Ryder has always been a “details” kid.  He lives for non-fiction books and TV shows, and knows more about the human body than anyone his age should.  He has to know exactly what you’re talking about, why you’re talking about it, and what it means for him.  So when he decided he wanted to acknowledge that Jesus saved him from his sins and invite God to be the Lord of his life at the tender age of three(ish), I didn’t question whether or not he understood what he was doing.  But it wasn’t until a couple of months ago, when he watched another little boy get baptized at church that he began asking questions about baptism.  Once his curiosity was satisfied, he made up his mind that he wanted to do it too.

Ryan, Ryder and I went through our church’s inaugural Kids’ Baptism Class together and determined he was indeed ready for this next step in his faith journey.

Walking through this process with Ryder has been such a fun experience.  But what made it extra special was that four of his best buddies, who also happen to live right next door, got baptized at the same time!  We arrived early and hung out in the staging area where the boys were instructed on which order to line up in……how to enter the tank (Pastor Chad Pippin)……and what to expect once they got in (Pastor Rick Thompson).After a visit from one of Ryder’s favorite grown-ups (Pastor Joel Boone),and a few selfies with his friendsthey had a quick moment of prayerand a little pep talk from Daddy.Since it was Father’s Day weekend, there was an all-men’s choir and worship team at the beginning of the service… a fun treat!Then they appeared in the tank, and my heart swelled with pride.  With all he has been through this year, Ryder has shown such courage, maturity, and faith and he could hardly wait to show his church family just how much he loves his Savior.Jacob, Logan, Tristan, and Luke went first, and then it was Ryder’s turn.  They played his testimony video, which we filmed a couple weeks prior…

…and then he was symbolically buried with Christ, and arose to new life in this outward expression of his belief and trust in Jesus, and his desire to follow Him forever.Admittedly, I was a little nervous about the logistics for Ryder.  He swims like a fish, but I was afraid being dunked forward would throw him off balance, causing his legs to float out from under him.  But he and Pastor Rick Thompson figured it all out and in the end, everything worked out perfectly.So many warm fuzzies wrapped up in this photo of five freezing boys!  We are filled with gratitude for all those who have been, and who continue to be, a part of this journey with us.  We are blessed beyond measure.

If you’d like to see the entire thing, click HERE.  (It’s the “Saturday 6pm” video at the bottom.)