Name: Oneil McQuick
Date: Summer 2004
Subject Asked: Tell me a time when you were most happy/excited. What
happened? (or vice versa, sad/scared). Explain.
How Done: In class writing, journal.
School: BCC, ENC 1101
Firstly, I’m happy and joyous all the time, regardless of facial appearances or your own perceptions. Demonstrated in my constant singing and praises while walking, commuting or even sitting still – if I can do that. Being excited I may not always be, as no one can be excited all the time. I guess one of the best times I’ve been excited occurred when I decided to follow Christ. I’d been a heathen all my life and a decision to follow Christ was a momentous step. It was as if it was destined to happen, a dreary week in 1997.
That week and a couple of weeks leading up to it I felt convicted in my soul by various gospel tracks given, persons witnessing personally and other “bombardments,” as if God was saying it’s time. Being convicted I went to church but still lived as a “sinner” and as my 17th birthday approached I was planning to become a bigger sinner. Fortunately, I didn’t get the chance to and on that week of 1997 I made a decision to follow Christ.
As previously said, I was visiting church and had it in my mind to get baptize in the far future. However, the Sunday of this week I planned to skip church to go to a beach party called, “Naked,” invited by a friend, who later became a recording artist. However, the Saturday before that Sunday I was commuting by bus and something strange happened. A boy and two girls looking no older than 12-13 began to preach Christ on the bus. The age of the preacher is not what convicted me, but he preached extremely stern and passionate. Moreover, the words were knife cutting to the heart, touching on going to hell’s fire if death should take me now. With that and continued convictions from God, I decided to skip “Naked” and go to church and get water baptized. I did get water baptized that Sunday, but more so, made up in my mind to follow Yahoshua Ha Mashiah (Jesus Christ). I was both excited and scared, but never regretted the day I made that decision. Though I’m not particular about heathens or saints bringing accusations of being a sinner to me, being fully aware of and being rooted in Justification, it does bring a sigh to know that after that excited day of immense decision and striving, I would be accused of continuing in the very things I abandoned.
AFTER THOUGHT
I didn’t write this in the in-class writing, but just citing the last line above, it is a little clearer to me how some people have difficulty changing when they are told that they are not saved after being churched, or baptized incorrectly. Just the decision alone, much more anything accompanying is life changing. Nonetheless, sincerity, passion, drive and desire must be seasoned with truth! I’m Oneil McQuick and that’s an after thought.