Sometimes I just need a good slap in the face, a good hard reset. And then I can get up and walk away feeling better than ever.
Thank you Lord for using me and allowing me to be involved in those hard resets last weekend at Thirst. All glory to you, God for the work that has been done in the past week. Bless this written testimony and may it not go out void in the name of Christ Jesus, Amen.
Last weekend we took a group of 35 to Erie for a weekend conference, where God chiseled away at students's hearts and began some heavy restorative work. Chains were broken in the name of Jesus all over the building. I had the privilege to watch with a grateful heart as teens ages 12 to 18 genuinely and authentically worshiped the Lord in both song and in truth.
Runks is a man who loves helping others fall in love with the Lord and on Friday, as the Spirit was leading, he shared this from stage:
"[Bow your heads and close your eyes, students. Leaders look at your kids] How many of you are insecure in your salvation? Hands up now."
And we had students' hands shoot up without hesitation.
"Maybe you're sitting there thinking you asked for the Holy Spirit to come make your heart home to Him at a young age and now you're thinking, 'What if I didn't know what I was doing then?' Well I'm here to ask 'What if you knew exactly what you were doing but now that you have more knowledge that the enemy has tried to use to confuse you, you aren't secure in your salvation?' I'm going to ask you, if your hand is raised, to make a public profession of this and stand."
Now, I would love to share that all of our students whose hands were raised also stood to their feet. But they didn't. And while some of our leaders, including myself, followed those students who stood up out the back door to talk about and pray over what had just happened, the other leaders were interceding on behalf of those kids that didn't stand. They began declaring life and victory over their circumstances in Jesus name. They began asking for a boldness to well up inside them. They began to ask that salvation become clear to them with an unwavering certainty.
Out in the lobby were were just circles upon circles of youth gathering with the leaders of their groups from all across Western Pa and parts of Ohio. As Joey prayed over our personal circle of students, I held one of my girls as she wept. She said to me that she didn't know why she was so emotional but for the first time in her life she got it. It made sense to her. Jesus made sense to her.
This is an girl who had grown up in the faith and had never not been in church or around this idea of Christianity. But for the first time in her life, she understood that she truly was saved and she could walk in the light of that salvation daily. That her life can be an adventure where she is on fire for the Lord. That Jesus and our security in Him is not a feeling because feelings are fleeting but that truth can withstand the length of time and Jesus. is. that. Truth.
Simultaneously, there was a boy who had raised his hand for feeling insecure in his relationship with Jesus who didn't join us in the lobby. Rather he stayed in his seat. that was where one of leaders was able to have a conversation with him about his salvation not being about how much he can do or that he has to be good enough in certain areas of his life to be worthy of any of it, but that not a one of us is worthy. That is why Jesus did what he did for us. That is why Jesus is the bridge in the gap- all we have to do is acknowledge that Truth.
After last weekend, that boy told his dad that he was ready to commit his life to God's direction and lead. That girl shared that she had never been surrounded by like minded individuals who loved her as much as we do. Another boy shared his faith at school when the teacher asked him who we looked up to. Another girl started a group chat that included everyone who was on the trip (some of which were not even a part of our youth group...yet). That same girl took the time to organize an activity where everyone in the group wrote everyone encouragement tags for when they were feeling the high of the conference wear off. Another boy who practiced a different religion, came to know Jesus as the only way and the only truth. Another girl left clinical anxiety and depression at the altar. Another boy discovered his true worth.
Students were leaving that place with stronger relationships with their peers, the incredible band members, the speaker, their families back home, and a stronger relationship Jesus Christ. That is just something I cannot be quiet about. And neither could they. They danced their way out of that building as they scream sang "living hope".
These are just the stories of how God is moving in the individuals in my own personal group. I can only imagine what an influence He had on the hearts of any others who were in that room this weekend.
Continue to press into Him.
Peace,
Rachel
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