Our Amazing, Surprising God!
What a perfect setting, the high hills of Virginia, to inspire a group of teens, but just not them – all of us. Yes! That’s our God, inspiring, pushing us all on to a cause so great we can’t do it ourselves. Then it’s really His work. How else would it get done?
He uses “the poor”, the young, the old, the disenfranchised, those of us “poor in spirit” yielding to Him, to accomplish a greater, far better goal then we could ever achieve on our own.
Jesus says to us, “Go and make disciples…” “Where?” we ask.
“…of all nations,” “What, the whole world?”
OK, so where do we start? Well, of course in our backyards, our neighborhoods, our cities. CEF sponsors 5-Day Clubs in the summer– a week of telling God’s message of salvation anywhere kids are.
Who will teach them? The Teens of course. A camp for preparation becomes a time of changing the teens themselves – turning them, loving them, pushing them, prodding them, loving them; so they will
go…and teach. The Lord uses this time away from distractions by writing His Word on their hearts, changing them from the inside out, giving each of them an idea how very important each one is – to Him!
We all – adults and teens – catch a vision of how together we can pull this off by lovingly turning the older of this generation to reach the younger of the same.
OK, so where do we start? Well, of course in our backyards, our neighborhoods, our cities.
I saw very young teens with no self-confidence bloom through the loving, prodding influence of their elders and the encouragement of their peers. I saw and heard a very elderly gentleman describe that he
was a lost lamb that Jesus left the 99 for and came and rescued him. He challenged us: there are lost lambs in neighborhoods and schools; bring Jesus to them so He can rescue them.
I personally am changed. I was challenged, before I was to arrive at camp, to have the Wordless Book and accompanying Scripture memorized. I pleaded with friends, “Please pray, I’m too old to memorize.”
Yet, I told myself, the Spirit of God said, “Depend on Me, trust Me, this is My work in you.” My part was to keep at it daily, read it, tell it to yourself, read it again, and again and again.
Oh, my spirit caught the vision: this can be accomplished by God…in me. Oh hallelujah! Yes, God! What a gift! I can now counsel children, knowing God’s Spirit can use my words to lead the little ones to Him.
I know God can use me, yes even me, all of us to tell His Story. Hallelujah!
Dede Watlington
Pictured above: Dede Watlington (CEF of Peninsula) & Patience Ngalla (CEF of No. VA)
[Dede attended the June Christian Youth in Action training camp in Lynchburg with the teens who will be leading a 5-Day Club in her backyard July 8-12. Will you please pray for both the teaching going forth and the children who will hear, so hearts will be changed?]
