 2 Peter 3: 9 “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
Watch Liz's Baptism! Let me first start off by saying that GOD IS AMAZING!!!! My story began wayyyy back in the Fall semester of 2006. I was in the bottom level of the Clark Atlanta University Student Center waiting for my best friend Karla to meet me for lunch in the café. A young man that I’d seen several times before around campus approached me as I waited by the steps. He began to ask me how I was doing and we developed a small conversation. Soon he began talking about some event called “Bible Talk” that he and his church held upstairs in the Student Center lobby at 7pm. 
Ibrahim invited Liz to Bible Talk
He invited me to come check it out and to also bring some friends. As soon as he walked off, I called my best friend and of course told her because he was actually the boy that she had a crush on for quite some time. Seizing the opportunity, she was excited to go and I went along. I remember arriving and having a seat only to be warmly embraced by several ladies I’d never seen in my life. After the Bible Talk ended (in which at the time I thought it was ok) me and my friend tried to go talk to the young man who invited us out but we got cut off by some sisters. They began to ask us what we thought of Bible Talk and asked if we were interested in studying the Bible. Seeing as how I already considered myself a saved Christian and I was baptized as a child (I had my baptism certificate and everything!) I figured there was nothing they could tell me that I didn’t know. Nonetheless, I agreed to meet up and study the Bible but my heart wasn’t in it. One of the young ladies that offered to come study the Bible with me in my room was named Toni. I remember her and another girl named Candice coming to my room and talking about the Bible with me. I wasn’t trying to hear it, so I showed no real interest and really just wanted them to hurry up and leave so I could go hang out with my boyfriend. I soon began standing up the sisters and not returning their calls. However, every Tuesday at Bible Talk they were still loving towards me and showed no anger whatsoever. As for my best friend Karla, she continued to study the Bible and soon got baptized. Best Friends Karla & Liz Ebrace Before Her Baptism Fast forward to Fall of 2007, I was enrolled in an Earth Science class, sat in the front of the class and was an active participant. This trend, however soon began to bother some students. You know how every class has the “teacher’s pet and the “trouble maker?” Well, I guess some would call me the pet but there was one girl who always sat in the back and made jokes and complained to the professor and tried to get him off track of the lesson for the day. This caused an issue between me and the young lady, whose name is Nella. I couldn’t stand her, and one day I remember walking to Karla’s room to hang out and behold, as soon as I walked in, NELLA was sitting on her bed hanging out too! I also started seeing her at the weekly Bible Talks I attended. “This girl is everywhere,” I remember thinking. Once the semester was over, and I started seeing Nella outside of class, we actually started to laugh and joke with one another. She seemed like such a different person and I couldn’t tell why. Little did I know, she had begun to study the Bible and got baptized Super Bowl Sunday 2008.  Former Classroom Rivals Nella & Liz Become Sisters in Christ Moving on to Spring of 2008, and after New Year’s passed, I remember sitting back and reflecting on my life. I had no “New Year’s Resolution” and I felt like my life was so empty and hopeless. In order to try and fill that void, I tried to turn to alcohol and smoking but even that wasn’t enough to make myself feel better. I began working in an extremely ungodly place because I thought the money would make me feel better, but it still wasn’t enough. I felt like there had to be something else out there. Whenever I spoke occasionally with sisters from Bible Talk they always seemed so full of life and love and I just remember seeing how much God was blessing them in various parts of their lives. I’d been battling back and forth with God over my heart but I saw that my understanding and standards in life were getting me nowhere, they were just dragging me further down the path I thought I’d never go.  Nella, Johniece and Karla Baptize Liz Finally, I chose to surrender to God and hand over the steering wheel of my life. I remember calling one of the sisters named Johniece and telling her I was ready to study the Bible seriously this time and I was going to put forth the effort. She agreed and we started over in my studies the next day. We did numerous character studies and over about a month’s time span, my life did a 180-degree turn. I quit my job (with no money saved up and plenty of bills) and stepped out on the faith that God will provide for me. I was filled with a new energy and love that I’d never felt before. On the beautiful Monday of April 7th 2008, I was BAPTIZIED AND FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRT!! I have never had such a tight knit relationship with God, and I had never felt such a strong love from anyone! That moment when my best friend Karla and my classroom rival Nella dunked me into the water and I came up fresh and anew, I knew that I had just clocked in to the job of a DISCIPLE. It is time to go to work and get to fishing!!!! AMEN BROTHERS AND SISTERS!!!!!!!!!!! JESUS IS LORD!!!!!!!! Elizabeth Joiner Clark Atlanta University GACC Campus Ministry |
