Born Again.

Good morning! I sit here so thankful this morning because yesterday at church {today is the actual date day though} it had been one year since I was born again. As I was listening throughout the whole service I just saw there in awe of how far I've come and how much my life has changed all because I decided to give my life over to God.

Around this time last year I could feel God tugging on my heart. After watching Reese, my boyfriend, get baptized I felt that I should too. But then I sat there and was like "No, Danielle. When you got baptized when you were little you did it because you felt you had to because someone else did... Not this time!" So I continued to remind myself that this decision isn't made when I feel I'm supposed to by other people, but when I feel God wants me to and I feel him tugging and pulling on my heart.

As you all know I am involved with CSF at my school. Being a leader means that you are in a core group {bible study group} with about 10 girls. I remember how much I felt that Lord tugging on my heart the week before I was baptized. I went to my core group and the message we read and what we talked about just made me decide it was time. I told my core group that I wanted to get baptized and then I just started crying. It was so overwhelming and all the girls were there for me like no one else had ever been. They started, jokingly, trying to figure out where we could go baptize me right then & there, haha {they even said we could do it in the bathtub...} But I knew I wanted to wait for church that weekend.

Each night leading up to my baptism I would wake up singing "My whole life is yours, I give it all..." Which is absolutely CRAZY! Because it was the song that was playing while I was baptized. I've realized that is just what I need to always say to God when I am confused, wanted to take control of the situation/life, or am just lost.

Last night at church {I say last night because I go to a service called 608, yes it is at 6:08, and it primarily has college students but anyone is welcome} our pastor was talking about when he was born again, and it hit me that this time last year I was born again! I started to think back to how much everything had changed and to how much I had grown as a person and relied more on God. I can't describe to you all how it felt last night realizing how much of a better person I am because I have HIM in my life. He seriously has kept me safe and he truly is always there for me. But last night they sang that song again {seriously... did they know?! haha}, Arms Wide Open, and I just started crying! It really was an overwhelming experience for me because I can feel/see that my life is better.

Now I sit here preparing myself to go to Haiti and experience something I have never seen before in my life. I sit here reading devotionals and reading the bible on a daily basis. I sit here just talking to God whenever I want, rather thinking it just has to be in prayer while at church or while I'm alone. I sit here more of a Godly woman than I have ever been. I sit here renewed and ready to take on life because I know HE is in control. I sit here proud of who I've become.

I pray that you never lose sight of how much you need God and that he is in control and you don't have to worry about a thing. I pray for everyone reading this that has not come to know God yet and that you let him tug and pull at your heart like he did mine, and that you let him in!

I hope you all have a great day!

Danielle