At the close of a recent major evangelism effort in the St. Louis area that involved book mailings, homes visitations, Bible studies and a Breath of Life seminar, 85 people were baptized. Below is an interview between St. Louis SDA Lay Ministries Committee chair Danise Taylor and new member Princess Jones, who was baptized along with two of her children.
Princess, what were your first feelings about the decision to join the church?
I was tired… tired of life and didn’t see a way out. I had a lot of responsibility, but when the church came along it felt like a big weight was lifted from me. The guilt was lifted and I got a sense of family. It’s hard to explain, but I felt relief.
What was the biggest difference that was required in your life?
I had to end a lot of my usual behavior. I wasn’t used to going to church on Sabbath and it took much discipline. I’m still working on it. However, the more I do it the easier it’s becoming. I now use Thursday and Friday as my preparation day. It’s a conscious decision to prioritize things. It’s a new feeling.
Describe your new walk with the Lord. What blessings and challenges have you experienced?
The blessings have been remarkable! I have so many things that I didn’t have before. I am excited about my new job. The bonus is that my employer is a church member. I work for Professional Affordable Cleaning Services owned by Ms. Pamela Simmons of the Northside Adventist Church. She has been more than a blessing.
It seems since I have accepted the Sabbath, the devil is sidetracking me through people and circumstances in my life. I recently experienced a heartbreaking situation surrounding custody of my children. However, I am confident the situation will be remedied soon. Even so, I am now able to see positives come out of the negative. Many people are praying for me and with me for the best outcome.
If you could do it all over again, would you?
Absolutely yes! In my life I have gone every way, but I know this is the right way. I wish I would have done it a long time ago.
Read more about the evangelism effort that led to Princess’ baptism.
