A Birthday Baptism by Buccaneer Bay

I was baptized last week.

It was more “unconventional” in the sense that the event did not occur within the traditional confines of a Sunday morning service of a standard church building.

I kinda like that.

But though occurring on a non-churchy Tuesday night at a non-churchy water park, my baptism most certainly occurred in the truly Churchy presence of a dozen and a half dear brothers and sisters in Christ.

My parents flew into town earlier in the day, so they were present.

Several people from my church’s life group attended. We always meet on Wednesday nights, so for that many people to take the time out of their normal Tuesday night schedule was pretty special.

Both my roommates were there. Been truly blessed to live with such amazing affirming guys these last two years.

A dear guy I worked with last summer in Milwaukee also showed up. So blessed that he lives in the area.

It was just moving beyond words for all these precious people from so many different “sectors” of my life to support me wholeheartedly with their presence: family, roommates, fellow “lifers,” etc.

I essentially lived all my teenage years and early 20s believing I wasn’t good enough for authentic friendship and genuine community. So to be surrounded by so many dear brothers and sisters in a single place, a single moment…

There are no words.

From here on out, whenever I’m tempted to believe I’m worthless or irrelevant, I can look back on my 25th birthday. My baptism.

Unconventional has been my road to baptism, so it was only fitting I be dunked in such an uncharacteristic manner, surrounded by pirate paraphernalia in a water park’s lazy river, of all places.

Thus surrounded by pirates and fellow siblings in Christ, I went under. Then arose.

And then the cheers. The 487 hugs. The breaking into “Oh Happy Day.” It was a chilling glimpse into eternity: where perfect peace and unrelenting love collide, crossing all nationalities, denominations, and ages, forever and ever.

Could I have written this story any better?

I’ve often sought the pen to my life, but after 25 years I’m grasping how I know nothing about what’s best for me. My 25th birthday was unspeakably beautiful and memorable, and these written words do the ethereal moment no justice whatsoever.

I’m reminded that God holds the pen to my story, not me. His plan for my life will be far greater than anything I could ever fathom or write for myself.

Despite my apparent unworthiness, often overwhelmed by fear and shame and worthlessness, I am somehow, indeed, worth the price of love. Was worth dying for 2000 years ago, am worth loving today.

I am, and you are too. Nobody is worthless; nobody is beyond love. That is an awesome, astounding truth. I pray my focus shifts drastically from simply receiving love to giving it out, unabashed and unreserved.

A quarter-century in the books; what a journey.

And the journey continues.

47 Comments

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1washstand 12 January 2022
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[…] Tom’s baptism blog: “A Birthday Baptism by Buccaneer Bay” […]

[…] year and a half ago, I was baptized. Baptized on my 25th birthday despite ascribing to the name of Christ for most of the last […]

[…] a child, an aroma, a victor — none of this would be happening. The move to California, the baptism, these crazy camps, this even more insane book, and who knows what else to […]

[…] One year ago, I turned 25. A quarter-century. The halfway mark between 20 and…30. One year ago today, I was baptized. […]

[…] Beyond financial security, I began uncovering deeper purpose and belonging in California. Relationships with old and new faces alike. A return to the church that reversed my story of the prior two decades. The life group who accepted me and even baptized me. […]

[…] I’m writing an eBook. And I’m self-publishing the dang thing SOON. I don’t want to set an exact date just yet, but April would be lovely. It’s kinda my month. […]

Patrick 19 January 2013
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Hey Tom it’s Patrick from camp I was a camper

[…] their friendship reminds me of how I like to write about ducks (having sex) in my pool one day and getting baptized in a separate pool the next (surrounded by pirate paraphernalia, no […]

Everett Wickham 13 January 2013
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Tom, was just taking a look at your website, and I came across this. Brought tears to my eyes! Baptism is a beautiful snapshot of our life in Christ… dead to our past and ALIVE in Christ. What love. God bless you!

[…] #5 – A Birthday Baptism by Buccaneer Bay […]

[…] Time to pop the seltzer water for my third most popular post of 2012! It goes back to April and serves as a bit of a prequel to my #5 post: “A Birthday Baptism by Buccaneer Bay.” […]

[…] middle of a five-day stretch featuring my top-5 posts of 2012. At #5 was a recap of my emotional birthday baptism. And now at #4 comes something…completely […]

[…] that I was baptized right next door. Words can never fully express the bliss of that day (although I tried). Returning here after a 2,500-mile journey has filled me with intense longing and heavy […]

[…] All summer long fellow staffers would ask me what I’d be doing after camp. My uncomplicated complicated answer? California…somehow. I’d already been living there for two years, and the last year especially saw my greatest ever stretch of growth. Physical growth (half-marathon!), relational growth (plugging into an awesome church and life group), and yes, spiritual growth (oh hey, birthday baptism). […]

Patrick 4 May 2012
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God Bless you Tom. And guide you in His best throughout your future days.

                                                                                Numbers  6:24-26
                                                                                 Uncle Pat

Karl 25 April 2012
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Tom, this is so inspiring! I’m really glad that you shared this! Baptism is incredibly beautiful. I am seeking to become baptized myself. I have been attending Grace Fellowship in Oconee County for the past few months. I’m excited about the changes God has been making in my life, and the way He has been molding me into the likeness of His Son. I’ve been thinking about baptism lately, and only recently I expressed to my friends that I was seeking to become baptized. Seeing your story here is very inspiring!! Thank you so much for sharing!

Rebecka 24 April 2012
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Thank you for sharing, this was beautiful!

Mlyaksh 24 April 2012
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Dude, awesome. God is truly able to do more than we can ever dream or imagine like Paul says in Ephesians 3:20!! So proud of you, man, and how you are pursuing God courageously this year! Love ya, my bro in Christ, and I’m so blessed and honored to see the amazing works God is doing in and through you!

Katie Terry 24 April 2012
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LOVE LOVE LOVE this post. Your speech brought tears to my eyes. I’m so glad you were surrounded by some great friends and loved ones. Everybody is so pretty and nice! Must be a CA thing. I would have loved to have been there. Proud of you and all that you have accomplished this past week/year/your whole life. You are an amazing human being, and I count myself lucky to know you. Love you.