As we spend our last few days here in Chicaman, we have been taking advantage of our time. It has been filled with mountainside preaching, home to home visits, helping our host design her new Christ centered cafe, and another Beauty for Ashes event. Recently, our host family took us camping for two days on some private land owned by their good friend Monolo. Monolo is quite literally the Tarzan of Guatemala. His home and farm is located on land where howler monkeys, giant spiders, and jaguars live. His farm has horses, chickens, and cows- which my team helped milk in the morning.

His land also has a series of eight beautifully connecting waterfalls that we hiked to on our first day. The water was extremely clear and cold. Monolo told us he goes in the water every eight days. We swam and slid down a rock formed slide for an hour but before that, something incredible happened!

I got baptized!

Before leaving for the World Race, I knew I wanted to get water baptized to publicly declare my commitment to the Lord. I did not care if it was in a river, or a pool, or even a bathtub. This sweet moment with my host family and my team in the middle of the jungle was God filled. Also, the opportunity to be baptized in a country that planted a deep seed in me years ago and is still refining me is a symbol of his pursuit and steadfast heart.

Water baptism is a command and an integral part of God’s plan. Mathew 27:19-20 says “Therefore go and make disciples of all nation, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age”.

In John 14:15 it says, “If you love me, keep my commands”.

Going under the water represents the death and burial of Christ, but it also represents the death of our flesh. Rising out of the water represents the resurrection of Christ and us being cleansed and born again.

Have you ever heard the term “dying to self”? It is found in the new testament and is a concept I only recently began to truly understand. It refers to when Christians are born again- their old self dies and new self steps into their new life with Christ. God wants us to take up the cross and be willing to deny ourselves— be willing to give up our lives for him if necessary. Dying to self is something Christians continue to do throughout their walk, not just once during their baptism. It is an intentional act that leads to eternal life.

The Lord is my strength. He is Holy. He is greater. He is a provider. He leads me beside still waters. He is and will be my rock all of my days.

God has been walking with me for years so it was sweet to finally outwardly express what God has been doing inside my heart all this time. How incredible that I get to take on the rest of this year’s ministry cleansed and walking in freedom?!

Thanks for reading this short but exciting blog post.

2 Corinthians 5:17 — Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old is gone, the new is here! 

Be well. Love well.

Mags