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A testimony from the 2020 Welcome of Cadets
By Colleen Riley, Commissioner–
Being officially installed as your new territorial leaders is an honor and privilege, and a responsibility that we do not take lightly. We know that there is great responsibility in taking on the mantle of leadership. And I promise you that we will remember that it is God who is leading and guiding and that we will open our hearts and listen to his direction for our own lives and for the decisions that will be made as we go forward.
I believe that there are exciting things ahead for us in this great territory. I have shared before that I believe God is doing a new thing. Even as we read in the book of Isaiah what God did for Israel, he continues to make a way in the wilderness and bring streams in the wasteland for us today. His promises are true. He will be here for and with us always, providing a way for us to thrive in his kingdom.
Maybe you feel it too—we are on our way to a revival! Over this past year or so I have felt God tell me to have faith and to persevere, to pray for, and believe in a revival in our Army. His desire is for us to have an Army, a Church, that is Holy-Spirit filled—a church that is sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, discipling our people, young and old and fully on fire for Christ. Let’s pray together and work toward a reawakening, a renewal of the life of our Church. I believe that God is giving us an opportunity to step out into faith, to unashamedly proclaim our love for him and to allow him to stir up in us a new fervor for sharing the gospel and growing the Church. This begins with each of us, this begins with me.
Each day will come with its challenges, and with its joys. I am choosing to focus on each day’s joy—and that includes each of you. As we walk this journey together, let’s keep looking toward Jesus, keep focusing on the good, not with rose-colored glasses, but with eyes wide open to see all the possibilities that lay before us. Thank you for your support already with notes of encouragement and promise of prayers. It sustains us knowing we are being lifted to the Father.
I have been asked what our vision is for the territory and what will you do for us? Well, I will pray for and believe in a revival. We will be available; we will listen. We will rejoice with you and we will grieve with you. We will make the hard decisions after bathing it in prayer and seeking the Lord’s guidance. We will sing with you and share the Word together, and a few meals together along the way. We care for you, for your families both by blood and by love. We want to hear from you and to walk alongside you. We are not perfect, but we will admit our wrongs and ask for forgiveness when we need to. And we will bring you all, your ministries and your families to the Lord. We will look to Jesus.
We love each of you, we are grateful for you all. Let’s see what he has for us. I for one am excited about the possibilities. We have a great big God with big plans for each of us. Let’s look to Jesus together and see what he will do in and through us in this wonderful territory of ours.
