Two female West Point cadets chose to be baptized in an icy cold river because they couldn’t wait to proclaim their love for Christ.
Female Cadets Baptized In Icy Hudson River
Brooke Parker and Zhaoxin (Jenny) Ma are cadets at the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, New York. According to the North American Mission Board (NAMB), Baptist Campus Ministry (BCM) Director Joshua Austin baptized the two on Feb.12. Even with the frigid waters of the Hudson River, they still dipped into it.
Photo Courtesy | Twitter – NAMB
According to the report, Brooke and Jenny didn’t want “to wait until the weather warmed up for an outside ceremony.” They wanted to get baptized immediately in the basement of a chapel on campus, even with the icy cold waters.
Cannot Wait To Proclaim Faith In Jesus
“The basement almost felt like hiding my faith as few people would be able to attend. And celebrate with me the good things God has done,” Brooke explained. “And nobody would be able to just happen upon this event as they would if I were to be baptized outside. This would eliminate a big opportunity to share this experience and Christ with others who may not have previously considered attending.”
Photo Courtesy | Twitter – NAMB
Meanwhile, Jenny “couldn’t wait any longer to proclaim her love for Christ.” Hence, both the cadets decided to get baptized in the frigid waters. They publicly declared their faith in Him with 60 witnesses.
“I didn’t want to wait any longer to show others what God has done for me and what God can do,” she said. “Which is why I chose to get baptized in the icy waters. I couldn’t wait any longer to show others all His greatness. But also to proclaim to God that I am His. And I welcome Him into my heart, and I want to follow Him.”
Photo Courtesy | Twitter – NAMB
Life-Changing Experience
Before baptizing the two female cadets, Joshua shared Ephesians 2 in the Scripture. Then he said, “They have boldly taken advantage of every opportunity to tell others about what baptism means to them. And what Christ has done in their lives.”
Brooke and Jenny felt so much joy for their life-changing experience in following Christ.
“Because I followed His lead, God has further used my baptism to make His name greater,” Brooke remarked. “In the week following the event, I received many congratulations from complete strangers. My hope is that God sparked something in their hearts.”
“I am placing myself and building my relationship with God above all, and I have never been more happy and joyful,” Jenny said. “I have fallen in love with life again, and it is because of God.”
Reference: Faithwire