Forgiven, Seen, Loved, KNOWN
Saturday night I had the opportunity to attend a retreat session for a Hispanic youth group just outside of Nashville, Tennessee.
One of our CGA graduates, Sandra Santiago was speaking along with current apprentice Morgan Morales. The evening began with worship in both Spanish and English. It was beautiful!
Watching the sunset over the hillside, the fireflies glistening along the tree line, the moon rising in the night sky, we danced around in the middle of the forest. It felt like the most perfect way to worship our Creator, in the midst of His perfect creation.
Sandra shared that on the drive to the camp they had kept noticing the beauty surrounding them and asked, “Why? Why God did you create such beautiful landscapes?” His response, “I created them for you. To bring you joy. I delight in giving good gifts to my children.”
She went on to talk about the trees, their leaves and how He knows when each one falls. Just like He knows the hairs on our heads, when we rise, and when we fall, He knows.
“You know about Him. You’ve studied His Word, but do you KNOW Him?” she asked.
Morgan then lead the most beautiful prayer and encouraged each student to listen to the words the Father spoke over them.
I am a DAUGTHER.
I am CHOSEN.
I am WORTHY.
I am LOVED.
“It hadn’t dawned on me until that moment that I was one of his creations, and I was just as beautiful as the grandeur of the Tennessee mountains.” Morgan shared.
With that, she stood on one of the benches surrounding the podium and encouraged others to do the same.
One by one the youth came to the front, picked up the microphone and declared their identity, joining Morgan, standing proudly on their tiny wooden benches.
On the way home Sandra shared that was probably the first time many of them independently confessed their faith.
It was truly a beautiful sight to behold, a generation of young people declaring that although they have made mistakes, they know they are FORGIVEN, they are SEEN, they are LOVED, they are KNOWN.
Morgan and Sandra praying over the youth
