And they get it...

written by Ernest

For some time now I have been urging our students to press in to God and truly experience Him for who He really is. I wanted them to go beyond mere "Christians" and be true Christ followers who are passionately in love with their Savior. Some thought they were already there, some thought I was talking of some mystical place only a select few make it to, while others didn't really care. I was tired of seeing them just fall in line with the same ol' same ol' church life with little or no fulfillment, joy, or excitement. There is more to following Christ than the example that is shown on most Sunday mornings and definitely throughout the week. I have to admit that it was a frustrating venture at times.

As you probably know having read some of my beautiful bride's posts that we are now in transition. God has spoken and by faith we are stepping out. To where, we don't know yet but that is a different story all together.

Anyways, we turned our students over to our replacements with only one more chance to see them truly connect with God; church camp.

Our students would be going to one of the camps that we were helping run. Let me just say that God showed up and we saw Him really work on the hearts and lives of the students there, not just with those from our group but students from all of the youth groups who attended. It was an amazing sight.

Here's where they got it. They come home from camp and I begin receiving phone calls. They are now calling all of their friends, going through the list of players from their sports teams, & talking to co-workers about God. They can't shut up about Him. There is a fire in their eyes; a passion in their soul to share their Jesus with others.

One of the students came up to me and apologized and said, "I thought I had the vision you talked about. I thought I knew what it meant to truly experience God, but I didn't. I now know what the big deal was about. Thank you." WOW, what that will do to your heart.

At church on Sunday we witnessed as some of these students shared their testimonies. Others followed up salvation decisions with baptism. It was amazing. Following the services one of the ladies in the church came up to us and said, "What an awesome testimony of your service to God here!" I say, "What an awesome testimony to God's grace!"

Thank you God for this going away gift! Thank you for allowing us to witness and be a part of them "getting it".