Music...
00:00:01.36\00:00:14.34
Piano...
00:00:14.38\00:00:27.79
some more piano...
00:00:27.82\00:00:31.86
more piano...
00:00:31.89\00:00:35.50
You've written what
You want from me in stone,
00:00:35.53\00:00:42.00
A reflection of
Your character alone,
00:00:42.04\00:00:50.11
So I've tried to keep
Your laws without regret,
00:00:50.15\00:00:56.79
But I'm easily
distracted and forget,
00:00:56.85\00:01:03.39
So, write them on my heart,
00:01:03.43\00:01:07.06
Seal them in my mind,
00:01:07.10\00:01:10.97
The beauty of Your
law and grace combined
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Remind me just how
loving Your commandments are
00:01:18.71\00:01:26.61
And write them on
the tablets of my heart.
00:01:26.65\00:01:33.19
Piano...
00:01:33.25\00:01:37.36
more piano...
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There's only one
desire inside of me,
00:01:44.17\00:01:51.14
To be all that
You created me to be
00:01:51.17\00:01:58.35
And I know the
only way that I can grow
00:01:58.38\00:02:04.75
is for You to come
inside and take control
00:02:04.79\00:02:11.09
So, write them on my heart,
00:02:11.13\00:02:14.80
Seal them in my mind,
00:02:14.86\00:02:18.43
The beauty of Your
law and grace combined,
00:02:18.47\00:02:26.04
Remind me just how
lovely Your commandments are
00:02:26.07\00:02:34.18
And write them on
the tablets of my heart.
00:02:34.22\00:02:39.75
Your law reflects Your goodness,
00:02:39.79\00:02:43.63
The cross reveals your grace,
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That's the motivation
00:02:47.50\00:02:52.33
behind Your perfect way,
00:02:52.37\00:02:56.47
So, write them on my heart,
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Seal them in my mind
00:03:00.94\00:03:05.05
The beauty of your
law and grace combined.
00:03:05.08\00:03:13.69
Remind me just how
lovely Your commandments are
00:03:13.72\00:03:19.73
And write them on
the tablets of my heart.
00:03:19.76\00:03:25.73
So, write them on my heart,
00:03:25.77\00:03:28.34
Seal them in my mind,
00:03:28.37\00:03:32.71
The beauty of Your
law and grace combined,
00:03:32.74\00:03:40.15
Remind me just how
lovely Your commandments are,
00:03:40.18\00:03:46.65
And write them on
the tablets of my heart.
00:03:46.69\00:03:55.13
Remind just how lovely
00:03:55.16\00:03:59.27
Your commandments are
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And write them on the tablets
00:04:04.11\00:04:09.51
of my heart.
00:04:09.54\00:04:16.08
Music...
00:04:16.15\00:04:24.19
more music.
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Audience: Amen.
00:04:29.36\00:04:33.03
Good morning,
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wasn't that a
beautiful special music?
00:04:35.84\00:04:38.94
It absolutely touched my heart.
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My name is Amy Ratsara
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and I have the
privilege of sharing with you
00:04:45.41\00:04:48.12
a little bit about what it
is that God has done in my life.
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Now, when I received
the invitation from ASI
00:04:51.05\00:04:55.52
to come and speak
at this Convention,
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I asked them, "Okay, well,
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what would you
like me to talk about?"
00:04:58.96\00:05:00.96
In my role as a Lawyer,
00:05:01.00\00:05:02.80
the facts are
usually given to me
00:05:02.83\00:05:04.97
about any presentation
I have to make to a Jury,
00:05:05.00\00:05:07.44
I don't have to decide
on the subject content,
00:05:07.47\00:05:09.57
I just have to
figure out how to present it
00:05:09.60\00:05:11.67
in a convincing way,
00:05:11.71\00:05:13.21
well, they said, "We want
you to share your testimony
00:05:13.24\00:05:16.64
and we want you to
share it in the context
00:05:16.68\00:05:19.75
of the theme this
year... Business Unusual. "
00:05:19.78\00:05:22.38
So, I thought
to myself, "Well...
00:05:22.42\00:05:25.15
do you know how my testimony
fits into the theme this year
00:05:25.19\00:05:29.82
and if so, could you let me know
so that I know what to say?"
00:05:29.86\00:05:34.20
I thought about presenting
about something else...
00:05:34.23\00:05:37.67
about talking something
about something other than
00:05:37.70\00:05:41.10
the things that
God has done in my life
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but the more I resisted it,
the more I was convinced that,
00:05:43.30\00:05:46.61
"No, this was what God
wanted me to talk about,
00:05:46.64\00:05:49.41
I don't know why
00:05:49.44\00:05:50.95
some of the
stories feel a little old
00:05:50.98\00:05:54.25
in terms of the distance
and time that's gone by,
00:05:54.28\00:05:56.48
but the Spirit of
God has blessed me
00:05:56.52\00:05:59.09
in thinking about these things
and remembering these things
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and so I just
pray that this morning
00:06:01.66\00:06:03.16
it is a blessing for you.
00:06:03.19\00:06:05.13
Now the reason I hesitate
00:06:05.19\00:06:07.06
or why I was curious
as to why my testimony
00:06:07.10\00:06:09.70
would be something
you might want to hear is,
00:06:09.73\00:06:12.30
I grew up a
Seventh-day Adventist,
00:06:12.33\00:06:15.10
I grew up in
Berrien Springs, Michigan
00:06:15.14\00:06:17.74
at Andrews University
00:06:17.77\00:06:19.11
with Adventist parents who
taught in Adventist schools,
00:06:19.14\00:06:22.24
I attended
Adventist schools myself
00:06:22.28\00:06:24.95
and I never really
wandered far from the faith,
00:06:24.98\00:06:27.32
now, I know that doesn't mean
that I don't have a testimony,
00:06:27.35\00:06:31.35
each and every one of us do,
00:06:31.39\00:06:32.89
but I just wondered
how would my testimony
00:06:32.92\00:06:36.96
be relevant or interesting
00:06:36.99\00:06:38.33
to a group of people
who are coming to listen,
00:06:38.36\00:06:40.80
I don't have any
radical conversion story
00:06:40.83\00:06:43.23
about being plucked from
obscurity or something like that
00:06:43.26\00:06:46.13
and I haven't gone to
an exotic mission field
00:06:46.17\00:06:49.44
to talk about the wonderful
things that God has done
00:06:49.47\00:06:52.17
and worked in
obviously miraculous ways,
00:06:52.21\00:06:55.44
my testimony just seems
kind of... run of the mill
00:06:55.48\00:06:58.55
like everyone else,
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but the fact of the matter
is, I really shouldn't be here
00:07:00.42\00:07:03.45
and it's not just
because of the fact
00:07:03.49\00:07:05.59
that I didn't know what
to talk about this morning,
00:07:05.62\00:07:07.99
I shouldn't be here because...
00:07:08.02\00:07:10.29
at least the buzz in
our church these days is
00:07:10.33\00:07:13.19
that my peers are not
here, I am a Millennial
00:07:13.26\00:07:16.10
and the thought seems to be
00:07:16.13\00:07:18.07
that Millennials are not
present in our church today
00:07:18.10\00:07:21.20
whether... either they're
there but they're not active
00:07:21.24\00:07:24.27
or they're not there at all
00:07:24.31\00:07:26.31
and so as I
reflected and thought about,
00:07:26.34\00:07:28.71
"Well, why am I here?"
00:07:28.74\00:07:30.31
"Why am I a
Seventh-day Adventist?"
00:07:30.35\00:07:32.61
"Why has God
been able to keep me
00:07:32.65\00:07:34.95
with that faith
that I grew up with?"
00:07:34.98\00:07:37.12
and I realized...
that's what He wants me
00:07:37.15\00:07:38.92
to share with you this morning.
00:07:38.95\00:07:40.29
So, before I do, why
don't we pray together
00:07:40.32\00:07:42.52
and then we'll
spend some time together
00:07:42.56\00:07:44.86
looking at God's Word
00:07:44.89\00:07:46.23
and also, just
seeing how God has worked.
00:07:46.26\00:07:48.50
Let's pray.
00:07:48.53\00:07:49.86
"Dear Heavenly Father,
00:07:49.90\00:07:52.30
we thank you so much
for bringing us together
00:07:52.33\00:07:54.50
here in Orlando, Florida
00:07:54.54\00:07:55.87
with this opportunity for us
to spend time with one another,
00:07:55.90\00:07:58.71
Lord, I just pray that you
would be with me now as I speak,
00:07:58.74\00:08:02.48
that you would share
something from my life, Lord,
00:08:02.51\00:08:05.21
that you have done
00:08:05.25\00:08:06.58
that would bring
encouragement and peace
00:08:06.61\00:08:07.95
to those who are listening
00:08:07.98\00:08:09.32
and Father, that would encourage
us all to be faithful to you
00:08:09.35\00:08:12.35
in everything that we
do, we thank you Lord,
00:08:12.39\00:08:15.92
we ask these things
in Jesus' name, amen. "
00:08:15.96\00:08:17.46
Audience: Amen.
00:08:17.49\00:08:18.99
So, as many of you
are probably aware,
00:08:19.03\00:08:22.93
social media is kind of changing
00:08:22.96\00:08:24.93
the way things that
are going... everywhere.
00:08:25.00\00:08:27.14
There is a group of people
called Social Media Influencers
00:08:27.20\00:08:31.67
and what they are are...
many of them are Millennials,
00:08:31.71\00:08:34.28
they take their phones
and they post pictures,
00:08:34.31\00:08:37.18
they post tweets, they
post things on Facebook
00:08:37.21\00:08:39.75
and they get
many, many followers.
