Coulter’s Baptism

Coulter being baptized in Hanalei Bay, Kauai, HI (Twice)

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But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Luke 18:16

Sometimes places are special because of their beauty. Sometimes they become special because of what God has done there. For our family, Hanalei Bay on Kauai is special for both reasons.

It is where Coulter's mother, Lanikai, and I were married, and where Coulter's brothers, Trevor and Dylan, and his Cousin Eli were baptized.

And in July of 2018, it is where Coulter publicly declared that he would follow Jesus.

The evening he was baptized was beautiful. The warm water and balmy air felt the same temperature, so you almost couldn’t tell where the air stopped and the water started. The way God painted the sky with a sunset and reflected it in the water was so beautiful that it seemed like He was showing off. And we shared the moment with Coulter’s brothers, and his godparents and their kids, who are all more family than friends. That evening was perfect. And we could not have been prouder.

But that was not the first time that Coulter was baptized in Hanalei. Years before, on July 4th of 2011, the day Trevor, Dylan, and Eli were baptized, Coulter announced he wanted to be baptized too. When we explained to him that he couldn't on that day, but that we hoped he would be someday, he took matters into his own hands.

He announced that “If no one will baptize me, then I will dunk myself.” Then he waded back in, flopped back into the water, and came up; baptized in the name of Coulter.

He, of course, did not fully understand what baptism meant. He simply wanted to be like his brothers and his cousin.

But years later, standing in the same water where they stood, on the beach where our family began, he made that decision for himself.

The boy who had imitated faith became a young man who embraced it.

As parents, there is no moment more beautiful than seeing your children choose to follow Christ. And likewise, there is no moment more beautiful to your Loving Heavenly Father than when we crawl into His arms with the faith of a child.

You Are Loved More than You Know.

#coulterslight

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My Precious Son

Faith and Family