On Easter Sunday, April 1, 2018 in during the services at First Alliance Church, five people were baptized, publicly signifying their identity in Christ and commitment to follow Jesus as a disciple. They are:

Nikki Bladowski

In the summer of 2016, Sofia asked me to go to Bible School. Two college students came and spoke to us about Zacchaeus, who climbed up a tree just to see Jesus because he was too short. He did whatever he could just to see Jesus. Even though nobody liked Zacchaeus, Jesus still loved him. It says to me that what we look like, what we've said or even what we've done, Jesus still loves us! I want to learn more about Jesus like Zacchaeus. So one of the college girls and I went outside at the end of the week to pray, and I asked God for forgiveness.

Now, I accepted Samatha's invitation to go to Youth Group and eventually to Small Groups and then to Sunday School, too, to get closer to Jesus and learn more about Him and what He's done for us.

Isaac Champion

I was at the high school football stadium, and a man was preaching about Jesus. He asked people to come down to the field if they want to get saved. I felt very nervous, and my chest was pounding. My dad asked me if I want t go down, and I said yes. We walked down to the field, and a man prayed with us. I asked Jesus to save me from my sins. I want to be baptized because I want to show every body that I follow Jesus.

Debbie Forsman

I asked Jesus into my heart as a 5 year old and was raised in a Christian home and a small Alliance church. I have followed Christ my whole life and strive to serve Him. I had always seen baptism as a symbolic conversion for someone that was turning from an old sinful life to a new life in Christ. Since I had not been saved in that way, I didn't think baptism for me was necessary.

In the past few years, God has been pressing upon me the importance of the declaration of my faith.

God has blessed us with a new phase of life here in Toccoa and deepened not only my faith but my children's. I am happy to be baptized alongside them as we publicly declare our faith together.

Byrce Forsman

When I was about 5 or 6, I accepted Jesus into my heart. When I was 10, I remember my pastor talking about it, and I decided that I wanted to be baptized, but I never got to it. Currently, I want to be baptized in front of people to show that I am a follower of Christ Jesus.

Skylar Forsman

I grew up in the church like a lot of other kids, but I had never really felt God speak to me or work directly in my life. I've found that devotions have helped me deepen my faith and I can see how much of a difference praying daily makes. Being baptized will become a reminder to myself that He washed away my old ways and I'm now committed to living with Christ instead of living in the world.

God is at work all around us. Sometimes in life, we wonder if that is really true. But when we stop and hear the stories of how God has answered prayer, and remember how He has shown His faithfulness, we find the courage and strength to persevere in the faith. May these stories of how God answered prayer in 2017 encourage and inspire in the year to come. Do you have a story of answered prayer? Share your story here to encourage and inspire others.

Carl

Until the beginning of this year I was a very proud person and didn't even realize it. I was proud that I was healthy and in need of nothing. Then my annual check up revealed that I had stage four cancer. My liver enzymes revealed I had cancer in my body somewhere. Several tests later revealed it was in my colon. The oncologist said I needed chemo soon. However, I first needed to have a blockage from my bowel removed. After the operation, I was hospitalized for many days, and this was a very dark time for me because I was under the control of some powerful drugs. The only thing I remember about this time is the stupid dreams. At the follow-up session with the surgeon, he was surprised at the high dose of drugs so he prescribed something different and, praise God, I ended up not needing any drugs at all.

As I came out of the darkness, God was showing me the great darkness people are in when addicted to drugs. They are overpowered and need help. Praise God, He helped without further medications.

Chemo finally came, and it was just before the fourth session I received very good news. Of the markers they use to determine the severity of cancer, mine had gone down from nearly 400 to less than 50 -- PRAISE GOD.

Now let me preach a little. Before all this happened God gave me several passages of scripture to memorize. I thought they for me to use in my jail ministry, however, they have been a great blessing to me now as I recover. Let me share them with you.

Psalm 25: 1-7 -- ''. . . let me not be ashamed . . ."
Psalm 34: 1-7 -- " I will bless the LORD at all times . . ."
1 John 1:5-10 -- "If we confess . . . he will forgive . . ."
1 John 1: 15-17 --"Love not the world . . ."
2 Peter 1:4 -- ". . . partaker of the divine nature . . ."
Galatians 5:16-17 ". . . walk in the spirit . . ."
Psalm 103 this psalm gives the benefits of a relation with God.

If these scripture portions are helpful to you let me know by return email, and if there is a request I can pray for you, I will. May the Lord bless you and sustain you all your remaining days.

Marcia

in 2015 I was diagnosed with breast cancer that had metastasized to the liver, lungs, and several bones. I began chemo treatment after a mastectomy and continued treatment until the fall of 2017. Treatments were often changed because of no improvement. 2017 was a difficult year in that I had a bad reaction in the summer to one of the chemo drugs. After having only one treatment of a new drug I had a painful and debilitating reaction. During all of this time people were praying and I truly felt God walking alongside of me. At the end of October my scans showed significant decrease in the size of the tumors in my liver and lungs. Regaining strength has been slow, but I praise the Lord for His healing power and for the body of Christ. I do not know what tomorrow holds, but I thank the Lord that today holds healing for me. The Lord's presence and comfort are always there for us throughout the bad and good times.

Celebrating New Life