00:08:39.78\00:08:42.08
As a result of getting
all of these followers,
00:08:42.12\00:08:44.85
businesses are starting to
leverage their social clout
00:08:44.89\00:08:47.92
in order to try to
get their brands out
00:08:47.96\00:08:51.59
in front of other people
00:08:51.66\00:08:52.99
or get their business
in front of other people.
00:08:53.03\00:08:54.96
These social media influencers
have been so effective
00:08:55.00\00:08:58.13
at changing the way
that marketing has been going
00:08:58.17\00:09:01.00
that they've spawned a new class
00:09:01.04\00:09:02.87
of want-to-be's and copy cats
00:09:02.90\00:09:04.64
who will go on to these
different social media websites
00:09:04.67\00:09:07.64
they will pay for followers
00:09:07.68\00:09:09.64
to make it look like they have
80,000 people following them,
00:09:09.68\00:09:12.35
and then they'll
e-mail a luxury hotel and say,
00:09:12.38\00:09:15.22
"I want to stay
free for two weeks
00:09:15.25\00:09:17.25
and I'll do two posts about it
00:09:17.29\00:09:18.62
so all of my
followers can see. "
00:09:18.65\00:09:20.19
These luxury hotels...
00:09:20.26\00:09:22.86
they're starting to
get really frustrated
00:09:22.89\00:09:24.76
with these young
people and what they're doing
00:09:24.79\00:09:27.00
but it does go to show
00:09:27.03\00:09:28.80
that those who are
legitimately exercising this
00:09:28.83\00:09:31.43
are using their
influence in a way
00:09:31.50\00:09:33.64
to change business as usual
00:09:33.67\00:09:35.50
and they're remodeling the way
00:09:35.54\00:09:37.41
that people are
going forth with marketing.
00:09:37.44\00:09:39.41
I'm sure, many of
you with your businesses
00:09:39.44\00:09:41.34
or with your ministries
have even tried to figure out,
00:09:41.38\00:09:43.55
how can we use social media...
00:09:43.58\00:09:44.98
and are there young people who
can promote what we're doing...
00:09:45.01\00:09:47.98
in what... in what we're doing.
00:09:48.02\00:09:49.88
But, this
generation who has figured out
00:09:49.92\00:09:53.62
how to market so
effectively on social media
00:09:53.66\00:09:57.29
can oftentimes seem absent
00:09:57.33\00:09:59.33
in the Seventh-day
Adventist Church today.
00:09:59.36\00:10:01.30
Maybe it's
because they're not here
00:10:01.33\00:10:04.67
or maybe it's just
because they're not active.
00:10:04.73\00:10:07.44
Pause.
00:10:07.47\00:10:08.80
I praise God for blessing me
00:10:08.84\00:10:10.61
with the family
that I grew up in.
00:10:10.64\00:10:12.21
As I indicated before,
00:10:12.24\00:10:13.94
I was born to parents who
were Seventh-day Adventists,
00:10:13.98\00:10:16.91
I went to Ruth
Murdoch Elementary School
00:10:16.95\00:10:19.31
and Andrews Academy in
Berrien Springs, Michigan
00:10:19.35\00:10:21.62
well, in High School, I
became a Sabbath School Teacher,
00:10:21.65\00:10:24.99
and I worked with Summer Day
Camp Programs through our church
00:10:25.02\00:10:28.06
where I was able to teach
children about the love of Jesus
00:10:28.12\00:10:31.13
as well as do summer
activities with them,
00:10:31.16\00:10:34.13
but many of the
friends who I grew up with
00:10:34.16\00:10:37.07
are no longer Seventh-day
Adventists themselves,
00:10:37.10\00:10:39.23
they're not in the church
00:10:39.27\00:10:40.60
and some of them are even
antagonistic against the church
00:10:40.64\00:10:43.27
and that's despite the fact
00:10:43.30\00:10:44.91
that we sat next to each
other in Elementary School,
00:10:44.97\00:10:47.54
we sat side by
side at Sabbath School,
00:10:47.58\00:10:50.25
we taught together
at the Summer Flag Camp
00:10:50.28\00:10:52.91
and we did all of
these things together,
00:10:52.95\00:10:55.52
we studied for baptism together
00:10:55.55\00:10:57.39
and yet they're not here.
00:10:57.42\00:10:58.85
Pause.
00:10:58.89\00:11:00.32
I don't claim to have
perfect knowledge to know
00:11:00.36\00:11:03.12
what happened to my peer group
00:11:03.16\00:11:04.76
and why they're
not in the church
00:11:04.79\00:11:06.33
or why they're not
active in the church
00:11:06.36\00:11:07.93
but my reason for being here
00:11:07.96\00:11:10.47
is not to give some
sort of scientific analysis
00:11:10.50\00:11:13.03
or explanation of the cause
and effect of what's going on,
00:11:13.07\00:11:15.70
I'm here to talk
about what it was
00:11:15.74\00:11:18.27
that God has done for me,
00:11:18.31\00:11:20.14
and how He led me along the way
00:11:20.18\00:11:22.18
and the joy that
that has brought.
00:11:22.21\00:11:24.15
So, having grown up as
a Seventh-day Adventist,
00:11:24.18\00:11:27.75
in a Seventh-day
Adventist College town,
00:11:27.78\00:11:30.49
I assumed that
when I finished academy,
00:11:30.55\00:11:33.25
of course, I would go
00:11:33.29\00:11:34.62
to a Seventh-day
Adventist University.
00:11:34.66\00:11:36.12
I also thought I would
go to Andrews University,
00:11:36.16\00:11:39.23
my Dad, by that point, was
a Professor at the university,
00:11:39.26\00:11:41.90
my mother
taught Andrews Academy,
00:11:41.93\00:11:43.80
why would I be going to school
00:11:43.83\00:11:45.60
anywhere else but the
place where my parents were?
00:11:45.63\00:11:48.44
That's what a good
Seventh-day Adventist would do.
00:11:48.50\00:11:51.24
But to my surprise,
00:11:51.27\00:11:53.27
in an answer to prayer
that I was not expecting,
00:11:53.31\00:11:57.01
and a full tuition scholarship,
00:11:57.05\00:11:59.61
I ended up that fall at
the University of Michigan
00:11:59.65\00:12:02.75
instead of Andrews University.
00:12:02.78\00:12:04.92
In making that decision to go...
00:12:04.95\00:12:07.16
in following
God's leading there,
00:12:07.19\00:12:09.29
I became a statistic of
the young people in our church,
00:12:09.32\00:12:12.46
the vast majority of whom...
when I say, "vast majority"
00:12:12.49\00:12:15.56
I mean, at the 70
or 80th percentile
00:12:15.63\00:12:18.20
of the young
people in our church,
00:12:18.23\00:12:20.74
I was at a secular
Institution of Higher Learning
00:12:20.77\00:12:22.97
rather than one of our
Institutions for Higher Learning
00:12:23.00\00:12:25.37
in order to
continue my education
00:12:25.41\00:12:27.64
and it was that
fall of my college year
00:12:27.71\00:12:33.11
that I encountered two things
00:12:33.15\00:12:34.75
that completely
changed my life forever...
00:12:34.78\00:12:37.45
Campus Ministry and GYC.
00:12:37.49\00:12:40.22
I'll tell you in just a
minute what drew me to each
00:12:40.26\00:12:43.19
but as I discuss each, I
also want to share with you
00:12:43.22\00:12:47.00
a portion of Scripture that
spoke to me in those moments
00:12:47.03\00:12:49.63
and how I think the
Word of God acted to keep me
00:12:49.66\00:12:51.90
not just in the church but in
the careful watch-care of God.
00:12:51.93\00:12:54.77
My last Sabbath at
my home church, PMC,
00:12:54.80\00:12:58.47
before leaving...
before leaving for school
00:12:58.51\00:13:00.84
was the first
Sabbath of the school year.
00:13:00.88\00:13:02.94
All the Freshmen
were on campus...
00:13:02.98\00:13:04.91
and these would have been my
classmates... my dorm mates...
00:13:04.95\00:13:07.52
the people I would have
been going to school with.
00:13:07.55\00:13:10.55
During the whole Service,
my mind was wandering...
00:13:10.59\00:13:13.52
wondering if I had
really made the right decision,
00:13:13.56\00:13:16.42
if God really was calling me to
go to the University of Michigan
00:13:16.46\00:13:20.50
rather than
staying in the place,
00:13:20.53\00:13:22.26
this place where
I felt comfortable,
00:13:22.30\00:13:24.53
where I assumed He
would want me to be.
00:13:24.57\00:13:27.14
The Pastor's message that day
00:13:27.17\00:13:29.74
was on being a
missionary where you are
00:13:29.77\00:13:31.57
and he was
encouraging the students
00:13:31.61\00:13:33.74
to encourage one
another in the Lord,
00:13:33.78\00:13:35.81
even though they were on a
Christian-University Campus.
00:13:35.84\00:13:39.48
He then directed us to
turn our Bibles to Isaiah 49:6
00:13:39.51\00:13:42.25
and I'd ask that you'd
do the same thing right now
00:13:42.28\00:13:45.15
and this is when my
wandering mind finally perked up
00:13:45.19\00:13:48.02
and started to pay attention.
