Yesterday, I completed what I’ll call “stage one” of the journey that I’ve been journaling here: I was baptized in water at Generations church in Ahwatukee.

After my prayers last night, as I climbed into bed and began to drift off to sleep, I started to think about what I might write here in this space this morning.

I could write about what it felt like. I could write about what it meant to me. I could tell you about the experience itself. I could even share a video (which I have). But what I really feel right now is that the time is right to step back for a minute, and stop to breathe and reflect.

I spent a few minutes gathering everything together, and I found that in this writing space, there are not quite 62,000 words (not counting this post). This means that in the past four months, I’ve written approximately half of a decent-length novel. In many ways, I’m a different person than I was 60,000 words ago. I’m certainly in a better place, both in my life, in my faith, and in my emotional state of being.

I’ve developed new habits (good ones), and rid myself of a few old ones (which were bad).

I’ve made new friends, adopted new mentors, and grown into a new family.

I’ve healed some. I’ve relaxed a lot. I’ve grown a great deal.

Today I just want to remind myself to breathe a bit, and enjoy the joy and peace of the moment.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
  come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.
  It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
  we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. (Psalms 100:1-3)