I Believe In Christ.

I am often amazed at how quickly the Holy Spirit enters a gathering when lots of tiny children are present.  We attended the baptism of our friend Emily today, and as best I could count there were 35 children looking on.  As soon as we started singing the opening hymn, I felt the spirit touching my heart--telling me that the words we were singing  about baptism were true.  

In that moment, I was reminded of another time when the spirit testified to me of the truth of the words I was singing.  I was about twelve years old, and I was attending Girl's Camp (a church summer camp for girls ages 12-18).  At the end of our opening meeting, all of the young women at camp sang a hymn called "I Believe In Christ".

As I raised my voice in harmony with the other girls, I wondered to myself, "Do I really believe in Christ?"  

I let that question dangle out there for a minute or two.  Although I was in a room full of my peers, I felt completely alone with my thoughts, and therefore, I felt that I could be totally honest with myself.  If my answer was ,"no, not really," I could accept that and then decide where I would go from there.  But that was not the answer that came.

As I continued to sing the words of the song, the Spirit came suddenly, almost forcefully yet peacefully, testifying in the stillness of my heart that what I had long hoped was true about Jesus Christ was in fact true.  I realized then that I really did believe in Jesus Christ.  

I was moved to tears by this realization, which surprised me, because I had just been laughing and joking around moments earlier.  That feeling of confirmation was so strong,  that I have never forgotten it.  It was an experience that planted within me the desire to know my Savior, Jesus Christ personally.