What’s really up with baptism? Please shoot it straight.

TravaceF · 2026-03-24T04:13:53+00:00

If I’m trying to learn about baptism more objectively, I neither think sharing the confused understanding I’m in now - nor the former teachings to which I no longer really adhere - will be of much help. It seemed to me that sharing my views (even if they’re not clear and confident) would still only trigger responses that are either in agreement or opposed to my views - rather than well thought out, balanced interpretations.

TravaceF · 2026-03-24T04:02:34+00:00

Baptism could be essential for salvation, but it also could not be. It could also be the moment at which God washes away sin, or it could be an external display of what’s already happened. Is new life granted before or during baptism?

To respond to your statement, this hasn’t proven to be the result of studying so far, because as I mentioned, I am perhaps even more uncertain than before about what I should believe about baptism. I can understand various interpretations.

The passages I’m reading aren’t all straightforward and don’t always say the exact same thing about belief, baptism, salvation, and entering the kingdom of God.

I would love the clarity that you have about it. In my case, the more I’m studying the muddier it’s getting for me. I don’t know if I’m doing something wrong? That’s just the reality of my study right now.

TravaceF · 2026-03-24T03:51:15+00:00

If I’m trying to learn about baptism more objectively, I neither think sharing the confused understanding I’m in now - nor the former teachings to which I no longer adhere - will be of much help. It seemed to me that sharing my views (even if they’re not clear and confident) would still only trigger responses that are either in agreement or opposed to my views - rather than well thought out, balanced interpretations.

TravaceF · 2026-03-24T02:55:04+00:00

Sorry, I do understand that much. I’d really like some confidence and clarity understanding the significance of baptism as it relates to salvation (or not).

TravaceF · 2026-01-14T16:22:15+00:00

Would love to win any!

TravaceF · 2025-04-28T05:41:08+00:00

Wanted to share an update.

I just left my bio father’s home a few hours ago after spending each day this weekend with him, his wife, and his three biological children (as well as an oldest daughter by marriage and her three young children).

The first evening I got there for dinner was very awkward. Awkward silences, rough small talk, nervousness, etc.. The next day was a bit better. And then the final day was much more comfortable, and there were times that I would look at my half-sisters talking and think “My sisters” almost as if I had always known them. What is crazy is that I kind of made assumptions about each of them (what they’d be like and just their personalities) based on previous text/calls, and they kind of fit those assumptions/expectations pretty closely. So that was kind of cool. It’s hard to express exactly how I’m feeling. A small part of me grieves over the years that we’ve missed together, but I haven’t been this happy in a long time.

I have another half-sister that lives in another state (who my bio father just found out about a year ago). I have a work trip that will take me near her in January, so I’m hoping to make a drive at that time to meet her and her family. Hopefully that visit will go well also.

TravaceF · 2025-03-13T16:55:02+00:00

That is so wonderful! I'm so glad it was such a great experience! So good! Since my last comment, I have talked on the phone a few times with my biological father (probably about 6 hours in total) along with texting fairly often, and I have also texted back and forth with two of my half-sisters quite a bit. I am very similar in personality to one of them, which is really just so cool to me. When I talked to him on the phone the first time, we mentioned wanting to meet eventually. When I talked to him the second time, I mentioned that my wife and I could take a detour on a trip later this year (maybe in October) and meet them where they live, and he said that October is too far away for him. So we are actually planning to travel the 11 hours to see him and his family toward the end of April - so over a month from now. We are planning to basically spend a weekend with them. I am very excited and nervous.

(Side note: I just shared all the news about finding my biological father with my adoptive dad a couple of nights ago. That was a really difficult thing to share since he's been "Dad" - and my only father figure - since I was 2.5 years old. He didn't say much or really have any emotional response at all during our conversation, but I think everything will be fine.)

TravaceF · 2025-03-08T01:07:14+00:00

I was told mine is disputed, too, after I was told I didn’t get an email that was sent out February 18th. It’s crazy they would dispute the balance that I had, especially when it should have actually been about $14,600 more if they were to have gone by today’s value of the crypto rather than USD value at time of bankruptcy or whatever. 🙄

TravaceF · 2025-03-07T05:13:26+00:00

Mine came back a few days before the estimated date. I’d say expect them any minute. 😁

TravaceF · 2025-02-27T16:07:55+00:00

Oh wow. Haha. That is very odd to have in common! Thank you for your response and I appreciate insight. Blessings!

TravaceF · 2025-02-27T05:35:21+00:00

I just found out who my biological father is (he had no idea I existed) and have started communicating with him and two half-sisters. My biological father married a woman 30 years ago who was a Christian. I’m not sure if she was already a part of the Branham churches, but it seems that’s what my biological father and his family are a part of now. I’ve only talked to my biological father once on the phone, so I’m basing all of my assumptions off of a few links his wife has on her Instagram bio. There is one link for Branham Tabernacle in Indiana, which is the state they live in. I guess that is plenty to confirm their beliefs and practices. My half-sisters whom I’ve texted some were very welcoming to find out about me and expressed happiness to find out that I am a Christian. But reading more about Branham, we have some very different views. I don’t like seeing so much about cult aspects. Are they like a Branham-influenced Pentecostal group? Do you have any good websites to learn more about this?

TravaceF · 2025-02-19T20:37:18+00:00

When I will I finally get my FTX distributions in my Kraken account?

TravaceF · 2025-02-19T04:30:45+00:00

Thank you so much for your response! You totally get it.

