church with me, but did not want any part of the youth group. After speaking with Marcus I knew I could not push her or it would make her even more closed off to it and maybe make her not want to attend church at all. So I started praying daily that something would change in her and God would open her up to the idea.
"In March 2013 Cam told us that during the Easter services he was going to ask anyone that wanted to be baptized to come forward and be baptized right then. So I prayed every day that on Easter Sunday, God would move her to go forward and be baptized. I never said anything to Ashley about what I knew was going to happen.
"Easter Sunday came, and I will never forget that morning. We all dressed up except for her; she was wearing jeans. I wanted so badly to make her change her clothes because I thought dressing up was more appropriate for Easter Sunday, but in the back of my mind I was thinking, 'When God comes through, she’s going to get baptized today!'
"I vividly remember how, as soon as the sermon ended, Ashley was one of the first out of her seat and walking forward to be baptized. I completely lost it, crying like a baby because I knew God had answer my prayer in a HUGE way!
"Since that day Ashley has been full of surprises. Not only did she start going to youth group with her sister each week, she started volunteering in the children's ministry and now wants to be a teacher. All three of my girls attended summer camp the past two years, Ashley and Alyssa were able to raise the funds to go on a mission trip to Ecuador last year and now are in the process of raising funds for a mission trip to Ghana in May.
"God has been so good to us!"
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