Hannah Usey's Baptismal Statement

Return to Sermons, Writing & Memoirs

February 14, 2010 I am being baptized today to show that I want to be Christian and to me, that means following Jesus.  It means trying to do everything Jesus said.  Doing what Jesus said means to me--doing the things He said to do, like helping others and showing God’s love.  Honestly, being a Christian feels right to me, because, for me, everything makes sense in becoming a Christian.  When I was little, I remember learning about some miracles and stories, like the one about Noah and the ark.  But I slowly grew older and matured and learned a lot more through Sunday School classes.  I started reading the bible more.  I remember being about 5 and in my room at night, going back over certain stories in my children’s bible, like the story of Samson and Delilah, which was one of my favorites. I also loved the story of the Garden of Eden and thinking about that garden with all its beauty.  I also have good memories of Sunday School; I liked all of my Sunday School teachers.  This may sound dumb, but I also like that they made it nice by serving us lemonade and cookies.  I have great memories of playing teacher during break time with some of my friends in class like Mariah and Blair.  We would also do fun crafts.  I have always been in church choir.  I’ve always loved singing, especially with Rydell, and many of the songs I’ve learned in church stay in my mind. Also, I learned more from listening to my dad’s sermons, when I could finally sit stiller.  I enjoy them, but sometimes I wish he would use less bigger words.  But, even when I can’t understand the words, I still get the main points, because I can figure out what he means.  They make sense to me.   Some people have asked me if I mind when he mentions me.  I actually like it, cause I get a dollar for each time, because my dad says my experience are copyrighted. This last summer I went to Passport camp, where I had a great time.  Everything about it was fun.  We had bible studies and acted out things by putting on skits.  I loved all of that.  In fact, I’ve always had good feelings about church and lots of happy, good memories.  When I think about it, I think of church exactly like my second home.  I feel so comfortable there; I enjoy the people there.  It’s a lot different than other people’s memories of churches.  For instance, I was reading this Laura Ingalls Wilder series of books about the 1800s in America and I was shocked to learn how strict the churches were and how you felt pressure not to even smile in them.  You were supposed to always act and look serious.  And I thought, “Wow!  I can laugh and smile at church and my dad makes jokes.  Back then, it was like you HAD to like church, even if you didn’t really.  I thought to myself, how terrible that was.  So I feel very glad my church and my life isn’t like that.  I feel comfortable here and enjoy everyone.  For instance, Miss Agnes has set next to me since I was little because my parents can’t sit with me.  It’s meant a lot to me that she’s been there for me for so long.  I think of her like a grandmother.  I remember going to her home and her giving me a Santa ornament out of her big collection.  I know she really cares.  Lots of other people—like Patsy and Frank Kendall— have shown me in special ways that they care; I would like to be like them when I grow up. About becoming a Christian: It’s not like I am suddenly now a Christian.  I have wanted to follow God since I was little.  I know God is real; I especially felt that ever since about a year ago when I had a friend problem and I prayed about it and God really helped me and made it better.  I pray to God about problems and God always helps me.  I try to be a Christian.  Earlier this year I was being bullied and so was a friend of mine.  I stood up for her and felt good about that.  I try to help other kids when I can.  Last week, this one guy in class without many friends didn’t have a partner, so I invited him into my group, and asked him if he needed help going through some of the stuff.  I definitely think being popular seems stupid to me.  So I feel like God helps me and I have tried since I was little to follow God. How do I think about God?  God’s loving—not scary to me at all.  I think of God as bigger than all the planets; I think of God looking down on us.  I find it easy to pray to God, but sometimes I forget to.  I mostly pray to God when I have problems, but I thank Him too. I think of faith as something you believe in, without knowing for sure.  You have to have hope.  I asked my mom once if, when she died, to send me a sign.  But she explained that’s not what faith is—needing a sign.  She said faith is believing without having proof.  The whole point of being a Christian is faith; I get that now.  There are things I still wonder about and understand only a little.   Like that place “down there.”  I asked my dad about it and now I get it now so much more.  He explained it this way: it’s a place where God isn’t.  He believes you’ll have a choice to be with God, but that some people will choose not to be with God.  But most everywhere has God, and everything has God in it, and I think everyone has God in them, so half of me can’t even imagine a place without God.  I can’t believe how much God forgives.  I mean, that’s amazing. God forgives even really horrible people like Hitler; I’m pretty sure God forgave him.  So maybe he’s in heaven. I think of heaven as a nice old-timey place—like things were supposed to be before everything got all technological and crazy like it is now--everything peaceful and beautiful.  Only not old timey as in big hoop skirts and sunbonnets and like those old-fashioned churches back then.  I couldn’t deal with that!  So it sounds like a wonderful place, comfortable and natural and beautiful.  Anyways, the main thing about my being baptized is this: I want to follow Jesus.  Like I said, that is the one thing that makes sense to me.

College Park Baptist Church 1601 Walker Avenue, Greensboro, NC 27403 cpbcgbo@bellsouth.net 336.273.1779