Easter Story
If you've head this story, I'm sorry.
Six years ago I was living in Lubbock, Texas. I was single and about to graduate. I had a regular Sunday tradition for myself ... I would go to church at 9:00AM and listen to who still today is my favorite minister (aside from Matt of course!) and then I would head south on University Ave. I'd grab a drink at Sonic, and catch one of the early bird movies at the theater. I did this every Sunday for about 7 months, give or take breaks when I was at home.
Eventually I decided I wanted to be baptised. I had been going through a hard time and I honestly felt like God was telling me it was time. So I had an appointment with the minister, and I was added to the list of folks getting baptised on Easter Sunday.
My two closest friends were excited for me. They and their roommates promised to come and see and we'd all go out to lunch afterwards. I didn't have any family in town, so it was good that they would do this for me.
On Easter Sunday I showed up early, listened to my instructions, and waited in the antiroom of the church. My friends were supposed to meet me there 30 minutes before. They had not made it. Standing in the backroom, shaking on the balls of my feet I was so nervous, I fought back the feeling that I was alone, while moms' fixed the hair of their 7 year old kids about to do the same thing I, 22, was doing.
One by one they got called into the pool, and then it was my turn. I stepped in, the minister said my name. "Will Stacy's family please come forward," he said aloud to the room. Choking a bit, I shook my head, I smiled at him because he looked confused. "There's - there's no one there."
God was with me that day so I was fully prepared to do it alone. But the look on the minister's face ... he looked like he wished he'd known this sooner (I had told him), and the pity there just about made me want to die. I can still see the look.
He turned to one of the parishners and was about to ask her to hand me my candle - to take my new light into the world - when from a the middle pews, someone stood up.
My friend Amber was there, and she came forward for me, and recognized what I was doing and valued what I was doing and supported what I was doing.
Easter always makes me think of my Baptism, and that always makes me think of Amber. Whenever I think of my friend Amber I always think ... "she's the one that stood up for me, when no one else was there."
I may not have 5 friends or 20, but I have a best friend who was there for me when it mattered most.
Six years ago I was living in Lubbock, Texas. I was single and about to graduate. I had a regular Sunday tradition for myself ... I would go to church at 9:00AM and listen to who still today is my favorite minister (aside from Matt of course!) and then I would head south on University Ave. I'd grab a drink at Sonic, and catch one of the early bird movies at the theater. I did this every Sunday for about 7 months, give or take breaks when I was at home.
Eventually I decided I wanted to be baptised. I had been going through a hard time and I honestly felt like God was telling me it was time. So I had an appointment with the minister, and I was added to the list of folks getting baptised on Easter Sunday.
My two closest friends were excited for me. They and their roommates promised to come and see and we'd all go out to lunch afterwards. I didn't have any family in town, so it was good that they would do this for me.
On Easter Sunday I showed up early, listened to my instructions, and waited in the antiroom of the church. My friends were supposed to meet me there 30 minutes before. They had not made it. Standing in the backroom, shaking on the balls of my feet I was so nervous, I fought back the feeling that I was alone, while moms' fixed the hair of their 7 year old kids about to do the same thing I, 22, was doing.
One by one they got called into the pool, and then it was my turn. I stepped in, the minister said my name. "Will Stacy's family please come forward," he said aloud to the room. Choking a bit, I shook my head, I smiled at him because he looked confused. "There's - there's no one there."
God was with me that day so I was fully prepared to do it alone. But the look on the minister's face ... he looked like he wished he'd known this sooner (I had told him), and the pity there just about made me want to die. I can still see the look.
He turned to one of the parishners and was about to ask her to hand me my candle - to take my new light into the world - when from a the middle pews, someone stood up.
My friend Amber was there, and she came forward for me, and recognized what I was doing and valued what I was doing and supported what I was doing.
Easter always makes me think of my Baptism, and that always makes me think of Amber. Whenever I think of my friend Amber I always think ... "she's the one that stood up for me, when no one else was there."
I may not have 5 friends or 20, but I have a best friend who was there for me when it mattered most.
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By the way, I don't have to be your favorite preacher, just the best one that you've ever heard preach a sermon - whilst simultaneously insulting your husband.
Good times, good times...