spare ribs, fresh corn on the cob, baked potatoes and platters of fresh fruit. Bright flower leis, plastic coconut drinking cups with umbrella straws and party favors covered the tables.
They’d decorated the gorgeous cake with real
orchids in various vivid colors. Soon the guests began arriving in brightly colored beach attire and carrying colorful packages.
Marta met Emily at the cottage with her first birthday present of the day.
“Hey there, what are you doing here?” Emily asked as she brought in bags of groceries for her Aunt and set them on the kitchen table.
“I have a surprise for you, Miss Emily Bell,” Marta stated as she held the carefully wrapped gift box out to her friend.
“Oh, Marta, you shouldn’t have. My birthday is not until next week anyway.”
“Well, I think you should open this first and then join me at the pool. I’m just dying to go for a swim, aren’t you?”
Emily gave her friend a curious look and then shrugged. She loved being with Marta and besides, it was hot today. How could she say no? She nodded in agreement. “Let me finish putting these things away.” She indicated the grocery bags with a shrug.
“You have ten minutes, Em. Otherwise, I’m coming after you all wet and sloppy, got it?” “OK, OK, I’m coming; don’t get your bathing suit in a wad.” Emily took the box in her room and opened it. Just as she suspected, it was a beautiful bathing suit that fit her perfectly, and in no time, she had her bright red curls up in a messy ponytail. She headed for the pool with a beach towel in one hand and sunscreen in the other, armed against sunburn and a freckle attack.
Cries of Surprise and Happy Birthday echoed across the yard as Emily came through the gate to the pool area. All her friends from school gathered around with Marta, her mother, Aunt Gemma, Liam, and Mr. Perry. The whole area glowed with candles, fragrant Hawaiian flowers and bright tiki torches. It was a beautiful sight and tears brimmed in Emily’s big green eyes.
The party was a huge success and Marta stayed overnight in the cottage with Emma. Exhausted, both girls went right to sleep.
***
The following weekend Emily went to church with her aunt. Since she’d turned fourteen, it was time to receive a water baptism and all the arrangements were made. Emily gave her life to Jesus in this same church the summer she had turned eight.
She remembered the sinner’s prayer as she recited it on her knees in front of the congregation. Feeling the need to rededicate her life to Christ, she recited the prayer again as she donned the white robe she would wear into the baptismal pool
“Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner.
I believe in my heart you are the Son of God, who died on the cross for my sins and that you resurrected from the dead.
Thank you for paying the price for my sins. Forgive me and make me a new person. Cleanse me of my sins with your blood, wash me in the water of your Word, and come into my heart. I commit my life to you today, and I receive you as my Lord, as my Savior, and as my High Priest. I pray this prayer to God, the Father
Almighty, in the name of Christ Jesus.
Amen.”
Emily finished her prayer and stepped into the pool with the preacher, Reverend Chorley. He was a kindly man in his early forties. Emily had known him and his wife since the day they came to the church the summer she gave her life to Jesus. Reverend Chorley placed his hand over Emily’s mouth and nose as he lowered her into the water. He prayed. “I now baptize thee, Emily Amanda Bell, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
Surrounded as she was by a blinding white light, time stopped for Emily as the Reverend pulled her up from the water.
Emily heard someone speaking in a language she could not understand. As she
They’d decorated the gorgeous cake with real
orchids in various vivid colors. Soon the guests began arriving in brightly colored beach attire and carrying colorful packages.
Marta met Emily at the cottage with her first birthday present of the day.
“Hey there, what are you doing here?” Emily asked as she brought in bags of groceries for her Aunt and set them on the kitchen table.
“I have a surprise for you, Miss Emily Bell,” Marta stated as she held the carefully wrapped gift box out to her friend.
“Oh, Marta, you shouldn’t have. My birthday is not until next week anyway.”
“Well, I think you should open this first and then join me at the pool. I’m just dying to go for a swim, aren’t you?”
Emily gave her friend a curious look and then shrugged. She loved being with Marta and besides, it was hot today. How could she say no? She nodded in agreement. “Let me finish putting these things away.” She indicated the grocery bags with a shrug.
“You have ten minutes, Em. Otherwise, I’m coming after you all wet and sloppy, got it?” “OK, OK, I’m coming; don’t get your bathing suit in a wad.” Emily took the box in her room and opened it. Just as she suspected, it was a beautiful bathing suit that fit her perfectly, and in no time, she had her bright red curls up in a messy ponytail. She headed for the pool with a beach towel in one hand and sunscreen in the other, armed against sunburn and a freckle attack.
Cries of Surprise and Happy Birthday echoed across the yard as Emily came through the gate to the pool area. All her friends from school gathered around with Marta, her mother, Aunt Gemma, Liam, and Mr. Perry. The whole area glowed with candles, fragrant Hawaiian flowers and bright tiki torches. It was a beautiful sight and tears brimmed in Emily’s big green eyes.
The party was a huge success and Marta stayed overnight in the cottage with Emma. Exhausted, both girls went right to sleep.
***
The following weekend Emily went to church with her aunt. Since she’d turned fourteen, it was time to receive a water baptism and all the arrangements were made. Emily gave her life to Jesus in this same church the summer she had turned eight.
She remembered the sinner’s prayer as she recited it on her knees in front of the congregation. Feeling the need to rededicate her life to Christ, she recited the prayer again as she donned the white robe she would wear into the baptismal pool
“Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner.
I believe in my heart you are the Son of God, who died on the cross for my sins and that you resurrected from the dead.
Thank you for paying the price for my sins. Forgive me and make me a new person. Cleanse me of my sins with your blood, wash me in the water of your Word, and come into my heart. I commit my life to you today, and I receive you as my Lord, as my Savior, and as my High Priest. I pray this prayer to God, the Father
Almighty, in the name of Christ Jesus.
Amen.”
Emily finished her prayer and stepped into the pool with the preacher, Reverend Chorley. He was a kindly man in his early forties. Emily had known him and his wife since the day they came to the church the summer she gave her life to Jesus. Reverend Chorley placed his hand over Emily’s mouth and nose as he lowered her into the water. He prayed. “I now baptize thee, Emily Amanda Bell, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
Surrounded as she was by a blinding white light, time stopped for Emily as the Reverend pulled her up from the water.
Emily heard someone speaking in a language she could not understand. As she
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