00:13:48.06\00:13:49.39
Isaiah 49:6 and in
this verse it says:
00:13:49.42\00:13:55.66
he says: "It is too light
a thing that you should be My
00:13:55.73\00:14:03.51
servant to raise up
the tribes of Jacob,
00:14:03.54\00:14:05.77
to bring back the
preserved of Israel;
00:14:05.84\00:14:08.64
I will make you as a
light for the nations,
00:14:08.71\00:14:12.81
that My salvation may
reach to the end of the earth. "
00:14:12.85\00:14:17.52
As he read that Scripture,
00:14:17.55\00:14:20.32
it was as
though my heart stopped
00:14:20.36\00:14:22.12
and I could sense the
Spirit of God telling me,
00:14:22.16\00:14:24.69
"This is why you are going
to the University of Michigan,
00:14:24.73\00:14:28.46
you've been in
'Israel' for long enough,
00:14:28.50\00:14:31.40
it's time for you to be
a light to all nations. "
00:14:31.43\00:14:34.50
This was a complete
paradigm shift for me
00:14:34.54\00:14:37.14
even though I
knew God was leading me
00:14:37.21\00:14:39.77
to the University of Michigan,
00:14:39.81\00:14:41.14
I didn't know why,
00:14:41.21\00:14:42.54
I thought for whatever reason,
00:14:42.58\00:14:43.95
He needed me to
get my education there,
00:14:43.98\00:14:45.91
instead of somewhere else.
00:14:45.95\00:14:47.28
I could not
have been more wrong,
00:14:47.32\00:14:49.48
because the
education that they give there
00:14:49.52\00:14:52.52
we know is not true education,
00:14:52.55\00:14:53.96
but God was directing
my path to that University
00:14:53.99\00:14:57.93
so that I could be a missionary.
00:14:57.96\00:15:00.26
Now, this
perspective was so new for me
00:15:00.30\00:15:03.80
that I thought it
was an original idea.
00:15:03.83\00:15:06.57
Surely no one has
ever thought of the fact
00:15:06.60\00:15:08.84
that if they go to
a secular university,
00:15:08.87\00:15:11.07
they should be a missionary.
00:15:11.11\00:15:12.67
To my surprise and joy, though,
00:15:12.71\00:15:15.51
when I found the Seventh-day
Adventist group on Campus,
00:15:15.54\00:15:18.45
that is exactly
what they were about
00:15:18.48\00:15:20.98
and I jumped right in.
00:15:21.05\00:15:22.48
I started attending
the weekly Bible Studies,
00:15:22.52\00:15:25.29
they had both
large-group Bible Studies
00:15:25.32\00:15:26.86
and small-group Bible Studies,
00:15:26.92\00:15:28.29
I soon learned how to
give Bible Studies myself
00:15:28.32\00:15:32.06
and became a regular...
00:15:32.09\00:15:33.93
began regularly giving Bible
Studies to people on campus.
00:15:33.96\00:15:38.17
I remember my sophomore year,
it was the second semester,
00:15:38.20\00:15:42.40
I had maxed out the
number credits that I was taking
00:15:42.44\00:15:45.47
so I was very busy
00:15:45.51\00:15:46.91
but I wanted to
continue my ministry as well
00:15:46.94\00:15:49.44
so I think I was participating
in two different small groups
00:15:49.48\00:15:51.81
and giving an
individual Bible Study
00:15:51.85\00:15:53.68
only to find out that the
President of our Student Group
00:15:53.72\00:15:56.52
was leaving...
00:15:56.55\00:15:57.89
and that now the responsibility
of leading the group
00:15:57.92\00:16:00.39
was also going to fall to me,
00:16:00.42\00:16:01.79
I committed myself
to God though and said,
00:16:01.82\00:16:04.39
"Lord, I don't want
to suffer academically,
00:16:04.43\00:16:06.96
I don't want to
suffer in ministry,
00:16:07.00\00:16:09.16
I believe you've called
me to do all these things,
00:16:09.23\00:16:11.60
so, please help me
00:16:11.63\00:16:12.97
and that's exactly what He did.
00:16:13.00\00:16:14.87
He created time
out of nowhere it seems
00:16:14.90\00:16:17.67
and he also gave me a
mind quick for learning
00:16:17.71\00:16:20.51
that turned into one of
my most successful semesters
00:16:20.54\00:16:23.95
academically... but also one of
the most rewarding spiritually.
00:16:23.98\00:16:27.18
As I saw how God
continued to work
00:16:27.22\00:16:29.88
in the lives of
my friends on campus
00:16:29.92\00:16:32.52
and the way that we
were able to influence
00:16:32.55\00:16:34.86
what was
happening on our campus.
00:16:34.89\00:16:36.42
One of the things that a friend
of mine and I really liked to do
00:16:36.49\00:16:42.03
in order to try to
encourage in ministry,
00:16:42.06\00:16:44.57
was to take classes together
00:16:44.63\00:16:46.63
in order to find a student
who was searching for the truth.
00:16:46.67\00:16:49.84
The first time we did
this was our freshman year,
00:16:49.87\00:16:52.47
we took Physics together
00:16:52.51\00:16:53.84
and sure enough there was a
young man in my Physics class
00:16:53.88\00:16:57.05
who invited me to
study with him one night,
00:16:57.08\00:16:59.95
for us to learn,
00:16:59.98\00:17:01.92
now, I kind of sensed that
00:17:01.95\00:17:04.15
maybe he was secretly
trying to ask for a date
00:17:04.19\00:17:06.99
and while we were open to
creative types of ministry,
00:17:07.06\00:17:09.89
I did not believe that
I should flirt to convert.
00:17:09.92\00:17:12.73
Audience: Laughter.
00:17:12.76\00:17:15.36
So, I called my
friend, Erika, and I said,
00:17:15.40\00:17:17.73
"Erika, you need to
study for Physics too...
00:17:17.80\00:17:20.10
let's go study with this man. "
00:17:20.14\00:17:22.34
So, we go...
00:17:22.37\00:17:24.17
he didn't seem too upset that
I brought a third person along
00:17:24.21\00:17:26.78
for the study session
00:17:26.81\00:17:28.31
but as our conversation
drifted away from Physics,
00:17:28.34\00:17:32.01
it started to drift
towards spiritual things.
00:17:32.05\00:17:35.05
I don't remember exactly how
00:17:35.08\00:17:37.15
but we ended up
talking about death
00:17:37.19\00:17:39.59
and that night we were
able to give him a study
00:17:39.62\00:17:42.12
on the state of the dead
00:17:42.16\00:17:43.76
and share with him the
truth that the Bible has for us
00:17:43.79\00:17:46.46
that we don't have to worry
about what happens when we die
00:17:46.49\00:17:49.16
as long as we trust in Jesus.
00:17:49.20\00:17:50.67
We decided... this
was so effective...
00:17:50.70\00:17:53.47
we decided to take
another class together
00:17:53.50\00:17:56.20
and this one was called
Second Temple Judaism...
00:17:56.24\00:17:58.87
so, focusing on
what people would call
00:17:58.91\00:18:01.88
the "Inter-Testamental Period
and into the New Testament. "
00:18:01.91\00:18:05.08
The professor in this class
was clearly against the idea
00:18:05.11\00:18:08.25
that the Bible was
the inspired Word of God
00:18:08.28\00:18:10.29
and that made us excited
00:18:10.32\00:18:11.99
to be able to show
him that he was wrong.
00:18:12.02\00:18:14.52
But in the
process, we found a girl
00:18:14.56\00:18:18.39
who had been coming to
one of our Bible Studies,
00:18:18.43\00:18:20.63
she'd been making
friends with other people
00:18:20.66\00:18:22.80
in our ministry group
and growing close with them
00:18:22.83\00:18:25.63
and she took... and
she was taking the class
00:18:25.67\00:18:27.84
and sat with us as well.
00:18:27.87\00:18:29.20
She had grown up in
a Christian background
00:18:29.24\00:18:32.27
but she herself... on
this secular university campus
00:18:32.31\00:18:35.04
was starting to
ask the same questions
00:18:35.08\00:18:37.85
that the Professor was raising
about the validity of the Bible
00:18:37.88\00:18:41.68
about whether or not
it can be depended on
00:18:41.72\00:18:43.79
as the Word of God
00:18:43.82\00:18:45.15
but we continued to
be friends with her,
00:18:45.19\00:18:47.69
we continued to study with her,
00:18:47.72\00:18:49.19
the others in the group
continued to do the same.
00:18:49.22\00:18:51.63
A year after that class,
she decided to keep the Sabbath
00:18:51.66\00:18:56.03
and a few months after that,
00:18:56.06\00:18:58.00
she made the
decision to be baptized.
00:18:58.03\00:19:00.37
She has done mission work for
the Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:19:00.40\00:19:04.17
all over the world
00:19:04.21\00:19:05.54
and continues to be an active
Seventh-day Adventist today
00:19:05.57\00:19:08.48
more than a decade later.
00:19:08.54\00:19:10.55
Audience: Amen.
00:19:10.58\00:19:11.91
Also, we would take this
opportunity to write our papers
00:19:11.95\00:19:16.92
and gear our
presentations in a way
00:19:16.95\00:19:18.89
where we could talk about
the truth of God in our classes.
00:19:18.92\00:19:22.19
In that class, for example,
my friend, Erika, wrote a paper
00:19:22.22\00:19:25.46
showing that Daniel
chapter 2 and Daniel chapter 7
00:19:25.49\00:19:27.80
actually are talking
about the same kingdoms
00:19:27.83\00:19:30.10
when our Professor
said that it was not...
00:19:30.13\00:19:32.30
and I wrote a paper talking
about how Daniel chapter 9
00:19:32.33\00:19:35.24
really does point to
when Jesus' first advent was
00:19:35.27\00:19:37.64
and not what the Professor
was saying that it was.
