No one ever told me that when I became a child of God that I would be able to live such an incredible life! I was told about eternal life and I embraced that gift, but no one said anything about how amazing this life here and now could be.
I cannot even imagine how wonderful Heaven is going to be in His presence some day, because to see His Spirit move in the lives of these OSY is like a taste of Heaven for me. It is so powerful. I trust that every one who reads this has had at least one moment in their lives where they have experienced such a tangible moving of the Spirit of God.
I just witnessed again, His power and His grace. I witnessed that release of the guilt of our sin and the cleansing power of God's unconditional love and forgiveness of sin. Young people who 10 hours earlier had no interest in the things of God and could only think of the fact that we had taken away their drugs and alcohol and were asking them to follow a structure program, were now wiping away tears and bowing their heads and asking for forgiveness for the mess they had made in their lives and the sin that they had embraced.
Erika was one of those young people. In a camp of 490 OSY with 3 different gangs present, our staff was stretched to control and guide them. They were the rowdiest, most disrespectful group of OSY we have ever hosted up to this point. When you have had more than 14,000 young people come through this program that may give you an idea of how "bad" they were.
But in spite of all that, God's Spirit moved - He honored the proclamation of His Word and the faithfulness of His witnesses. Erika and 116 others made a profession of faith. Erika's story is so typical to many of these youth that I hesitate to share it for fear that our hearts can become accustomed to the pain, anguish and details of these stories that they no longer move us. But how can I be quiet? - my God moved, and people responded! I have again witnessed the miracle of His salvation!
Since she was a child she was physically and sexually abused by her father. He is no longer in her life as he moved to the United States and has no contact with her at all. Her mother is in jail. And now as a 21 year old she is a mother of 2 but not married. She arrived high and wreaking of activo.
Today I counseled Erika in regards to eternal security, and baptism. I will never forget this counseling moment because of how intent she was on every word and the life that just sparkled from her eyes was so captivating - she exuded the new life in Christ. She could not wait to be baptized.
There were so many radical changes that took place in this girl's life in this OSY camp experience. She renounced her following of the saint of death - and proclaimed "I feel free!" Reminding me of the truth of God's Word in John 8:36 "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."
The tattoos she carries will be a constant reminder of those dark hopeless days when she trusted in death, but the new life she has in Christ has so filled her and transformed her that she no longer fears this saint of death but knows that her Savior is stronger.
I watched Erika in the last session in the last hour of the camp. She was on the front row of her team and she was singing with all her heart the words of the song of praise that was being sung. She sang with passion, she had a smile on her face and she never asked for her drugs, they were no longer needed - she was a miracle in my eyes.
I still stand in awe of the power of the Gospel. Tomorrow, Lord willing we will welcome another 500 OSY here and witness once again the moving of God's Spirit as He rescues the perishing and transforms lives with His love, mercy and forgiveness.
Thank you for helping us to be here and witness His goodness and bear record of the miracles that are taking place in the lives of people like Erika.
-Allen & Aase Owens
I cannot even imagine how wonderful Heaven is going to be in His presence some day, because to see His Spirit move in the lives of these OSY is like a taste of Heaven for me. It is so powerful. I trust that every one who reads this has had at least one moment in their lives where they have experienced such a tangible moving of the Spirit of God.
I just witnessed again, His power and His grace. I witnessed that release of the guilt of our sin and the cleansing power of God's unconditional love and forgiveness of sin. Young people who 10 hours earlier had no interest in the things of God and could only think of the fact that we had taken away their drugs and alcohol and were asking them to follow a structure program, were now wiping away tears and bowing their heads and asking for forgiveness for the mess they had made in their lives and the sin that they had embraced.
Erika was one of those young people. In a camp of 490 OSY with 3 different gangs present, our staff was stretched to control and guide them. They were the rowdiest, most disrespectful group of OSY we have ever hosted up to this point. When you have had more than 14,000 young people come through this program that may give you an idea of how "bad" they were.
But in spite of all that, God's Spirit moved - He honored the proclamation of His Word and the faithfulness of His witnesses. Erika and 116 others made a profession of faith. Erika's story is so typical to many of these youth that I hesitate to share it for fear that our hearts can become accustomed to the pain, anguish and details of these stories that they no longer move us. But how can I be quiet? - my God moved, and people responded! I have again witnessed the miracle of His salvation!
Since she was a child she was physically and sexually abused by her father. He is no longer in her life as he moved to the United States and has no contact with her at all. Her mother is in jail. And now as a 21 year old she is a mother of 2 but not married. She arrived high and wreaking of activo.
Today I counseled Erika in regards to eternal security, and baptism. I will never forget this counseling moment because of how intent she was on every word and the life that just sparkled from her eyes was so captivating - she exuded the new life in Christ. She could not wait to be baptized.
There were so many radical changes that took place in this girl's life in this OSY camp experience. She renounced her following of the saint of death - and proclaimed "I feel free!" Reminding me of the truth of God's Word in John 8:36 "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."
The tattoos she carries will be a constant reminder of those dark hopeless days when she trusted in death, but the new life she has in Christ has so filled her and transformed her that she no longer fears this saint of death but knows that her Savior is stronger.
I watched Erika in the last session in the last hour of the camp. She was on the front row of her team and she was singing with all her heart the words of the song of praise that was being sung. She sang with passion, she had a smile on her face and she never asked for her drugs, they were no longer needed - she was a miracle in my eyes.
I still stand in awe of the power of the Gospel. Tomorrow, Lord willing we will welcome another 500 OSY here and witness once again the moving of God's Spirit as He rescues the perishing and transforms lives with His love, mercy and forgiveness.
Thank you for helping us to be here and witness His goodness and bear record of the miracles that are taking place in the lives of people like Erika.
-Allen & Aase Owens
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