This is Meg Hasten’s story before she was baptized on December 6, 2020 in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
I had a complicated family situation as a child leaving me with a deep desire to belong and to use achievement as a way to earn respect. I saw early, though, that living perfect or even keeping up with trends was absolutely impossible, as was finding friends who would talk about more than just the superficial. As I approached being a teenager, I saw my friends taking paths that didn’t sit right with me and I was fortunate that my family belonged to a church that connected me with a few strong female leaders who spoke truth over me. It was there I found my safe space to have deep thoughts and big discussions.
Christ drew me to him with a loving-kindness, knowing what my heart needed, and I accepted him as my savior when I was 13 because I agreed deep in my heart that there was no way even a rule follower like me could possibly earn her way to a holy God.
Since, I see him transforming my heart from a spirit of legalism to a spirit of repentance; I see how his adoption of me supplies the greatest belonging I could ever desire, and how he graciously gives me a crown of beauty for my ashes; I see him showing me that I need to prioritize relationships over perfection; I see how he draws near to me through sweet moments with people, in words or in a waving tree; I see him teaching me to love more and more through knowledge and depth of insight; I see how he gently reminds me that earthly achievements will not leave an eternal legacy; and over and over again, I see how his timing is always right on time.
I was baptized by sprinkling when I was 13 but desire to be like Christ in every way, and that includes being baptized by immersion today, and into a community with whom I’m so grateful to follow Jesus. “Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” Phil. 4: 4