00:19:37.67\00:19:40.08
We both received
excellent marks in those papers
00:19:40.11\00:19:42.48
and had a captive audience
00:19:42.51\00:19:43.85
because our Professor
had to read what we wrote.
00:19:43.88\00:19:45.85
Audience: Laughter.
00:19:45.88\00:19:47.65
Another example of
this was a Spanish class.
00:19:47.68\00:19:50.55
I majored in
History, I minored in Spanish
00:19:50.59\00:19:53.79
and it was one of my
favorite Spanish classes
00:19:53.82\00:19:56.96
but I got assigned some poems
I had to do a presentation on
00:19:56.99\00:20:00.96
for the class.
00:20:01.00\00:20:02.33
I am not a fan of
Poetry in any language...
00:20:02.36\00:20:04.63
it just... it... it... it
doesn't resonate with me...
00:20:04.70\00:20:07.70
my husband is a huge
fan of poetry but it...
00:20:07.74\00:20:09.90
it just doesn't speak
to me in the same way,
00:20:09.94\00:20:12.04
but this was
like Classical Spanish
00:20:12.07\00:20:14.68
so the equivalent of
King James English in Spanish,
00:20:14.71\00:20:17.11
in a poetry form
00:20:17.15\00:20:18.58
and Spanish is the
weaker of my two languages,
00:20:18.61\00:20:21.28
I started to get very
stressed about this assignment
00:20:21.32\00:20:25.05
and about having to share
this with the rest of the class.
00:20:25.09\00:20:27.79
I wasn't understanding
it... it wasn't clicking...
00:20:27.82\00:20:30.53
and anxiety was
threatening to set in.
00:20:30.56\00:20:33.06
This wasn't the first time
00:20:33.09\00:20:35.13
something like that
happened in college,
00:20:35.16\00:20:36.53
it would threaten me every
once in a while every semester
00:20:36.56\00:20:39.97
to just get overwhelmed with
everything that was going on,
00:20:40.00\00:20:43.27
trying to be an
excellent student to God's glory
00:20:43.30\00:20:45.97
in addition to
being active in ministry
00:20:46.01\00:20:47.98
but I developed the habit
of turning to the Word of God
00:20:48.01\00:20:51.25
when that threat of
anxiety would come in
00:20:51.28\00:20:53.52
and specifically, I would
turn to Matthew chapter 6,
00:20:53.55\00:20:56.32
you can turn with me there,
00:20:56.35\00:20:57.69
Matthew chapter 6
00:20:57.72\00:21:02.26
and I would read
verses 31 through34.
00:21:02.29\00:21:08.16
"Therefore do not be anxious,
saying, 'What shall we eat?'
00:21:08.23\00:21:15.57
or 'What shall we drink?'
00:21:15.60\00:21:16.94
or 'What shall we wear?'
00:21:16.97\00:21:18.31
For the Gentiles seek
after all these things,
00:21:18.34\00:21:21.51
and your heavenly Father
knows that you need them all.
00:21:21.54\00:21:25.51
But seek first the kingdom
of God and his righteousness,
00:21:25.55\00:21:29.45
and all these things
will be added to you.
00:21:29.48\00:21:32.42
Therefore do not be
anxious about tomorrow,
00:21:32.45\00:21:35.06
for tomorrow will
be anxious for itself.
00:21:35.09\00:21:38.23
Sufficient for the
day is its own trouble. "
00:21:38.26\00:21:41.33
So, I would read this passage
every time I felt overwhelmed
00:21:41.36\00:21:45.57
begging God to help
me not to be anxious
00:21:45.60\00:21:48.00
to depend on Him
00:21:48.04\00:21:49.60
and to seek first His kingdom
in everything that I was doing
00:21:49.64\00:21:52.27
in the University
00:21:52.31\00:21:53.71
and not to worry so much about
what particular grade I may get.
00:21:53.74\00:21:57.18
Well, this poet whose
poems I was struggling with
00:21:57.21\00:22:01.12
was a priest or a monk or
something along those lines
00:22:01.15\00:22:05.05
and as I turned
to this passage...
00:22:05.09\00:22:07.82
struggling with that material
00:22:07.86\00:22:09.22
asking the Lord to take
the anxiety away from my heart
00:22:09.26\00:22:11.96
so I could get
through this assignment,
00:22:11.99\00:22:13.53
I skimmed the surrounding verses
and chapters to this verse.
00:22:13.56\00:22:18.17
The Sermon on the Mount...
00:22:18.20\00:22:19.63
and all of a
sudden, something clicked.
00:22:19.67\00:22:22.20
This poet was making illusions
00:22:22.24\00:22:25.14
to the Sermon on
the Mount in his poetry,
00:22:25.17\00:22:28.31
he was talking about the fact
00:22:28.34\00:22:29.78
that we should be
laying up treasures in heaven
00:22:29.81\00:22:32.38
and he was also talking
about finding the narrow way.
00:22:32.41\00:22:35.88
When I realized this, I
was so excited... I went...
00:22:35.92\00:22:38.85
I printed out the relevant
portions from the Bible,
00:22:38.92\00:22:41.86
made photocopies and...
00:22:41.89\00:22:44.46
and added that to the last part
of my presentation for class.
00:22:44.49\00:22:48.30
When I got to class,
00:22:48.36\00:22:49.73
I had to make the
presentation in Spanish,
00:22:49.76\00:22:51.90
and, in general,
my Spanish is okay
00:22:51.93\00:22:54.20
but, you know, everyone was a
language-learner in that class,
00:22:54.24\00:22:57.01
and as I made the presentation,
00:22:57.04\00:22:59.71
I was able to give my
classmates a Bible Study
00:22:59.74\00:23:02.31
on why we shouldn't worry,
00:23:02.34\00:23:03.95
why we should be
putting our treasures in heaven
00:23:03.98\00:23:06.61
and how we should be
finding that narrow way
00:23:06.65\00:23:09.22
and when it got confusing or
my Spanish got a little garbled,
00:23:09.25\00:23:12.42
the Professor would
jump in and clarify...
00:23:12.45\00:23:15.06
explain what I
was meaning to say.
00:23:15.09\00:23:17.06
so, really, I had a professor
00:23:17.09\00:23:18.96
who was helping me give
a Bible Study to a class...
00:23:18.99\00:23:21.86
of colleagues there at
the University of Michigan.
00:23:21.90\00:23:25.67
I know many people look
back at their college years
00:23:25.73\00:23:28.90
with fun, nostalgia...
for a variety of reasons,
00:23:28.94\00:23:32.11
maybe they had great camaraderie
with their classmates...
00:23:32.14\00:23:35.54
with their dorm mates...
00:23:35.58\00:23:36.91
maybe that's where they
met the love of their life...
00:23:36.95\00:23:39.25
the person who they married...
00:23:39.28\00:23:40.62
or maybe that's where
they found the passion
00:23:40.65\00:23:42.88
for their professional pursuits
00:23:42.92\00:23:45.32
that they were
going to continue on
00:23:45.35\00:23:47.09
for the rest of their adult life
00:23:47.12\00:23:48.79
and some of these
are true for me too.
00:23:48.82\00:23:51.36
I made friendships that
I hope to never ever lose
00:23:51.39\00:23:54.63
and I got a
passion for both ministry
00:23:54.66\00:23:56.56
as well as the
work that I do now
00:23:56.60\00:23:58.43
but what brings back
the most joy upon me...
00:23:58.47\00:24:02.44
going back and thinking
about these years in college
00:24:02.50\00:24:04.71
was knowing that I
was in exactly the place
00:24:04.77\00:24:06.88
where God would have me
00:24:06.91\00:24:08.34
doing what He would have me
to do in being faithful to Him.
00:24:08.38\00:24:11.98
Now, I don't want you to think
00:24:12.01\00:24:13.82
that this is
necessarily an advertisement
00:24:13.85\00:24:15.52
saying all Seventh-day
Adventists young people
00:24:15.55\00:24:17.62
should go to a secular
university... it's not.
00:24:17.65\00:24:19.65
By and large our schools
are the places where I believe
00:24:19.69\00:24:22.99
Seventh-day Adventist
young people should be.
00:24:23.02\00:24:24.69
Audience: Amen.
00:24:24.73\00:24:26.06
But the Spirit
of Prophecy does say
00:24:26.09\00:24:27.70
that the excess of
work that will be done
00:24:27.73\00:24:29.43
and it must be done
00:24:29.46\00:24:30.80
by those who are
taught and led of God
00:24:30.83\00:24:32.67
and so for some young people
God is actually calling them
00:24:32.70\00:24:35.87
to go into these campuses...
not to gain an education there
00:24:35.90\00:24:39.04
but to be a
missionary and to be a light.
00:24:39.07\00:24:41.48
A finally
Scripture that spoke to me
00:24:41.51\00:24:44.21
during this time at college
00:24:44.25\00:24:47.08
was Philippians
chapter 2 verses 2 through 15
00:24:47.12\00:24:50.32
and I'll invite you to
turn with me there as well.
00:24:50.35\00:24:53.02
Philippians chapter
2 verses 2 through 15.
00:24:53.05\00:24:55.86
Pause.
00:24:55.89\00:24:58.96
I'm sorry... not
2... verses 12 through 15.
00:24:58.99\00:25:01.86
so, Philippians
chapter 2 verses 12 through 15
00:25:01.90\00:25:05.60
and it reads this,
"Therefore, my beloved,
00:25:05.63\00:25:09.34
as you have always obeyed,
00:25:09.37\00:25:11.77
so now, not only
as in my presence,
00:25:11.81\00:25:14.84
but much more in my absence,
00:25:14.91\00:25:16.78
work out your own salvation
with fear and trembling;
00:25:16.85\00:25:20.65
for it is God who works in you
00:25:20.68\00:25:23.18
both too will and to
work for His good pleasure.
