“The girls have been after us on and off for some time to do this” said John Sackreiter.

His wife Shireen agreed. “I think they have been the driving force for a while.” John and his family came to a crossroads in March 2008.

They were anticipating a great challenge: John had been called up from the army reserves to serve in Iraq. He would be leaving his wife Shireen and their two daughters, 13 year old Jaclyn and 16 year old Lauren. He would be away from home for 12 months. This was a time of worry, of facing fears and of coming to terms with issues they had been putting off.

“We’ve been in love with the Lord for a long time.” John told a friend. “Recently I’ve realized there is something missing.” His daughters had been attending the Church at Shiloh Farm in Tallahassee where they watched several friends be baptized. Both girls felt strongly they wanted to take this step. Just as strongly, they wanted their parents to do the same. Jaclyn and Lauren had been urging their parents.

“I guess I felt like I had everything ready to leave, and then realized something was missing” said John. This feeling turned into a deep commitment, a passion and a family project.

Just prior to John’s departure overseas, the Sackreiter family was baptized together as a family. Fellow church members and friends were moved to tears as they witnessed, sang and prayed together standing on the edge of a physical therapy swimming pool.

“I pray that I can take this blessing to Iraq with me and share my faith and the word of the Lord with the people serving in war,” said John.

He later wrote from Iraq, “I reach out to every soldier I meet.”