{Evelyn's Baptism}

Evelyn's baptism took place on Sunday, May 22.

Amy and I meditated often on this day when Evelyn would receive the sign admitting her into the local church body.

She wore an eloquent dress made by a friend. Family and friends were in town.

Our Evelyn, no longer fatherless and orphaned, was receiving this sign of the covenant. Sentimentality crept its way into this day so easily. We struggled for this to not be the case.

Beautiful, yes. Sentimental, no.

The beauty of her baptism is that this sacrament points not to Evelyn, but to our Redeemer and God's faithfulness to His people; not our response, but to His provision of the Lamb, the Lamb worthy to be praised; not to our obedience as parents, but to our Father's great love for his covenant people.

We long and pray for the day when Evelyn's heart will be opened to the reality of her sin, the truth of the Cross, and when she will confess the reality that her

"Redeemer lives and at last He will stand upon the earth."

Evelyn's dress was lovingly made for us by a dear lady in our church Mrs. Lee Jones. She gave it to us as a gift at Evelyn's birthday celebration before we even had her home! It is an absolutely beautiful and priceless heirloom that Evelyn will be able to pass down to her children one day.

Thank you Mrs. Jones!