Welcome to another blog post of my World Race journey! Thanks for taking the time to follow along! Some of you might be aware that I was baptized a little over 2 weeks ago! I have posted about this on my instagram but also have mentioned it in a blog post. I am going to use this blog post to give you some more detail about my baptism! Before I get into the specifics, I feel like it is necessary to go deeper in my faith background!
I have known of Jesus my whole life, but when I was in 2nd grade was when my family started to go to church full time. We went (and still attend) Prairie Ridge Church, which we all love and call our church home! I went to Sunday school, some kids events, and was baptized in 4th grade. I didn’t really know what it meant. I just knew that my family followed the ways of Jesus and I was supposed to love Him. I remember that day well, but it didn’t have much significance in my life.
In 6th grade, I transitioned into Junkyard Youth Group which was where I started to have more in-depth conversations and growth in my faith. I enjoyed the worship, had a good group, and liked listening to messages but didn’t really know where it fit into my life. I went on some church trips, one of which I really felt the Holy Spirit’s presence, but was 11 years old at the time and had no idea what that really was.
In high school, I still went to Junkyard, but didn’t feel like I belonged there. Freshman year, my discussion group broke apart. I didn’t go to youth very often and did a bible study with my mom instead. I was very lost in my faith and still struggled to find where it fit in my life. That April, I ended up getting ‘recruited’ (if that’s what I should even call it) for the worship team after a jazz band concert. My previous youth pastor was there and contacted our churches worship leader about my piano skills. Soon enough, I was on the worship team, terrified. However, getting plugged into worship team changed the route of my faith, as I felt like it was going downhill. I went back to junkyard my sophomore year, still without a group. I was welcomed in by senior who was a friend-of-a-friend into their group, and I ended up going every week.
That winter, I had the opportunity to apply for a National Girl Scout Convention in Florida that summer. Waiting for results, Junkyard opened the sign ups for Rocky Mountain High in Estes Park Colorado that was at the same time as the convention. I was torn between them, but God made it clear. I was chosen as alternate for the Girl Scout Convention, but declined that position to go to Rocky. I was bummed I didn’t get chosen to go to the convention, but so so glad looking back that God closed that door but opened one of the most pivotal experiences in my faith.
Rocky was a blast. I went in knowing hardly anyone, shaky in my faith, and very sad after a recent breakup. I came out of Rocky with some of the most fruitful friendships and connections to other junkyardigans, a big leap in my faith, and a new determination and drive to change the way I was living to grow my relationship with God! I was baptized the morning we left the camp in a stream at the bottom of a mountain. It was a declaration that my faith was my own and I was going to make a change for God.
Junior year was filled with lots of growth and a new sense of self. I took my participation with the worship team to a new level by starting a team up for junkyard, and became a discussion leader for middle schoolers. The year did come with challenges, but none that God left me unequipped for. The last 2 years of junkyard were so so amazing! I looked forward to it every single week.
Finally feeling settled and content at Junkyard and school, it was time to think ahead at my future. ACT testing, college applications, scholarships, and more were shoved into my brain. I was excited to go to college, as it was what I always thought I was going to do. When filling out applications, I had a big mental block which made it apparent that I was moving in the wrong direction. I had no idea where I wanted to go, what I wanted to study, or what kind of campus I even wanted to live on. However, one Sunday, it all clicked. One junkyard alum shared her experience on the World Race on a Sunday morning, it sounded so amazing to me. After some research and a few clicks and phone calls, I was signed up. It all fell into place and I knew that that was where God wanted me to go.
Fast forwarding to now, there have been so many new learning experiences here in Gainesville, some of which I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts, but the biggest one is that I felt called to get baptized again. The night of my baptism, God uncovered a lot of baggage in my heart that I was unaware of. My whole life, I’ve struggled with idolizing the opinions of others and comparison, which lead to forming my identity around other people and my success. BUT GOD! I asked him to reveal unhealthy habits in my life and he did. He asked me to put those aside, and I felt his presence more than ever before! My baptism was a symbol of renewal in my faith and a cleanse from my past, being made new in Christ! It’s not always easy, but I trust that God will lead my heart shape and refine me.
~ Ellie
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