Baptism Sept. 11, 2022 Kate Stuart
Kate Stuart
My name is Kate Stuart, and I am 10 years old. I grew up in a Christian home. I had always said that I was a Christian but didn't really know what it was. God used my biggest struggle to help me learn what it meant to trust him with my life.
Last summer I went to my first overnight camp and was really excited. But once I got there, I was really getting scared. When my mom left, I got very anxious and didn't know what to do. I already started to miss her. That night I didn't end up getting a lot of sleep. I laid awake with my anxiety getting bigger and bigger, just thinking about how much I wanted to go home.
After camp I started getting really nervous all the time about being away from my family. Sometimes I would even be nervous to go to friends' houses! I just always wanted to be with my mom or dad. And when school started again, I had to start going on the bus again. But this year I even got really nervous about the bus driver forgetting me and leaving me all alone. Then I remembered some bible verses I learned at School that talked about anxiety. I told them to my mom, and ever since, each night when we pray, I say them to her. And now they are my favorite verses! These verses are found in Philippians 4:6-7, and they say, "Do not be anxious about anything but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
The verses really help me know not to be anxious. I understand that I just need to ask God for what I need, and he will help me. For example, one day I decided to ride a bike around my neighborhood. But I then got lost! I started getting really scared. But then I decided to calm down and pray. Then God showed me the way back home! I then understood more that no matter the circumstances, God will never leave me, so there is no reason to be scared.
God was really teaching me to trust him. Later this summer, me and my sister, Anna, were going to a day camp for a week while my parents were traveling. I was staying at my grandparents' house. Again, I was super scared but again, God ended up helping me A LOT. At the end of the week of camp, during the daily devotional, the lesson was different from all the others. The lesson explained that God could have chosen anyone, but he chose me to be his follower. I feel so thankful that Jesus chose me, and that he died on the cross to save me from my sin!
It changed the way I thought about myself. I also started thinking about how grateful I was that God was with me through my anxiety. And I already started feeling my anxiety fading. I realized that I am ready to publicly commit my life to God. And I started planning to be baptized!
The other thing was, on my summer vacation, I noticed that I started doing things I never thought I'd do, like jumping off a 15-foot rock, or going white water rafting, or going on a natural waterside, or biking around a big city with my family! I started noticing I wasn't so fearful anymore. I REALLY believed God was with me.
Another verse I've been working on lately is Deuteronomy 31:6, which says, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you." I now know God is with me and he will always take care of me! I am ready to publicly commit my life to him to follow him,