I can't believe the first week of classes is over! Yesterday was so amazing! We met at 8am and had worship lead by 3 of our guys. We didn't finish class until almost 3pm! We normally would retire at 12:30 for lunch, but God had other plans. Carole, who has just received the gift of prophecy this week, was up praying late again with 2 other girls from our group. As she prayed, they wrote on the board gifts/abilities that God was showing her that each of us had received. We had this great time of commissioning our gifts and they were spoken over us in both Spanish and English. The following were spoken over me: clarity, loved by God, and faithful.At the beginning of our time together, Carole came and sat down by me, and asked if she could share something with me. I said yes, of course, and she proceeded to tell me that there was a lot of confusion in my life. Guess what, she was right on. Yesterday and a few days this week, I was thinking, " why am I here"? It felt like my mind was being invaded, and all the things I knew and believed were being questioned.I've wanted to do something like this since I returned from Spain in 2002. Additionally, God had obviously ordered my steps so intricately to get me here and had provided more than enough funds to take care of me during this training, So why am I doubting His plans, His ways? No doubt, it's the enemy and his legions trying to distract me from the awesome things God wants to do in me and through our team.
The staff here have never seen a DTS (Discipleship Training Class) quite like ours. God has been moving in our hearts, tearing down idols and breaking us, and healing us incredibly all in such a short time.We have only received about a lecture and a half that was planned by staff this week, because God just told them to step out of the way.Yesterday was beyond words. The guys were commissioned first and our leader Toni, told them that they were our shield, our brothers, and they were going to help heal wounds in us that were from our childhood. They were going also be like our fathers, and love us deeply while we are here. As Toni was speaking, 2 girls started weeping and they were crying hard and loud, in a matter of a few minutes. Before long, several girls, including me, were crying, but I was crying because of the other girls pain.We all have hurts from our past, and Toni was being used bu\y God to just bring some healing to those wounds. I was hugging girls and praying for them as they cried. But it didn't take me long to cry about some of my past hurts, and Toni came up behind me and prayed for me. He prayed that I am accepted by God, just as I am, that I am beautiful, and many other things that I can't remember, but my heart can. He also told the guys on our team to come give us hugs, and just affirm us. So when I turned around, I just embraced him and he embraced me as well. He held onto me so tight, and I could truly feel God's love affirming me and healing me. I cried hard, and Toni didn't let go. I am just amazed at what God did with many of us, and how brave our young guys are. We prayed for them, that they would be brave warriors, and be leaders. The girls all got in a circle, and they surrounded us, and prayed over us.WOW, heh( we have several young people from Canada on our team so I'm saying "heh" more and more)?
God wasn't finished yet. One of our young girls, I believe she is 18, was crying so hard, she eventually was on the floor. Then, she started to move very abruptly, and aggressively. I am pretty sure she was being possessed by an evil spirit, and that the demon was throwing her around. I talked with another staff member, and he said that she was possessed by a demon as well. We prayed that evil spirit right out of her, and in several minutes, she was calm, and a few ladies were holding her, and continued to pray over her. As a side note, I believe that no one truly in Christ can be inhabited by a demon. Anyone possessed by demon cannot say Jesus is Lord. The Bible is clear about this & here are a few scriptures to back this up. Ephesians 1:13 says ," having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit". If God's "seals your salvation", ain't nobody getting you from Him ( bad grammer, I know)! John 10:28 says, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. I ran and grabbed my Bible, but I can't seem to find the other verse I wanted to share. I will post it later. I also wanted to say that I may be wrong about whether or not this girl was actually demon possessed, so please don't think I'm "sister super Christian" as Joyce Meyer says, and that I think I'm all that. I just call it like I see it. Praise the LORD, nonetheless, for so much healing and deliverance in our group. We also prayed over the staff and commissioned them with the gifts they received. We sang some more, and started dancing in a train around the room. Be assured, The kingdom of darkness was not celebrating as we were. Yesterdays score: God 1, Then Enemy 0. Alleluia!!!! ( And yes, we finally ate our cold lunch at 3pm!!)
Last night was more relaxed. We had a graduation ceremony for our Bible Core Class students and some praise and worship. That's one thing I love about this place: someone is always praising God. Pretty much all day, you here people singing in small groups or individually, or the worship team is practicing. I ate dinner later since my stomach was upset, but they had already begun to sing, so I just ate and sang and danced all at the same time! I went to read a little in the prayer room, but the worship was still going on the next room, so it was great to still be able to listen. At one point, I heard "Happy Day", and came out and was watching from the second floor. Then one of my team mates motioned for me to come down and dance with them. So a whole bunch of us just jumped up and down and went crazy for Jesus! I love the freedom that I have in this place to just worship God and get excited about who He is, and what He has already done in my life and in the lives' of others, and what is He is currently doing here!
We also had a great time in our room last night as girls just giggling, listening to music, dancing, and chatting. We are truly becoming family, and it feels so good to have some family around in a foreign country when you don't know anyone.Well, I guess I kind of know one person. Kevin, a guy from my church, is here doing a second training, and it has been fun having a familiar face around. He came on the spring break trip in March as well with First Baptist.We have been trading food, because he is hungry all the time, and I can't eat the pasta, bread, sausage, etc.He gives me his salad, and then I eat some fruit and peanut butter when I don't get full. He even let me use his skpye account last night so I could call my folks! It was so good to talk to them after a whole week. That is difficult since I called home everyday when I was in the U.S.
Okay, I'm calling it a night on here. We are going to watch a movie as a team, so I want to get ready for bed before we meet.
PS Sorry about not posting pics, it's just been too crazy, and I have been so tired! I hope I can find time soon
!
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