"I have always felt connected to the ocean," said Tyler Bowser, 32, (center) of Dunedin who was born in Florida, but raised in Southern California. After moving home in February Bowser made the symbolic decision to baptized in the waters off of Fort De Soto Park in St. Petersburg with the help of his good friend Jeff Buffo, left, and Relevant Church's lead pastor Paul Wirth, right. "I'm a warrior for Christ. I believe in the book, the trinity and that we as Christians are good people. There's a new tide coming and the oceans are growing in this faith." The story, in his words:
My mom always used to tell me that it doesn't matter how far I was straying, I was marked as Christ's son when I was a baby and he'll never let me go. I was baptized when I was 10 months old, but the actual baptism means something different to me than what happened when I was a kid. It's something deeper and more connected, something symbolic and affirming -- which is why at 32, I wanted to be baptized again.
There never was a disconnect from God, but in high school I started straying a bit. My whole story can be summed up in two words: divine intervention. I received it and accepted it. And through the grace of God that I'm here today to revel in it. The holy spirit was already in my heart. I'm a sinner and I'll never be perfect no matter how hard I try, but this is just my way way to show the world my belief in God. Christ was a lot of things, a carpenter, a servant, but also a fisherman of men, and that's what I want to be. I just want to follow in his footsteps. It's not about washing away sins, or making right with God so I can get into heaven. It's about showing the world I know what my purpose in life is. And for that, I'm thankful.
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