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Golden State Division’s youth affirm God’s presence.
by Kimberly Kang –
In early April, 360 young people gathered for Golden State divisional youth councils at Camp Redwood Glen in Scotts Valley, Calif., for a weekend of prayer, motivation and fun at the renovated campgrounds.
Major Ivan Wild, territorial youth secretary, was the main speaker. He challenged everyone to be real in the presence of God—not “fake it”—and to humble ourselves. He urged us to stop listening to the world’s distracting cries, but instead hearken to God’s cries because many things in this world can shake us; we need God’s voice.
“Yes, there is still sin in the world, but Jesus conquered it on the cross so we don’t have to allow it to hold us down because victory is in Christ Jesus,” declared Wild. He said the very reality of that fact should give us the confidence to defeat Satan, who tries to turn us from God’s voice and the knowledge that God hears us.
On Saturday morning, Rob Noland, director of Revolution Hawaii, spoke. “It blows my mind that a God—who is creator of all things and knows everything—would weep for us as shown in the story of Lazarus’s death. When we hurt, God hurts,” he said.
That evening, Jim Sparks, from the territorial youth department, led us in crying out for forgiveness, holiness, justice, our leaders, church and world. He reminded us that we are in the presence of God as we gather with friends, leaders and in corps groups to pray zealously and earnestly.
Chief Secretary Colonel William Harfoot closed the weekend, offering the solution to all of our situations. What is God’s response to all our cries? Jesus. Not only does he want to lift his people out of the pits, he wants to live with us. All we need to do is surrender to him.
Thijs Arens, a delegate from the South San Francisco Corps, commented, “I learned that an ‘outcry’ is not just a complaint or request to God. An outcry is listening to my heart so I can call out to God and tell him the real stuff—not just the small things but the real things, the things I feel so deeply that no words can express.”
The weekend offered sports, fellowship, sessions, devotions and a “wailing wall” for our petitions. But we left with more than just memories of a fun weekend. We shared a common experience: a deeper understanding that we can cry individually and corporately. When we cry out, we can know that we are in the presence of our God who loves us and we will be heard.
In early April, 360 young people gathered for Golden State divisional youth councils at Camp Redwood Glen in Scotts Valley, Calif., for a weekend of prayer, motivation and fun at the renovated campgrounds.
Major Ivan Wild, territorial youth secretary, was the main speaker. He challenged everyone to be real in the presence of God—not “fake it”—and to humble ourselves. He urged us to stop listening to the world’s distracting cries, but instead hearken to God’s cries because many things in this world can shake us; we need God’s voice.
“Yes, there is still sin in the world, but Jesus conquered it on the cross so we don’t have to allow it to hold us down because victory is in Christ Jesus,” declared Wild. He said the very reality of that fact should give us the confidence to defeat Satan, who tries to turn us from God’s voice and the knowledge that God hears us.
On Saturday morning, Rob Noland, director of Revolution Hawaii, spoke. “It blows my mind that a God—who is creator of all things and knows everything—would weep for us as shown in the story of Lazarus’s death. When we hurt, God hurts,” he said.
That evening, Jim Sparks, from the territorial youth department, led us in crying out for forgiveness, holiness, justice, our leaders, church and world. He reminded us that we are in the presence of God as we gather with friends, leaders and in corps groups to pray zealously and earnestly.
Chief Secretary Colonel William Harfoot closed the weekend, offering the solution to all of our situations. What is God’s response to all our cries? Jesus. Not only does he want to lift his people out of the pits, he wants to live with us. All we need to do is surrender to him.
Thijs Arens, a delegate from the South San Francisco Corps, commented, “I learned that an ‘outcry’ is not just a complaint or request to God. An outcry is listening to my heart so I can call out to God and tell him the real stuff—not just the small things but the real things, the things I feel so deeply that no words can express.”
The weekend offered sports, fellowship, sessions, devotions and a “wailing wall” for our petitions. But we left with more than just memories of a fun weekend. We shared a common experience: a deeper understanding that we can cry individually and corporately. When we cry out, we can know that we are in the presence of our God who loves us and we will be heard.
