I was baptized on September 27, 2020. I started crying when Chris, my pastor, prayed over me, and I was crying when I was pulled out of the water. Chris asked me if I was okay before giving me a hug, too.
When I went back up to where my parents were, I saw a friend of mine, who we'll call B, who congratulated me, and the crying grew with that hug. Then I sat down with my parents, dried off a little, and made to put my shoes back on. I remember I had one shoe still off when my 8th grade math teacher walked up to me to congratulate me. Without hesitation, I hugged her and thanked her, and she said to me, "You've begun something wonderful." Don't quote me on that, but that's what I remember of it, and that is the amazing, amazing thing about this. My math teacher was there. My math teacher. God works in amazing ways, and I remember so, so clearly that I felt His presence for the first time. At the time, I didn't realize it was Him, but looking back on it, it was. That was God, and I didn't realize it, but I know now that it was Him, and I am so, so grateful for it.
God, I love You. I love You so, so much. You are amazing. Praise be to Your name, Father! I love You!
And on September 27, 2020, I officially gave my life to God, and I was baptized, and it was the best decision I have ever made! 😊.
Now, things haven't been perfect from there. I'm still a work in progress, I still have questions and problems I struggle with, but God is working on my heart, and I have faith that He is going to continue working on me and bring me closer to Him. At this very moment of me typing this, on January 2, 2021, my biggest problem is worrying about what will come my way, instead of worrying about my relationship with God, and I am well aware that this is wrong, and I am doing my best to put my faith in God and know that He is working on my heart and taking care of me and leading me down the path He wants me to take. (I worked on this testimony over the span of a few weeks. Right now, it's January 11, 2021.)
This fourth part is going to be my realizations and the miracles I have seen since I finally started taking my relationship with God seriously. I'll probably check in once a year at least to add to it.