Acts 2:47...Live...:)

For the first time, I got to experience and live this verse  "..And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved" (Acts 2:74). Seeing all those people baptized in the name of Our Lord Jesus was one of the most beautiful moments of my life. Some of them were people who had jobs here at the Coptic Hospital and others were people that have encountered Christ through home visitations and service of the deacons here at St. Mark's church.
 A topic that has been on my heart lately, has been the gift of the Holy Spirit inside of us. This mass baptism has ignited these feelings inside of me more than ever. When every orthodox christian has been baptized and anointed with the Holy Oil (Myroon), they were given the gift of the Holy Spirit. A gift often neglected, quenched or not acknowledged altogether. As a result, we often live spiritually lacking and poor, although we are children of the King.

We are called to live as saints and nothing less.  His children, that are vessels of His own Holy Spirit, must live accordingly. "The mystery which has been hidden from ages and generations, but now has been revealed to His saints....which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col 1:26) Let us not "Grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption" May we live each day as if we have newly received God's Spirit inside of us.

This is Timothy. The first time he introduced himself to me he said "My name is Timothy, disciple of Paul" and gave me the biggest smile. Timothy is not a preacher here, nor is he a deacon, he is the Gardner/Maintenance guy but through the simplest means he showed me and the rest of us here that he is ready to receive the Holy Spirit and live as a vessel for Christ.  He was taught the faith and discipled under the deacons here and was baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. I know I was happy to see him baptized, but I cant describe in words how happy he was.