[Cvo1iRT0]

Three years ago, today, we were baptized into the Orthodox Church. What an awesome three years it's been! Sort of like a roller coaster ride at times. I've gone places where I never imagined possible.

I re-read last night, all the e-mails I wrote just a few days before and after my baptism. And I was filled again, with the joy and wonder of it all. There have been many times that I forgot that joy and yet... the times of coming back have been just as joyous and wonderful, as when we got baptized. Perhaps even more, in a deeper kind of way.

I think, one of my favorite lessons that I've been learning over and over is - what it means to belong to One Body. I've been prayed for, listened to, and cared for in ways I only dreamed of. I'm more fully known, and yet, I haven't been despised, I've been accepted and even loved, in spite of myself.

And one of the things that we all do for each other that I have found to be such a precious treasure - forgiving and being forgiven... what a healing balm that is! In the past three years, I've forgiven more than I ever did in all the years before, and I have asked for forgiveness, and been vocally forgiven, far more than ever before. How refreshing it is to not have to bury things under the rug and hope it goes away!

God has been so good to me, far more than I deserve. He has been so accommodating of my weaknesses, allowing me to test Him over and over, not getting mad at me every time I begin to doubt His love for me again. He proves it over and over, directly, and also through the new friends that I've made. Some of you, I can't believe I've known you less than 3 years! I feel like you're so much a part of me that maybe, I've known you all my life!

Thank you for allowing God to bless me through you.

In Christ,
Mary.

[mGUuZRyA]

What a nice post, dear Mary!

May your three years become MANY YEARS!!!

With love in Christ,
Alice

[georgshult]

Happy anniversary Mary. I joined Monachos about the time you joined the church so I know what you mean about making life long friends here.

Many years

Paul

[lodsemelf]

I am encouraged at your attitude and I wish you many years. Your post was a distinctly pleasant sound in my mind this morning. I've only been a convert 5 months and the emails around my baptism not so... encouraging... but it is good to know that we are brother and sister.

It is good to be a family, to be the body. To quote the old protestant hymn, "all else is sinking sand."