00:25:23.22\00:25:26.52
Do all things without
grumbling and questioning
00:25:26.55\00:25:29.82
that you may be blameless
and innocent, children of God
00:25:29.86\00:25:34.56
without blemish
00:25:34.63\00:25:35.96
in the midst of a
crooked and twisted generation,
00:25:36.00\00:25:39.40
among whom you shine
as lights in the world. "
00:25:39.43\00:25:43.61
The values of
excellence and missionary...
00:25:43.64\00:25:47.81
and a missionary mindset
00:25:47.84\00:25:49.18
are what drew me into Campus
Ministry while I was in college
00:25:49.21\00:25:52.01
and God used these values
00:25:52.05\00:25:54.12
in the community
that developed around them
00:25:54.15\00:25:56.08
to keep me from
wandering from the faith
00:25:56.12\00:25:58.02
that I had been raised in
00:25:58.05\00:25:59.59
and that I had made a
commitment to... as my own.
00:25:59.62\00:26:03.29
Turning back to the
fall of my freshman year,
00:26:03.32\00:26:06.43
the second thing
that I was introduced to
00:26:06.46\00:26:09.53
that changed my life was GYC.
00:26:09.56\00:26:11.33
Several young adults involved
with that campus ministry
00:26:11.37\00:26:14.87
were the founders of GYC.
00:26:14.90\00:26:17.01
Now, for those of
you who may not know...
00:26:17.04\00:26:19.47
GYC has... is...
are three letters
00:26:19.54\00:26:21.91
that have stood for many
different things over the years
00:26:21.94\00:26:24.68
ranging from the
General Youth Conference
00:26:24.71\00:26:26.78
to Generation
of Youth for Christ
00:26:26.82\00:26:28.55
to what it's called
now, Generation Youth Christ.
00:26:28.58\00:26:32.25
But regardless of the name,
00:26:32.29\00:26:34.29
the purpose of
GYC has been a place
00:26:34.32\00:26:36.29
for Seventh-day Adventist young
people to go... be together,
00:26:36.32\00:26:39.53
receive training
and encouragement
00:26:39.56\00:26:41.36
in their personal
relationship with Jesus
00:26:41.40\00:26:43.43
in teaching them how to be
faithful local church members
00:26:43.47\00:26:48.34
in active personal evangelists
00:26:48.40\00:26:50.37
in efforts to finish
the work in this generation.
00:26:50.41\00:26:52.87
But I didn't
know that back then...
00:26:52.91\00:26:56.14
I didn't even know
that the Founders of GYC
00:26:56.18\00:26:58.51
were the people I
was going to church with.
00:26:58.55\00:27:00.78
Somehow, I had stumbled
upon GYC's website that fall
00:27:00.82\00:27:04.79
and as I read the description,
00:27:04.82\00:27:06.79
their theme that year
was, "Higher than the Highest"
00:27:06.86\00:27:08.99
and it... it
spoke to that part of me
00:27:09.02\00:27:11.26
desired excellence for
myself and for those around me
00:27:11.29\00:27:14.50
and as I read the
description of what GYC...
00:27:14.56\00:27:16.77
and saw that was
going to be there
00:27:16.80\00:27:18.83
in Anne Arbor,
Michigan that fall,
00:27:18.87\00:27:20.87
I wanted to go.
00:27:20.90\00:27:22.84
I misunderstood, I think,
what they were saying on there,
00:27:22.90\00:27:26.11
I think they put the
cap of how many people
00:27:26.14\00:27:28.28
were going to be able to attend
00:27:28.31\00:27:30.01
and I thought that that meant
00:27:30.05\00:27:31.68
there was some sort of special
selective process to go to GYC
00:27:31.71\00:27:34.92
and I just hoped
so much that somehow
00:27:34.95\00:27:37.69
I could be chosen to go to
this wonderful place called GYC
00:27:37.75\00:27:41.22
only to find out that, no,
00:27:41.26\00:27:43.43
all I had to do was go and
register and I could participate
00:27:43.46\00:27:47.00
and my friends there at
church encouraged me to do so,
00:27:47.06\00:27:49.76
that Convention was the perfect
way to end that first semester
00:27:49.80\00:27:54.14
at a secular university.
00:27:54.17\00:27:55.50
It was like a
spiritual-boot-camp experience
00:27:55.54\00:27:58.01
where we were up before
dawn at morning devotionals
00:27:58.07\00:28:00.98
and up still way
past the evening...
00:28:01.04\00:28:03.68
or wait late
into the evening hours
00:28:03.71\00:28:06.31
listening to the
different Speakers present.
00:28:06.35\00:28:08.62
The messages were convicting
00:28:08.65\00:28:11.72
and they showed me that the
Seventh-day Adventist message
00:28:11.75\00:28:14.06
has an
intellectual integrity to it...
00:28:14.09\00:28:16.32
that we have no
reason to be ashamed about
00:28:16.36\00:28:18.56
even at one of the
world's most elite universities,
00:28:18.59\00:28:20.96
that I can hold my
head up high in confidence
00:28:21.00\00:28:23.77
that my faith is not just faith
00:28:23.80\00:28:26.10
but it makes
intellectual sense as well.
00:28:26.13\00:28:29.44
But the thing that
really impressed me there was
00:28:29.47\00:28:32.87
what I saw was young people
00:28:32.91\00:28:34.44
were the people
who were running GYC.
00:28:34.48\00:28:37.25
I was awed to see
that these young people...
00:28:37.28\00:28:40.15
individuals who
back then seemed old...
00:28:40.18\00:28:42.98
they were only three or
four years older than me...
00:28:43.02\00:28:44.82
so they were
probably 22 or 23 at the time
00:28:44.85\00:28:47.56
but they were doing
a mighty work for God.
00:28:47.59\00:28:50.23
I finally prayed at that
GYC that if He wanted me to...
00:28:50.26\00:28:54.90
if God wanted to
use me in such a way,
00:28:54.93\00:28:57.20
that I would be
willing to do that.
00:28:57.27\00:28:59.47
But I didn't really
think anything more of it.
00:28:59.50\00:29:02.24
Over the next few years, I
started to volunteer with GYC
00:29:02.27\00:29:06.34
in... in small ways...
00:29:06.37\00:29:07.91
I would sit in a Seminar
and press the "record" button
00:29:07.94\00:29:10.81
so that that recording could
get uploaded to the website,
00:29:10.85\00:29:13.65
eventually I was
invited to work on a committee
00:29:13.68\00:29:16.45
where we developed the
printed resources for GYC.
00:29:16.48\00:29:19.19
But it still came as a complete
shock and it was very humbling
00:29:19.22\00:29:23.26
when I received a call
from GYC's Board of Directors
00:29:23.29\00:29:26.19
to go and serve on
their Executive Committee.
00:29:26.26\00:29:28.56
First as the
Secretary for the Organization
00:29:28.60\00:29:31.07
and later on as the
General Vice President.
00:29:31.13\00:29:34.30
I ultimately agreed
to take on that role
00:29:34.34\00:29:37.47
but did not know what leadership
at that level was going...
00:29:37.51\00:29:42.01
what impact it was
going to have on my life.
00:29:42.04\00:29:45.18
Having been
intimately involved with GYC
00:29:45.21\00:29:48.32
for the better part of a decade,
00:29:48.35\00:29:50.59
I've tried to think
about what makes GYC... GYC.
00:29:50.62\00:29:53.96
People often
think that it's unique
00:29:53.99\00:29:56.42
and it's cutting edge ministry
00:29:56.46\00:29:58.33
that's supporting the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:29:58.36\00:30:01.40
and GYC's main work is
to host annual Conventions
00:30:01.43\00:30:04.23
here in North America
00:30:04.27\00:30:05.60
and those Conventions
tend to draw on four values...
00:30:05.63\00:30:08.97
I'm sorry... those
Conventions tend to draw
00:30:09.00\00:30:11.11
an international attendance.
00:30:11.14\00:30:12.91
But what does GYC do to continue
to garner this reputation?
00:30:12.94\00:30:17.08
And I believe that
four values have led GYC
00:30:17.11\00:30:19.58
to have the influence that
it does today on the church.
00:30:19.61\00:30:23.39
First of all, as
I indicated before,
00:30:23.42\00:30:26.09
the thing that drew
me in the first place
00:30:26.12\00:30:28.02
is that it is youth-led.
00:30:28.06\00:30:29.46
Fundamental to GYC is the
idea that the youth are capable
00:30:29.52\00:30:33.29
of serving other youth
00:30:33.33\00:30:34.96
of reaching their peers both
inside and outside the Church.
00:30:35.03\00:30:38.87
This does not mean that GYC
rejects the idea of mentorship
00:30:38.90\00:30:42.74
or guidance or
leadership from older adults.
00:30:42.77\00:30:45.37
Quite the contrary...
00:30:45.41\00:30:47.98
in order to help young
adults become more effective
00:30:48.04\00:30:50.71
in ministering to their peers,
00:30:50.75\00:30:52.08
such involvement
is not just necessary
00:30:52.11\00:30:54.45
but also desired on the part of
young people all over the world.
00:30:54.48\00:30:58.05
What GYC emphasizes though
00:30:58.09\00:31:00.69
is that the youth are
to take an active role
00:31:00.72\00:31:03.63
to feel a deep sense
of duty and responsibility
00:31:03.66\00:31:06.49
to their involvement in the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:31:06.53\00:31:09.33
from their local church level
00:31:09.36\00:31:11.37
all the way up to
the General Conference
00:31:11.40\00:31:13.30
and every level in between.
