by Garrett Smith
Oscar & Bobo are two from the Westside who have decided to surrender. Jesus uses the word "repent" which in modern language means to stop and to turn in a new direction. Or in the words of Christian rapper Flame, to "throw out your white flag." To give up on trying to control life and have things your way and do as you wish. In other words, to walk away from always caring about yourself and turning towards something bigger than you.
These boys were in Northern Ireland for 17 days this summer (9 of which I was able to join them) and they came back walking in a different direction. God used dozens of His Irish followers to powerfully impact them and convict them of their sin, leaving an eternal mark on them.
We had an amazing time on the other side of the world! We sat and watched breathtaking sunsets with Irish cliff's falling off into the ocean on the horizon. We spent 5 days with the craziest Christian summer camp imagineable. We wore soccer and rugby jerseys and ate french fries smothered in vinegar. We laughed and cried and struggled to understand the slang.
But what I want you to hear is how two boys came home changed; two boys who know of no one in their family who has ever submitted their life to Jesus Christ; two boys who have chosen to go against the entire flow of everything they have ever known.
They have made history.
A type of history that has the potential to impact their family and their neighborhood and beyond for all of eternity.
This trip made history in so many ways. But, just one more must be mentioned. In the weeks that have followed Oscar has been a different man. He has been sharing the gospel with people who come into our home and studying the scriptures with a sense of urgency. This has drawn the attention of his mother, who Oscar has not been fond of in the past. He has watched her make poor decisions but not really felt for her tough circumstances. Well, Oscar started to love her and his mother questioned what had happened in Oscar's life. She wants what she sees in her son.
These boys were in Northern Ireland for 17 days this summer (9 of which I was able to join them) and they came back walking in a different direction. God used dozens of His Irish followers to powerfully impact them and convict them of their sin, leaving an eternal mark on them.
We had an amazing time on the other side of the world! We sat and watched breathtaking sunsets with Irish cliff's falling off into the ocean on the horizon. We spent 5 days with the craziest Christian summer camp imagineable. We wore soccer and rugby jerseys and ate french fries smothered in vinegar. We laughed and cried and struggled to understand the slang.
But what I want you to hear is how two boys came home changed; two boys who know of no one in their family who has ever submitted their life to Jesus Christ; two boys who have chosen to go against the entire flow of everything they have ever known.
They have made history.
A type of history that has the potential to impact their family and their neighborhood and beyond for all of eternity.
This trip made history in so many ways. But, just one more must be mentioned. In the weeks that have followed Oscar has been a different man. He has been sharing the gospel with people who come into our home and studying the scriptures with a sense of urgency. This has drawn the attention of his mother, who Oscar has not been fond of in the past. He has watched her make poor decisions but not really felt for her tough circumstances. Well, Oscar started to love her and his mother questioned what had happened in Oscar's life. She wants what she sees in her son.
