you're invited!

Sunday, May 30th at the 10:30am service at First Family Church at Ankeny Christian Academy...we are dedicating our sweet girl to the Lord. :)
A number have people asked me what's the difference between baptism and dedication...I'm not the theological type, but it is important to know what I believe and why and "back it up" as some people put it....I'm learning daily...here's what I have so far on the baptism thing :)

In scripture, baptism was an outward act for people to proclaim their decision to put the faith in Christ. The act of baptism does not "save" a person, nor is it what makes them a Christian.
"Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved..." Mark 16:16. Faith comes first, then baptism as a symbol of cleansing yourself of your former life and beginning a new life with Christ.
Infants are not able to make the conscious decision of faith. Our church follows the example of Hannah in 1 Samuel when she dedicates her son to the Lord, "I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord" 1 samuel 1:27-28.

Adelyn is our daughter, but she belongs to God. He has entrusted us to love and parent her, but she isn't ours. We are outwardly dedicating her to Him as a symbol to everyone that we will raise her as His and teach her His ways. Utimately, the decision is hers to make, but we pray that God will give her a heart like His own and that she grow to be an amazing woman after God.