00:31:13.34\00:31:15.47
Young people started the
Seventh-day Adventist Movement
00:31:15.50\00:31:18.71
and we have
prophetic understanding
00:31:18.74\00:31:20.44
that the youth
will play a pivotal role
00:31:20.48\00:31:22.18
at this time in earth's history.
00:31:22.21\00:31:23.68
Pause.
00:31:23.71\00:31:25.28
God does not want to see those
who are in the prime of life
00:31:25.31\00:31:27.88
simply sitting...
idly sitting by...
00:31:27.95\00:31:31.12
He wants young
adults actively involved
00:31:31.15\00:31:32.62
recruiting their
peers to the mission.
00:31:32.65\00:31:34.09
Audience: Amen.
00:31:34.12\00:31:35.46
The other thing that
has drawn people, I believe,
00:31:35.49\00:31:37.46
is the sense of volunteerism...
of sacrifice and commitment.
00:31:37.49\00:31:42.20
Sacrifice and
commitment have characterized
00:31:42.23\00:31:45.07
the type of dedication
to those involved with GYC
00:31:45.10\00:31:47.60
from the very beginning.
00:31:47.64\00:31:49.14
Every year the
Convention Centers hosting GYC
00:31:49.17\00:31:52.44
are amazed at the Organization
00:31:52.47\00:31:54.68
holding an event
of this magnitude
00:31:54.71\00:31:56.44
is run 100% by volunteers...
00:31:56.48\00:31:58.81
I should say, 100%
with one part-time employee.
00:31:58.85\00:32:02.32
Volunteerism though is
often coming at a great cost
00:32:02.35\00:32:05.72
and it emphasizes that our
involvement with the movement
00:32:05.75\00:32:08.79
is not for monetary gain
or even for building a resume
00:32:08.82\00:32:11.86
but for rewards
which are intangible
00:32:11.89\00:32:14.36
yet real and profound.
00:32:14.40\00:32:16.20
The fact of the matter is
that no one has to be at GYC.
00:32:16.23\00:32:19.90
There's no employment contract,
00:32:19.93\00:32:22.07
there's no paycheck
to entice participation,
00:32:22.10\00:32:25.81
instead, members of
the Executive Committee...
00:32:25.84\00:32:28.78
volunteers... all the
way up to the President
00:32:28.81\00:32:31.68
pay out of their own
pockets to participate in GYC
00:32:31.71\00:32:35.25
to attend it...
to travel to it...
00:32:35.28\00:32:37.35
to purchase the
meals and to do everything.
00:32:37.39\00:32:39.65
Attendees and
volunteers throughout
00:32:39.69\00:32:42.06
make even more
significant sacrifices
00:32:42.09\00:32:44.39
to further the cause each year
00:32:44.46\00:32:46.13
besides those that are necessary
to attend the annual Convention
00:32:46.16\00:32:49.36
and all of
this... because at GYC,
00:32:49.40\00:32:51.77
the question is
not, "What can I get?"
00:32:51.83\00:32:54.17
but "What can I give?"
00:32:54.20\00:32:55.97
Audience: Amen.
00:32:56.00\00:32:57.64
GYC is also a
grassroots movement.
00:32:57.67\00:33:00.38
The simple idea
of youth leadership
00:33:00.44\00:33:03.08
exhibited through volunteerism
and sacrifice and commitment,
00:33:03.11\00:33:06.68
is incredibly sticky... and
it's demonstrated broad appeal
00:33:06.72\00:33:09.65
at the ground levels of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:33:09.68\00:33:12.59
GYC is more than
an annual Conference,
00:33:12.62\00:33:15.92
it's a grassroots movement
00:33:15.99\00:33:18.29
with manifestations that
have appeared all over the world
00:33:18.33\00:33:21.13
and beyond GYC doing anything
00:33:21.16\00:33:23.30
in order to try to
see these things happening
00:33:23.33\00:33:25.30
all over the world.
00:33:25.33\00:33:28.47
GYC's own leadership...
the Executive Committee
00:33:28.50\00:33:30.81
which I no longer sit
on but my husband does
00:33:30.84\00:33:33.07
inspires that... and
they're intensely grassroots.
00:33:33.11\00:33:36.38
All of them are either
students, young professionals
00:33:36.41\00:33:39.65
or local church pastors
00:33:39.68\00:33:41.28
all taken from the
grassroots level of our church.
00:33:41.32\00:33:44.29
As a result, GYC is able
to tailor its programming
00:33:44.32\00:33:47.22
at the annual Convention and
activities throughout the year
00:33:47.26\00:33:49.92
to the needs that they
know are real in the church
00:33:49.99\00:33:52.69
because they are involved
00:33:52.73\00:33:54.40
with those parts of
the church themselves
00:33:54.43\00:33:56.26
because that's
where they're living.
00:33:56.30\00:33:57.80
Pause.
00:33:57.83\00:33:59.17
Finally, GYC values diversity.
00:33:59.20\00:34:00.84
The grassroots appeal
of GYC has not been limited
00:34:00.87\00:34:04.41
to one-people group
or even one country,
00:34:04.44\00:34:06.54
one of the marks
that distinguishes GYC
00:34:06.57\00:34:09.34
is that it transcends
racial and ethnic barriers
00:34:09.38\00:34:12.05
and is embraced by people
00:34:12.08\00:34:13.45
from many different
walks of life in the church
00:34:13.48\00:34:15.82
and the diversity is not
just limited to cultural.
00:34:15.85\00:34:18.15
There are people from vastly
00:34:18.19\00:34:20.16
different
socio-economic backgrounds
00:34:20.22\00:34:22.09
who identify with GYC.
00:34:22.12\00:34:23.86
There are also
people in this day and age
00:34:23.93\00:34:26.66
with a variety of
political opinions
00:34:26.70\00:34:28.70
from the far
right to the far left
00:34:28.73\00:34:30.67
that are espoused
with those who are espouse
00:34:30.70\00:34:32.90
what's called
the "spirit of GYC."
00:34:32.93\00:34:34.97
But what brings people together
00:34:35.00\00:34:36.91
from all these
different walks of life
00:34:36.94\00:34:38.64
is a commitment
to our Lord Jesus
00:34:38.67\00:34:41.54
and an acknowledgement
that that commitment to Him
00:34:41.58\00:34:44.21
takes preeminence over every
other identity in our lives.
00:34:44.25\00:34:48.02
The beauty of
diversity that results
00:34:48.05\00:34:50.19
from this type
of common commitment
00:34:50.22\00:34:52.29
to a higher cause is
that it's not artificial
00:34:52.32\00:34:54.96
as many diversity
programs in different workplaces
00:34:54.99\00:34:57.86
or academic
institutions tend to be
00:34:57.89\00:35:00.40
rather it results naturally
00:35:00.43\00:35:03.06
and while coming in contact
with others may challenge us...
00:35:03.10\00:35:06.37
sometimes to our cores,
00:35:06.40\00:35:07.80
it makes us stronger as
individuals as well as a church.
00:35:07.94\00:35:12.11
So, being on the Leadership
Team of an Organization
00:35:12.14\00:35:16.24
that holds such values
was thrilling to be sure...
00:35:16.31\00:35:18.65
but as I reflect
at my time at GYC
00:35:18.68\00:35:22.85
and how that experience God
used to keep me in the church,
00:35:22.88\00:35:26.59
it was not necessarily
any one of those values
00:35:26.62\00:35:29.59
that God was using,
00:35:29.62\00:35:30.96
rather, it was a
principle on Scripture
00:35:30.99\00:35:33.40
that continues to astound me.
00:35:33.43\00:35:35.53
Turn with me...
you should still...
00:35:35.56\00:35:36.97
you should be in Philippians,
00:35:37.00\00:35:38.33
let's go to Philippians
chapter 3, verses 12 through 17.
00:35:38.37\00:35:41.30
Philippians
chapter 3 verses 12 to 17.
00:35:41.34\00:35:45.31
Not that I have
already obtained this,
00:35:45.34\00:35:49.28
or am already perfect,
00:35:49.31\00:35:51.81
but I press on to make it my own
00:35:51.85\00:35:55.15
because Christ
Jesus has made me His own.
00:35:55.18\00:35:58.29
Brothers, I do not consider
that I have made it my own.
00:35:58.32\00:36:01.66
But one thing I do:
Forgetting what lies behind
00:36:01.69\00:36:05.03
and straining
forward to what lies ahead,
00:36:05.09\00:36:07.80
I press on toward the goal
for the prize of the upward call
00:36:07.86\00:36:11.77
in Christ Jesus.
00:36:11.80\00:36:13.13
Let those of us who
are mature think this way,
00:36:13.17\00:36:16.64
and if in anything
you think otherwise,
00:36:16.67\00:36:19.04
God will reveal
that also to you.
00:36:19.07\00:36:21.24
Only let us hold true
to what we have attained.
00:36:21.28\00:36:24.55
Brothers, join in imitating
me, and keep your eyes on those
00:36:24.58\00:36:29.18
who walk according to the
example you have in us. " ESV
00:36:29.22\00:36:33.62
It's especially that last
verse that just amazes me.
00:36:33.66\00:36:37.96
Paul is telling the church
in Philippi to imitate him
00:36:37.99\00:36:42.26
and to watch those
00:36:42.33\00:36:43.67
who walk according to
the example that He gave.
