As I mentioned in my BADD 2010 post I’d like to improve this semi-dormant blog with the occasional post of actual substance. Hence the brilliant new category title. 🙂

Important: Please note that these posts are highly subjective and personal. I am not in any way, shape or form, trying to tell anyone how to live their lives – and in return I do ask that you respect my right to live mine the way I choose to.

So let’s dive right in: Yesterday, on Whitsunday, I was baptized. I don’t know how common adult baptisms are elsewhere, but in Switzerland pretty much everyone is baptized as a baby, either into the Protestant or Roman Catholic church. However, I was born a Baptist pastor’s daughter (which means a different thing here than it might in the US – the Southern Baptists actually left the World Baptist Union), and one of the things I like best about it is that getting baptised is supposed to be an adult’s free choice. My parents raised us in a Christian home, but never one that was restricting. I grew up believing in all the things that are good about Christianity – and not surprisingly my relationship with God and religion was for a long time informed by my family.

I don’t think I’ve ever not believed (although I certainly can’t blame anyone who doesn’t or isn’t sure), but it took me a long time to find my own path, build my own relationship with God. As I learned to accept myself the way I am, I realized that God’s acceptance is much deeper and unconditional. He wants me to be who I am, not a mirror image of anyone else (even my parents, who are the best, most faithful people I know) – and really believing this led me to finally feel ready to take the step of making my faith official, so to speak.

Part of getting baptised is becoming part of a congregation, but although I haven’t found ‘my’ church yet (I went to a wonderful Pentecostal church in Wellington, but obviously that’s a bit far away now), I didn’t want to wait any longer (especially in light of going to Haiti this fall), so yesterday I got baptised in my parents’ church here in Zurich. My family as well as my best friend were there, and it was a memorable occasion. There were no signs and portents, no blinding light and heavenly voices, but I definitely felt warmed by the love of God and the people around me. To me, this was the real thing, my public declaration of the path I am following. This was the verse my ‘godmother’ (not really the right word in the context – we call them ‘baptism companions’) told me as I was standing in the water, waiting to be dunked by the pastor:

In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.
– 1 Peter 5:10 (New Living Translation, 2007)

Beautiful, isn’t it? My future is so uncertain, and it is so wonderful to know that I am not walking my path alone but am guided and supported by God, always. This doesn’t mean I think my life will be sunshine and roses (it hasn’t been so far, after all, although overall I’ve had it pretty damn good!), but I do believe that, by following in Jesus’ footsteps, I am never alone, even in the dark, and will hopefully be a positive influence on the world around me. Fittingly, this is the verse my dad chose for me:

Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.
– Psalm 25:5 (New Living Translation, 2007)

I will add a photo or two of the baptism service once they send them to me, so you can laugh at the silly white robes we wore. 🙂 But I don’t think the ceremonial trappings and rituals are necessary – after all I consider myself a universalist: I don’t believe there is only one way to salvation. Actually, I think that, in the end, God will save us all, baptised or not, Christian or not. For me personally, Jesus is God’s gift to us, his light to guide us. And yesterday, I took one more step towards this light.

Amen. 🙂