Good News of Great Joy: A Christmas Baptism

Christmas is "good news of great joy" every year. We remember our heavenly Father's great love and grace in sending His Son to open the door for our sins to be forgiven and us to be reconciled to Him.

However, this year, there was even greater joy at Shin Urayasu Grace Church's Christmas worship service. We rejoiced together with the angels in heaven as Mrs. S professed her faith in Jesus and was baptized.

Mrs. S was invited to a Bible study a little more than 2 years ago by her long-time friend, Mrs. T (pictured beside her in the photo). After attending a Bible study led by our co-worker, Karen, and a church member, Mrs. H, for about a year-and-a-half, Mrs. S said that she believed in Jesus.

A few months later, she decided to be baptized, and began preparations to do so. These preparations included meeting multiple times with Ree and I for baptism preparation class. But, what was very encouraging was the preparation Mrs. S undertook on her own.

Mrs. S spoke to each of her family members about her decision to be baptized. She had talked with her husband all along as she was studying the Bible, and he had commented to her about changes he had noticed in her. When she told him of her desire to be baptized, he said, "I thought you already had." In addition, she spoke with her two sons (14 and 10), the younger of whom has now attended Sunday school a number of times. In addition, she spoke with her parents and her husband's parents as well.

On the day Mrs. S was baptized, her husband, her two sons and her parents attended the worship service. For most of them, it was the first time to attend a church service. Mrs. S gave a clear testimony of her faith in Jesus.

Please pray for Mrs. S as she continues to grow in her young faith. Pray especially that God would help her to know how to apply her faith to many situations she faces in her life, now from a new perspective. Pray also for her family members, that God would enable them to see His presence in Mrs. S's life, and that He would give them open hearts which seek to know Him.