Memoir | Baptism | Part III of VI

Content Warning: This memoir contains sensitive material related to an assault I experienced.

Reader discretion is advised.

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Immediately after the praise and worship service, two church pastors, Reverend Charles Matthews and his wife, and their daughter Keena Matthews escorted me to the basement to prepare me for the baptism pool.

Keena kindly passed me the clothes to change into before I entered the baptism pool. I changed from my fake CHANEL dress and undergarments into a thick, white gown and a swim cap to cover my hair.

As I prepared myself to step into the baptism pool, a surge of anticipation coursed through my spirit. At that moment, I thought of the Christian Holy Bible character John the Baptist, who baptized Jesus in the Jordan River.

…..

Both I and Reverend Charles Matthews and I entered the chilly baptism pool together.

Reverend Matthews asked,

“Mia, do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God?”

I responded, “Yes!”

“And do you trust Jesus as your Lord and Savior and commit to obey Jesus as your Lord?”

I said, “Yes!”

…..

Excitement bubbled inside me as I eagerly awaited the upcoming shift in my life!

…..

Reverend Matthews continued,

“I now baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”

I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and was then submerged completely in the cold water by Reverend Matthews before bringing me back up.

While submerged, I felt as if I died!

And suddenly, as I emerged from the baptism pool, a strange and powerful urge welled up within me, compelling me to exclaim,

“Hallelujah! Thank you, Jesus!”

I thought that it was strange of me to utter those four words that I never said in my entire life before the baptism.

I pondered,

“Was that the new Holy Spirit in me making me praise God and thanking Jesus?”

…..

Later, I learned that my old rebellious spirit perished, which had no desire to seek God and His son Jesus, it died in the baptism pool.

While the gift of the Holy Spirit came to be my new spirit, this divine spirit has ignited within me the will to want to seek God, study the Bible, and attend praise and worship services at Church on Sunday.”

…..

Three peculiar events happened right after my baptism:

1. Following my baptism, I went to my mother’s home to share the news of my spiritual transformation. She had moved out of the housing projects and purchased a small house. When she opened the door and saw me, she remarked, “Where have you been? You look radiant!” I smiled and told her, “I was just baptized in the name of Jesus.” Filled with joy, she exclaimed, “Praise God! Praise God!” I couldn’t help but giggle at her enthusiastic response.

2. Upon arriving home, I poured the wine down the kitchen sink’s drain, put the cigarettes in the trash, and threw away the cannabis. I thought that it was unusual not to want to keep my “stuff.”

3. That night, I had an unusual dream. In the dream, I was at a party in an apartment, and it was so dark that I could only see the silhouettes of people’s faces. I decided to leave the party because I felt unwelcome. When I opened the door to leave, directly across the hall was another door with a bright light shining from beneath it. I walked over and opened the door to find a Christian Sunday School class (the teaching of one’s religion), in session. I knew immediately that the dream confirmed that I had transitioned from darkness into the marvelous light of Christ Jesus! Later, my mother told me that God had sent me that dream as a confirmation that I had become a new creature in Christ Jesus; and that I had stepped into the light to walk with Jesus and away from the world’s darkness (the night clubs, house parties, smoking cannabis and cigarettes, wine, and deceitful men).

…..

On Saturday evenings, I would remain at home, engrossed in my favorite cozy murder mysteries and romance novels, while also writing stories in my journals. I attended the church’s worship and praise services on Sundays. I earned my associate degree through online courses offered by the Indian University East Online Program.

Later, I was reassigned to work as a “global traveler” for the U.S. Department of Prominence. The story of how I transformed into a globetrotter will be shared in the upcoming volume of my memoir series, “Autocrat,’ titled “The Tyrant Boss.” Meanwhile, the thrilling tales from my adventurous journeys will be featured in part 5 of my memoir series, “Business Travel Journals.”

After working for 31 years, I decided to retire at the age of 55, as is an option by the federal government. Thanks to the U.S. Department of Prominence, I now receive a full annuity, pension, health care, and life insurance. These benefits provided me with a comfortable retirement life.

…..

The baptism gave me tranquility that washed over my mind. I was no longer plagued by haunting nightmares of my assault. Moving forward, I embraced life without hesitation.

“Then Jesus said, Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” 

 Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Matthew 11:28

…..

After my baptism, I sensed a significant change within me, believing the Holy Spirit guided my transformation. The following morning, a Monday, I went back to work feeling rejuvenated. Yet, lurking in the shadows was Satan, using my "tyrant boss" as a vessel to deliver a painful remark directly to me.

This time, I felt no fear towards my boss!

I truly believe it was the Holy Spirit within me that empowered me to stand up and respond to her!

I reacted in a manner that surprised me, and it landed me in quite a bit of trouble!

…..

(Copyright © 2025 by Mia Z. Edwards. All rights reserved.)