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At her baptism, Shannon shared her testimony with The Orchard Barrington and is excited to share a bit about her journey leading up to this moment.
In middle school, I decided to come to faith at the Orchard Winter retreat. During worship service, I became so overwhelmed by the love for Jesus I felt by everyone around me and made the decision to commit my life to him. Since then, having gone through the majority of my time in high school, it has been hard balancing my faith and desire for Jesus, with the worldly ideas and attitudes I often feel so surrounded by. I have been challenged by the comparison, loneliness, and jealousy that can often seem to overshadow God's presence in my heart.
I have always been someone who strives for perfection and can fall into the hole of “being the best” or comparing myself to those who are excelling.
For a long time, I put off my baptism because I felt that I wasn't “good enough” or that I needed to be the “perfect” Christian first. I was waiting for the right time, when I felt I had it all together and was ready to make the jump. But as said best in a song we sang just last Sunday, “It’s never been about performance, perfection or striving for acceptance Let me tell you, it’s only by the blood- It’s never been about deserving or earning -It’s a gift that’s freely given Let me tell you, it’s only by the blood.”
The reason I choose to be up here today is to proclaim my need for Jesus. I don't have to be perfect-because he is. I have seen and understood now that it's not about being worthy enough; it's about accepting that I'm in need of his grace, and that is why I'm taking this leap. Today, I am taking this step of faith, not because I've got it all together or figured it out, but because I trust in the one who makes me whole. I am overjoyed to share this with all of you, and cannot wait to celebrate the good news, the hope, and the peace that I have chosen by proclaiming my love and desire for Jesus.
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