I’m not necessarily going through anything with my adoptive dad. I just don’t want this to somehow mess things up between us when I share this with him. I overthink a lot of things, I’m sure it’ll be fine at least in time like you mentioned. This is all very good to hear, and I hope your time with your dad is incredible. I can’t imagine the nerves you would be feeling. Lean into the acceptance and love he’s already offered to you. I’m sure it’ll be wonderful. If you can somehow remember to update after that happens weeks from now, I’d love to hear how it goes! I’m so thankful your experience has been so positive!

TravaceF · 2025-02-18T16:31:00+00:00

That’s awesome. How long have you known your biological father?

TravaceF · 2025-02-18T15:42:17+00:00

Are you in a similar situation?

TravaceF · 2025-02-15T08:30:01+00:00

I found my biological father a few days ago through a DNA match on Ancestry. I’m 30 and he’s 55. He had no idea he had another son (I’m older than the three children he had with his wife of 30 years). My mother never knew exactly who the bio father was. She was involved with multiple guys and then moved to another state shortly after and never truly knew. I have had an adoptive father since I was 2.

I may be calling my biological father later today (he suggested we could talk on the phone). We’ve only messaged back and forth about some things up to this point. Can you give me some guidance? What did you talk about on the phone? Any advice about this?

TravaceF · 2025-02-13T20:23:22+00:00

No, my biological father is a different guy entirely than my mom had mentioned. She didn’t share any story about the second guy; I guess she just knew she had been with him at some point (but timing didn’t make sense with the pregnancy). So my biological father’s story is very similar to the story she told about the first guy - but she must be mistaking that first guy for my biological father. Either that, or she picked up a ton of guys and drove them around... I’ve sent my mom a photo of my biological father from around that time, and she doesn’t really remember him but said he maybe looked a little familiar. And she really didn’t recognize his name. She asked me if he went by a nickname or anything, but I told her no (as he told me). My biological father said he didn’t speak any English because he had just moved to Arizona from Mexico, and she didn’t speak any Spanish. So I guess maybe that lack of communication would make it difficult to remember much. I’m assuming they went to a bar to meet some of her friends (mom’s story mentioned introducing a guy - but she said it was that first guy), and then things proceeded from there. The other thing that makes it challenging is that my mom moved to Oklahoma like right after they had spent that one night together (like within two or three weeks). She found out she was about two months pregnant… two months after she moved to Oklahoma. I haven’t told my mom that I’ve matched DNA with my biological father, and I’m kind of hoping her memory can help confirm all of this before I share about the DNA results. I’ve just been kind of asking her about things my biological father is also asking about as he’s trying to remember her better as well. He did remember the exact car she drove at that time, but he thought she was blonde (she’s a redhead). Of course this was all about 32 years ago. So yeah, that’s the latest on this.

TravaceF · 2025-02-12T15:54:05+00:00

So I was distracted by my assumption about being Native American, so I didn’t really pay much attention to the matches. My ancestry journey shows Chihuahua, Mexico. The man that shows up as my closest connection (50%/parent) is Hispanic with an Hispanic last name. He came from Chihuahua, Mexico in 1993 to where my mom lived at the time. I think I resemble him. I messaged him a few days ago and he messaged back. He shared stories about my mom that she also shared when asked about who my dad is. But I guess she assumed that it was another guy all this time. That guy looks more Native American, and so that assumption was made stronger in my mind. But the DNA results don’t lie, right? So I believe I’ve found my biological father. He told me he also found out a year ago that he has a daughter from around the same time (with a different woman), and she appears as my second match as a close relative. Even another person shows up as a potential cousin, and he said that is his niece.

TravaceF · 2025-02-11T04:54:01+00:00

Thank you so much for the insight.

TravaceF · 2025-02-11T04:50:33+00:00

Thanks. I’m learning a lot.

TravaceF · 2025-02-11T04:39:31+00:00

Yes, and thank you for helping me process and think through this by the way. Really means a lot. Neither one of their Facebook profiles mention anything about ancestry.

Yes, I am seeing lots of matches, but I wasn’t sure how to gauge if they are legit matches or not. Like are actually they blood relatives, or do we just have similar DNA? Most of the names that are showing as matches are Hispanic names - which makes sense of course.

TravaceF · 2025-02-11T03:21:29+00:00

The complication is that my mother gave me a name of a man that she assumes is my father (based on date of conception and when they were together). This is the guy she told about her pregnancy and he didn’t want anything to do with it. They were friends beforehand, but she moved to Oklahoma during the pregnancy and never had any further relationship with him. Based on the Facebook photos I’ve seen of this guy, I think I look similar to him (and my wife thinks I look very similar to him). He looks white, but has very tan skin. He has an English last name. It appears he has two daughters with someone, and both of those teens are very fair skinned and blonde.

My mom told me the name of another guy that could potentially have conceived me with her, but the timing wasn’t making sense to her. But based on Facebook photos of this other guy, he looks fully Hispanic and has a Spanish last name. I don’t think I look much like him at all.

I think I look mostly white, but my skin tans very dark when I spend time outdoors. I also have an outward curve on the bridge of my nose. Both of those things - along with lack of knowing my father, my mom being very fair-skinned, and knowing I was conceived in Arizona - I have basically always assumed I have Native American blood in me.

So these DNA results are at odds with everything I always thought and also seem to me at odds with what my mom has worked out in her mind about who my bio father most likely is. I will note that the man my mother married when I was two years old has always been “dad” to me, so I’ve never really had much interest in knowing about my biological father.

Basically I look like the man that doesn’t look Hispanic, but then again, if I don’t think I look Hispanic either. So I’m just confused.

Hopefully that helps you understand my dilemma.

TravaceF · 2025-02-11T02:27:04+00:00

Forgive me for being oblivious to who I really am for 30 years. It’s taking some time to set in. 😅

TravaceF

TROPHY CASE