One of our staff, Dave Mikesell, in Minneapolis, MN recently had this dialogue with Whitney (girl on far right, with friends at the Getaway)
“Can I talk with you, Dave?” asked a red-eyed junior girl. “Sure,” I said and Whitney and her friend and I sat down to talk. We had just finished one of many powerful large-group sessions at the Rocky Mountain Getaway this summer and the speaker had talked about purity with the opposite sex.
She felt guilty about things she had done. I tried to explain that when Christ comes into our lives He forgives our sin: past, present and future. To illustrate the point further, I asked Whitney when she had given her life to Christ. She looked at me, shook her head, and said, “Even though I have grown up going to church, I don't think I have ever given my life to Christ." I asked if she wanted to experience God's forgiveness and receive Christ as her personal Savior.
To my surprise she said, “No.” She went on to explain that she did not think it was right for God to take on the punishment of her sin. “I feel like I should carry it.” I said, “But He wants to forgive you and have a relationship with you”. “But why...why would He do that?” she asked. “Because He loves you,” I said. And then it hit me why she could not accept God's great gift for her. Just minutes before she had explained how she felt like she could never live up to her parents' expectations. So, I looked her right in the eyes and said, “Whitney, you don't want to receive Christ because you don't believe anyone can love you. You don't believe your parents love you and you don't believe anyone, including God, loves you.” “That is exactly how I feel,” she said, her eyes now full of tears.
After a few more minutes of talking, Whitney looked at me and said, “I am ready! I am so tired of carrying this burden. It's too much.” So, we bowed our heads and Whitney asked Christ into her life! After we said “Amen,” she remained bowed and heaved big sobs of relief. Whitney is now going to a great church with a friend and attending a Student Venture Bible Study.
1 comment:
Amazing story!
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