My Baptism

I remember the day of my baptism. It was a sunday. My dad would not allow me to go to church with my mom that sunday. So he kept me home. My mom and he had a big argument. I was now 12 and she said I could choose my baptism . My dad said no, he would choose not only when but by whom. At that time he ahd the pastor had a falling out about him mistreating my mom. So my dad had quit church saying the pastor had no right to meddle in his family matters. My mom said she asked the pastor to help her because he had been abusing her physically which I saw several times. And would always go off and cry..

But on this day I was a prisoner.

We were down at the river and I was in the boat to go across. My dad grabbed my hand and pulled me from the boat. I fell into the water and was all wet. My mom begged him to let me go to be baptized and he refused. He even threatened to throw me into the river. At that age I could not swim. I was crying and afraid. My mom then said ok. Take him back home.

I was taken back home. But my heart was going to be baptized. After I went back home with my dad, he laid down and went to sleep. I opened the door. Ran as fast as I could to the boat dock. And the boat owner took me across. I ran nearly all the way to the church down the railroad tracks. When I arrived my age was in sunday school class so my mom did not see me. We had a one room church with curtains that divided it into four parts. When my class was over (about half hour), they pulled the curtain back and I went to my mom.

She asked me how I got there. I told her I ran away.

She had already talked to the pastor. The pastor saw me and came and asked me if I wanted to be baptized in Jesus name. I told him yes. I was 12 years old like Jesus was and I wanted to live for God. So he told me ok.

After service they lifted up the platform which was made of wood and under it was the baptistry. It was in February and the water was so cold it nearly took my breath away. But on that sunday I accepted Jesus as my God. I accepted Jesus name as the name of salvation. I had repented of my sins. I wanted to be filled with the Holy Ghost. So I was:

Baptized.

This past February 2017 was my baptismal anniversary.

Thought some of you should know that all of my life has not been easy or a bed of roses. I have sacrificed all of my life to be faithful to the holiness Apostolic message. I am nearing the end of my race. I will not quit until it is over.

Bishop Reckart

A man God made