HOLLY POND, Ala. — Holly Pond’s Ava Claire will be a senior in August, and on May 25, Ava gave her life to Jesus Christ alongside three of her best friends. Making the decision alongside them meant the world to her, and so many of their loved ones and the younger kids watched the whole thing.
“Getting baptized on May 25th was the best feeling and has opened my eyes to what I was made for. Being baptized alongside my best friends and Sawyer Olinger was such a blessing. Seeing them surrender their lives to Christ was so incredible, and I am so glad that I had them right beside me, making the best decision of our lives,” Claire said. “It was incredible. I’m so thankful to be loved by so many people. I hope that the little kids saw the incredible change in my life and just how good God is. I hope it encourages them to make that decision for themselves.”
Ava feels blessed to have God in her life, and she shared her favorite Bible verse.
“God means so much to me. He is so good. He has changed my life, and I feel comfort knowing He is walking beside me every day, and that He has a plan for my life,” Claire said. “My favorite Bible verse is Proverbs 16:3: ‘Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans’. This verse means a lot to me, because before I was truly saved, I didn’t fully commit to Him. I would surrender certain aspects of my life but not my whole life. Now that I am saved, I have submitted my whole life to Him, trusting in Him, knowing that He is always by my side, and that His plan is always better. Being fully committed to the Lord, I know that He has a plan for my life. It’s in His hands, and it’s all in His timing.”
Ava wants to play a part in helping other people find God and being a role model for younger kids is at the top of her list.
“It’s so important, because we are called to make disciples. In the Bible, it says, ‘Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’. (Matthew 28:19) Being an example to others and allowing God’s light to shine through me, I believe, can change many people’s lives, and show them how good God really is,” Claire said. “Being that role model for the younger kids is very important, because I can show them how much God loves us and just how good He is.”
Ava helped so many people find God at a church camp that she was a part of and helping out at the camp helped her fully commit her life to God as well.
“While attending New Hope #2 church camp this past weekend, we went around the community handing out cards, telling people about God’s love and how He forgives us of our sins. I believe that we had a great response to the outreach, and I pray that we planted seeds in the people we spoke to. It changed my life, because it allowed me to see just how special telling the Word of God is. It also showed me just how important it is to spread God’s word, because so many people’s faces lit up when we spoke to them,” she said. “I just have felt God tug at my heart for the last couple of years, but attending church camp really just made me realize that I was really ready to fully commit my life to God.”
She gave some advice to the people that want a relationship with God but are either new to that experience or struggling. She has taken away so much from her journey so far.
“Being new myself, I would say surround yourself with people who are encouraging and that help lead you to Christ. I would also say prayer. Prayer has changed my walk in so many ways and is so powerful. Getting in the Word has also helped me in my walk. I have been trying to read it every day, and it just puts so much knowledge and wisdom in your mind and just allows you to understand how to have an intimate relationship with God,” she said. “I have learned that God forgives and that your past doesn’t define who you are. I have also learned that I need to trust in the Lord, because He is my strength, and He will be by my side, helping me to overcome anything I face.”
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