00:36:43.70\00:36:46.60
Now, we know that that's okay
00:36:46.63\00:36:48.47
because we know he's pressing
toward the goal of the prize
00:36:48.50\00:36:51.27
of the upward call of God
00:36:51.31\00:36:53.38
but it continues to baffle
me that Paul had such confidence
00:36:53.41\00:36:58.21
in his relationship with Jesus
00:36:58.28\00:36:59.88
and the influence it
was having in his life
00:36:59.91\00:37:02.82
that he could call on
other people to watch him
00:37:02.88\00:37:05.72
as a person to imitate
because he was imitating Christ
00:37:05.75\00:37:09.39
and yet, it's exactly this
00:37:09.42\00:37:12.49
that ends up being one
of the biggest pressures
00:37:12.56\00:37:14.60
for young people who are
put in a leadership position
00:37:14.66\00:37:16.83
particularly at GYC
00:37:16.87\00:37:18.80
but I believe anywhere
where young people are called
00:37:18.83\00:37:20.77
to be leaders
00:37:20.80\00:37:22.14
especially in this day and age
where so much of young people's
00:37:22.17\00:37:25.34
lives are lived online
00:37:25.37\00:37:26.71
in pictures and in
posts from Social Media
00:37:26.74\00:37:29.31
and all of a sudden, in
their faithfulness to God
00:37:29.34\00:37:32.75
and in their
desire to humbly serve,
00:37:32.81\00:37:34.58
they're thrust
into a position where...
00:37:34.62\00:37:36.55
do you notice...
even on their own,
00:37:36.58\00:37:38.45
they're made maybe
even a mini celebrity.
00:37:38.49\00:37:40.89
This is not a
position that is enviable...
00:37:40.92\00:37:43.32
it's not one that they desired
00:37:43.36\00:37:44.69
but yet in this position
where there's this new pressure,
00:37:44.73\00:37:48.36
they're called upon to be the
same type of person as Paul...
00:37:48.40\00:37:50.93
to be a person who
is worthy to imitate
00:37:50.97\00:37:53.97
because they are following
Christ in His upward call.
00:37:54.00\00:37:56.54
Now I will tell you,
00:37:56.57\00:37:58.67
this has been a challenge
for many a young person
00:37:58.71\00:38:00.74
who's gone through
the leadership at GYC
00:38:00.78\00:38:03.45
and so I know, many
of you here know GYC,
00:38:03.48\00:38:06.05
I know many of
you here love GYC,
00:38:06.08\00:38:08.58
I know many of you here
send your children to GYC
00:38:08.62\00:38:11.35
and if all of these
things are true for you
00:38:11.39\00:38:13.89
then I just want to take a
moment and ask that you pray
00:38:13.96\00:38:16.02
for the young
people who are leading GYC.
00:38:16.06\00:38:17.79
Audience: Amen.
00:38:17.83\00:38:19.26
They really are the
Leadership, they need your help,
00:38:19.29\00:38:22.23
they need your prayers
00:38:22.26\00:38:23.60
that they too can be faithful
to the upward call of Jesus
00:38:23.63\00:38:26.87
so that that pressure
is not pressure at all...
00:38:26.90\00:38:29.50
but that they're
truly living those lives
00:38:29.57\00:38:31.54
that are worthy of imitation
00:38:31.57\00:38:32.91
because they are
imitating Christ.
00:38:32.94\00:38:34.88
I think this pressure too...
00:38:34.91\00:38:38.01
as did my contemporaries
in GYC's Leadership,
00:38:38.05\00:38:40.75
but I realize that more than
just the sermons we've heard
00:38:40.82\00:38:44.82
at the annual Convention
00:38:44.85\00:38:46.19
and even listening to sermons on
preparation for the Convention
00:38:46.22\00:38:48.92
to choose Speakers,
00:38:48.99\00:38:50.33
more than the values of
the... the spirit of GYC...
00:38:50.36\00:38:53.53
the way God used
you as He did to keep me
00:38:53.56\00:38:56.20
was through the community
that I'd built in my life.
00:38:56.23\00:38:58.87
By the time I was
on GYC's Leadership,
00:38:58.90\00:39:01.10
I'd graduated from
the University of Michigan
00:39:01.14\00:39:03.27
and moved to
Charlottesville, Virginia
00:39:03.30\00:39:05.07
to earn my Law Degree at
the University of Virginia,
00:39:05.11\00:39:07.48
I was now isolated from friends
and family several States away
00:39:07.51\00:39:11.75
and while I would
describe my college years
00:39:11.78\00:39:15.08
as a golden experience
both in life and in ministry,
00:39:15.12\00:39:17.95
I felt like I was
walking on clouds.
00:39:17.99\00:39:19.82
My graduate studies were
00:39:19.85\00:39:22.06
definitely not of
the same character
00:39:22.09\00:39:24.13
and I am convinced
that if I had been there
00:39:24.16\00:39:27.26
all alone... truly all alone...
00:39:27.30\00:39:28.90
without any accountability...
without any community...
00:39:28.93\00:39:32.53
that I... that is the point
00:39:32.57\00:39:34.17
where I could have been
lost in my Christian walk
00:39:34.20\00:39:36.67
but I praise the Lord
that for whatever reason
00:39:36.71\00:39:39.14
He saw fit to use me... to
call me to work with GYC...
00:39:39.17\00:39:43.14
and that in doing so, He gave
me some authentic friendships
00:39:43.18\00:39:46.35
that called me
to accountability...
00:39:46.38\00:39:49.12
that kept me faithful...
00:39:49.15\00:39:50.49
that helped me to remember
00:39:50.52\00:39:51.85
that I needed to
keep my eyes on Jesus,
00:39:51.89\00:39:53.62
because other young
people were watching me.
00:39:53.66\00:39:55.72
Every time that we would
have a Leadership Retreat
00:39:55.76\00:39:59.76
or some event that
we would have to go to,
00:39:59.79\00:40:01.70
we'd go kicking
and screaming thinking,
00:40:01.76\00:40:03.57
"This is taking me away from
what I'm supposed to do... "
00:40:03.63\00:40:05.93
only to then to
leave that Retreat
00:40:05.97\00:40:07.67
realizing and remembering
00:40:07.70\00:40:09.24
that I needed to seek
first God and His kingdom.
00:40:09.27\00:40:12.21
I realize I've said
a lot in all of this,
00:40:12.24\00:40:16.31
but the reason why I
have said all of this
00:40:16.34\00:40:20.32
and the reason why many of
my friends as well as myself
00:40:20.35\00:40:24.02
are still in the
Seventh-day Adventist Church...
00:40:24.05\00:40:25.55
it simply comes down to this,
00:40:25.59\00:40:27.62
it's because of
the power of influence.
00:40:27.66\00:40:30.26
The influence of those
a few years older than us
00:40:30.29\00:40:33.86
and that they had on our lives,
00:40:33.90\00:40:35.63
the influence that
we had on each other,
00:40:35.66\00:40:38.47
the influence that resulted from
the commitment to excellence,
00:40:38.50\00:40:42.04
a missionary mind-set...
00:40:42.07\00:40:44.14
a sense of
ownership of our church,
00:40:44.17\00:40:46.68
sacrifice and commitment,
00:40:46.71\00:40:48.61
being involved at the
grassroots level of our church
00:40:48.64\00:40:51.58
and embracing diversity
00:40:51.61\00:40:53.38
and because of the Community
that God helped us build
00:40:53.42\00:40:57.19
and because of the
influence that we have...
00:40:57.22\00:41:00.36
had on each other, I
have seen the world change.
00:41:00.39\00:41:03.63
I've seen secular friends
give their hearts to Jesus
00:41:03.69\00:41:06.90
and become
Seventh-day Adventists
00:41:06.93\00:41:08.46
and I have seen wayward
Seventh-day Adventist youth
00:41:08.50\00:41:11.27
come back into the
church and become active.
00:41:11.33\00:41:13.54
I've seen local
churches rejuvenated
00:41:13.57\00:41:16.24
by active
participation of young adults
00:41:16.27\00:41:18.27
and I have seen Millennials
taking ownership interest
00:41:18.31\00:41:21.44
in their church
all over the world
00:41:21.51\00:41:24.18
and I've seen the
church take notice of them too
00:41:24.21\00:41:27.18
and respond to their needs.
00:41:27.22\00:41:29.08
Once again, I don't
know what I'm doing here...
00:41:29.12\00:41:33.39
I pray that something that
I shared with you this morning
00:41:33.42\00:41:36.26
was helpful to somebody here
00:41:36.29\00:41:38.36
but I trust once again
that God knows what He is doing
00:41:38.39\00:41:41.60
and that He did call me
to share these experiences
00:41:41.66\00:41:44.60
for some reason.
00:41:44.63\00:41:46.63
I'm going to make three
simple appeals right now,
00:41:46.67\00:41:48.70
listen very
carefully to each of the three
00:41:48.74\00:41:50.91
and at the very end,
00:41:50.94\00:41:52.27
if any of them
seem to apply to you,
00:41:52.31\00:41:54.08
I'll invite you to
stand with me as I pray.
00:41:54.14\00:41:56.54
The first one is this,
00:41:56.58\00:41:58.65
you sense that though
you've been an Adventist
00:41:58.68\00:42:01.45
for your whole life...
00:42:01.48\00:42:02.82
or for a long time...
00:42:02.85\00:42:04.19
that you've been
tempted to wander away,
00:42:04.22\00:42:07.42
the words to that hymn
speak too true to your heart...
