Confirmation Statement of CS

What Does Jesus Mean to Me?

Every night before I go to sleep I say my prayers and each time I pray I ask for the same thing: forgiveness of sins; to bless my family and to keep them healthy & safe. When I pray to Jesus, I am trusting him with my life, my faith and my hope.

Often when I am scared, like when I’m home alone or in the dark, I pray to Jesus for protection and courage. For those few seconds that I’m talking to him, I forget all things around me. I hear nothing, see nothing, smell nothing, but only feel the sensation of Jesus listening. When I am in a bad mood or really upset, I also pray to God to help me, to help me listen, and to help me find a solution. When I’m talking to him I feel as if he is listening, not judging, but caring about what I have to say. I don’t believe he takes sides, but as I speak to him, he helps me to see or notice what I can do to make things better. It is only when I am talking to him that I get my answers. I realize what I’ve done wrong and how selfish my words can be. God helps me realize that when I’m complaining about something I feel is important, that sometimes it’s something that most people in the world can never even have as a problem. People with less don’t have the same greed that I do or the need to feel like they fit in like I do.

I look to Jesus to find answers and to help guide me through life. I talk to him when there is no one else to listen and I feel that he helps me more than anyone else in the world. He is my life guide.

Why I Wish to Affirm My Faith in Baptism at This Time

I wish to affirm my faith in baptism at this time because I feel as though I am ready. Although some people my age do not think the Bible is the most appealing book to read, I find it highly interesting to be given a phrase from the Bible, and to have to interpret it. No matter the author of the verse, I feel as if I do a fine job in interpreting the author’s meaning. Although half the time I have no clue what is going on, with the help from my guide, pastor, & parents, I find it quite fascinating and sensational to understand a passage from the Bible and I will continue to learn and love in God’s world.

I feel as thought I have grown to understand so much more of God’s word and I believe it is time to make a greater commitment and take one step closer to becoming a Lutheran.

How I Intend to Use My Gifts, Talents, and Abilities for the Ministries of the Church

I believe everyone has many talents and throughout the years, God has helped show me some of the gifts and talents in my possession. Although I will not continue to pursue all of my talents, I will certainly use some of them to help the church’s mission. My gift of love, I will continue to share with the young children in the church. With my gift of song and my love for singing, I will try to bless the ears around me. Through my gift of faith and hope, I will continue to try and create a safe and warm sanctuary for my family and friends. Through my talent of (minor) cooking, I would love to continue to make food and to help serve meals in the fellowship hall and to make sandwiches for the needy. With my gift of gratitude, I will continue to help in programs like the Angel Tree project. I recently helped wrap and deliver Angel Tree presents. This brought great amounts of joy to my heart, and also sorrow for the living conditions of some of the people. Even though they didn’t have much, they showed love and gratefulness to everyone around them. I intend to use this gift of bringing joy to people not only at Christmas, but at other times in the church, in my home, in my school, and in the world I have yet to face. Most of all, however, I intend to use my gift of spirituality for everyone to see and to spread the word of God around the world.

How I’ve Grown in Faith & Understanding of God’s Grace These Past Few Years

I have grown significantly in God’s grace by learning the art of forgiveness. I used to be really short tempered, but now I’ve learned to use the forgiving way of God to deal with problems in my life. In the past, whenever my friends would do something to make me mad, I’d want to make them feel bad thinking it would make me feel better. I’ve learned that is not the way to handle the problem. Now I look at the perspective of the person I’m mad at and try and see things from their point of view, and sometimes realize that I’m the one causing most of the problem. I’ve also learned that every human is imperfect and that I can’t blame them for something they can’t help or have trouble containing.

I’ve grown in my faith in a major way. Throughout these past couple of years, I’ve learned to trust God with my life, my health, and my safety. I’ve trusted God when I’m scared, to keep me safe in the darkness of life. I’ve learned to trust God about death, although I am still afraid to die. I will strive not to be afraid, but to trust God and accept what follows.

My mother’s definition of Grace is “God never gives up on you. He loves you, he forgives you, and he will always be there for you.” This definition has much to say and I will work to learn more about God’s grace as I grow older.