Baptized in South Africa

A Step of Obedience

For years, I’ve been fully committed to following Jesus. I’ve loved Him, served Him, and walked closely with Him — but one thing was still undone: baptism. In my heart, I always pictured the perfect baptism. I imagined a beach, my whole family present, worship music playing, and everything planned just right. But God had other plans — ones that didn’t depend on perfection, but on obedience.

On a recent trip to South Africa, God began to speak to me more clearly than ever. He kept impressing on my heart that faith without action is incomplete. I realized that I had been holding back, waiting for the “right moment,” when really, Jesus was inviting me to say yes now — to take a step of obedience, not just intention.

During the trip, I became close friends with a missionary named Ella. God used her in such a powerful way to challenge me on why I hadn’t been baptized yet. She reminded me that baptism isn’t about the perfect setting — it’s about publicly declaring your faith and surrendering to Jesus completely.

In the final hours of the trip, we found a Hillsong Church nearby. With a few new friends by my side and a heart full of surrender, I got baptized — just a few hours before my flight home. It wasn’t planned, it wasn’t fancy, but it was exactly what God wanted. That moment marked a turning point in my journey. I stepped into deeper obedience, and I left South Africa not just as someone who loves Jesus, but as someone fully marked by Him.

I’ll never forget that day. Not because everything was perfect, but because I finally stopped trying to create the perfect moment — and just obeyed. And that kind of obedience brings joy and peace like no other.