00:42:07.46\00:42:10.83
"Prone to
wander, Lord, I feel it,
00:42:10.89\00:42:12.76
Prone to leave
the God I love... "
00:42:12.79\00:42:14.60
but today you want to say,
00:42:14.63\00:42:16.16
"Here's my heart,
Lord, take and seal it,
00:42:16.23\00:42:18.73
Seal it for Thy courts above. "
00:42:18.80\00:42:20.54
You want to say,
00:42:20.57\00:42:21.90
"Lord, I know you
can work in my life
00:42:21.94\00:42:24.04
and you can use me without
me ever having to go anywhere
00:42:24.07\00:42:27.44
and I pray that
you do that today.
00:42:27.48\00:42:30.28
Second, you know
God is calling you
00:42:30.31\00:42:33.05
to a special and
unique type of ministry,
00:42:33.08\00:42:35.25
calling you to be
a light in the world,
00:42:35.28\00:42:37.35
even if it's not in
traditional forms of ministry
00:42:37.39\00:42:40.36
or mission work.
00:42:40.39\00:42:41.92
Now, I said this
at the beginning,
00:42:41.99\00:42:43.63
I'm a Millennial...
00:42:43.66\00:42:45.26
I do spend my own fair
share of time on social media
00:42:45.29\00:42:47.76
and one of the
things I love to do
00:42:47.80\00:42:49.16
is watch these
short little videos
00:42:49.20\00:42:51.30
where they show
people preparing food
00:42:51.33\00:42:53.44
and what I wonder is this,
00:42:53.47\00:42:56.17
where are the
creative Seventh-day Adventists
00:42:56.20\00:42:59.11
making this type of video
00:42:59.17\00:43:01.14
that can also be a
hook into our message
00:43:01.18\00:43:03.85
to bring people into the church?
00:43:03.88\00:43:05.58
I know there are Seventh-day
Adventist young people out there
00:43:05.61\00:43:08.52
and Seventh-day
Adventist older people out there
00:43:08.55\00:43:10.29
who have the creative ability
who God can use to do this.
00:43:10.32\00:43:13.62
Maybe it's not specifically that
00:43:13.66\00:43:15.52
but you know God
has been calling you
00:43:15.56\00:43:17.13
to some sort of
unique or special ministry...
00:43:17.16\00:43:19.23
you didn't know when to start,
00:43:19.29\00:43:21.06
where to
start... how to start...
00:43:21.10\00:43:23.03
but you know that you want to
00:43:23.06\00:43:24.93
and if that's the
commitment that you make,
00:43:24.97\00:43:26.47
in a moment, I'm going to
ask you to stand up as well
00:43:26.53\00:43:29.14
and finally, you sense that
00:43:29.17\00:43:32.44
maybe you've had a
golden age of ministry
00:43:32.47\00:43:34.74
or your if your
spiritual-walk experience
00:43:34.78\00:43:37.01
and life has happened
00:43:37.05\00:43:38.78
and maybe that's not
what it is today anymore
00:43:38.81\00:43:40.88
but you know that
you need a community
00:43:40.92\00:43:43.89
to help you to continue to
live up to the highest standards
00:43:43.92\00:43:47.26
and ambitions for the Lord
that you want to have lived
00:43:47.29\00:43:50.03
and you want to say to the Lord,
00:43:50.06\00:43:52.09
"Lord, I don't just want to
be a part of that community,
00:43:52.13\00:43:55.00
I want to help make
that type of community
00:43:55.06\00:43:57.33
in my home... in
my local church...
00:43:57.37\00:43:59.57
in my field... in my
sphere of influence. "
00:43:59.60\00:44:01.94
So, if any of those
three things apply to you,
00:44:01.97\00:44:04.27
I ask that you stand with
me and we'll close in prayer.
00:44:04.31\00:44:06.98
People standing...
00:44:07.01\00:44:10.51
Let's pray.
00:44:10.55\00:44:12.75
Pause.
00:44:12.78\00:44:14.72
"Dear Lord, we're so blessed
by the way that You take care
00:44:14.75\00:44:18.65
of each and
every one of us Father,
00:44:18.69\00:44:21.49
we know that even
if we don't think that
00:44:21.52\00:44:24.86
it's sensational or
flashy or an adventure story,
00:44:24.89\00:44:28.36
that You've given each and
every one of us a testimony
00:44:28.40\00:44:31.30
and Father, I pray
that You just bring that
00:44:31.33\00:44:34.07
to
every-person-here's remembrance
00:44:34.10\00:44:35.67
as well as mine, Lord,
00:44:35.70\00:44:37.04
that You truly have
worked in each of our lives.
00:44:37.07\00:44:39.07
Father, I pray for
those who feel that...
00:44:39.11\00:44:42.78
do they really have
anything to offer the church
00:44:42.81\00:44:44.95
if they've been
here the whole time,
00:44:44.98\00:44:46.41
please Father, show them
00:44:46.45\00:44:48.38
that they can
continue to be faithful to You
00:44:48.42\00:44:50.69
and that You can use
them in a mighty way.
00:44:50.72\00:44:52.92
Lord, we live in changing
times and changing places
00:44:52.95\00:44:56.22
but we know Your
gospel is ever green and true,
00:44:56.26\00:44:59.49
we pray that You
would help us, Lord,
00:44:59.56\00:45:01.70
to find the
different ways to engage people
00:45:01.73\00:45:04.50
into this climate, Lord,
00:45:04.53\00:45:06.40
with the age-old
truth that You've given us,
00:45:06.43\00:45:08.54
whether that's different
creative forms of ministry
00:45:08.57\00:45:10.97
as well as being
faithful to the things
00:45:11.01\00:45:12.87
that we know have
worked in times past
00:45:12.91\00:45:14.71
and finally, Lord, I know
there are people here today
00:45:14.74\00:45:17.75
who are hearing Thy voice
who want to be faithful to You,
00:45:17.81\00:45:20.78
who want to
continue to serve You,
00:45:20.82\00:45:22.68
who may even
have wonderful stories
00:45:22.75\00:45:24.55
from their own past
account about what You did
00:45:24.59\00:45:26.79
but they feel like they're
struggling a little bit Lord,
00:45:26.82\00:45:29.39
that they're lonely and
that they don't have community
00:45:29.42\00:45:32.26
Father, I pray that You
would give them that community
00:45:32.29\00:45:34.70
that they need...
00:45:34.73\00:45:36.06
that You would also help
them to be community builders.
00:45:36.10\00:45:38.20
Father, just continue
to be with each of us,
00:45:38.23\00:45:41.27
we long to go home,
Lord, we long to see You soon,
00:45:41.30\00:45:44.47
and so we pray, Father,
00:45:44.51\00:45:46.11
that You do
everything in our lives,
00:45:46.14\00:45:49.01
that You help us to
be faithful to You, Lord,
00:45:49.04\00:45:51.31
that we truly can be
lights in this world,
00:45:51.35\00:45:53.62
that we would
seek first Your kingdom
00:45:53.65\00:45:55.58
and that, as a result,
00:45:55.62\00:45:56.95
we would see
Jesus coming very soon,
00:45:56.99\00:45:58.72
we thank You Father
00:45:58.75\00:46:00.32
and we ask all of these
things in Jesus' name, amen. "
00:46:00.36\00:46:03.63
Music.
00:46:03.66\00:46:11.33
Piano...
00:46:11.37\00:46:18.81
more piano...
00:46:18.87\00:46:25.01
Nearer, still nearer,
00:46:25.05\00:46:31.12
close to Thy heart,
00:46:31.15\00:46:37.79
Draw me, my Savior...
00:46:37.86\00:46:45.23
so precious Thou art!
00:46:45.27\00:46:52.61
Shelter me safe
00:46:52.64\00:46:59.58
in that "haven of rest",
00:46:59.61\00:47:05.69
Shelter me safe
00:47:05.72\00:47:10.26
in that "haven of rest;"
00:47:10.29\00:47:19.10
Shelter me safe
00:47:19.13\00:47:24.91
in that
00:47:24.94\00:47:28.64
"haven of rest. "
00:47:28.68\00:47:37.35
Piano...
00:47:37.39\00:47:44.76
Nearer, still nearer,
00:47:44.79\00:47:50.83
nothing I bring,
00:47:50.87\00:47:55.54
Naught as an offering
00:47:55.57\00:48:01.71
to Jesus, my King;
00:48:01.74\00:48:07.92
Only my sinful,
00:48:07.95\00:48:14.06
now contrite heart,
00:48:14.09\00:48:19.69
Grant me the cleansing
00:48:19.73\00:48:25.73
Thy blood doth impart;
00:48:25.77\00:48:32.47
Grant me the cleansing
00:48:32.51\00:48:40.45
Thy blood doth impart.
00:48:40.48\00:48:48.39
Piano...
00:48:48.42\00:48:58.40
Nearer, still nearer,
00:48:58.43\00:49:03.20
while life shall last,
00:49:03.27\00:49:08.21
Till safe in glory
00:49:08.24\00:49:13.52
my anchor is cast;
00:49:13.55\00:49:18.92
Through endless ages
00:49:18.95\00:49:24.29
ever to be
00:49:24.33\00:49:30.53
Nearer, my Savior,
00:49:30.57\00:49:37.07
still nearer to Thee;
00:49:37.11\00:49:44.81
Nearer, my Savior,
00:49:44.88\00:49:52.55
still nearer
00:49:52.59\00:49:58.33
to Thee!
00:49:58.36\00:50:04.07
Nearer, my Savior,
00:50:04.10\00:50:13.07
Still nearer
00:50:13.11\00:50:21.25
to Thee!
00:50:21.28\00:50:27.86
Music...
00:50:27.89\00:50:34.43