Thursday, April 29, 2010

Reflecting on lecture Phase

So as the final week of the lecture phase concludes I start to look back on the past 12 weeks. As the time has gone past I feel each week I have learned something new each week. In week one we talked about hearing the voice of God, but the thing that I got most out of it most was when the whole group prayed for me to overcome the pain of my dad's accident and death. The second week was spiritual warfare and it was interesting hearing about how much we truely are in a war and most of us don't even realize. I remember a quote someone recited, "The biggest lie Satan has had us believe is that he doesn't exist at all." As I thought about that and the extremly humanistic culture in which we live, I see that Satan has done a good job of decieving us. In that week I feel that I was able to become more aware of when an attack comes and how to overcome it. In the third week we talked about Sanctification and although it wasn't my favorite week I realized I need to go to God everyday and that I am a righteous being for I was created in Gods image. The fourth week was word of God. It made me realize how important the bible is and how we can use it as a very important tool. In the fifth week, Evangelism, I learned how to go out and talk to others about the Lord. Although he have us right down to many notes, we had a chance to minister to men in the jail. We where the first outsiders ever aloud inside the jail and that was one God filled day. Nations to Nations Conference in South Africa was the sixth week. It was great to get away for a week and get to know other bases. It showed how close our group had gotten during our time together. Our following week was a week of local outreach in which we went to a school, clinic, and another school. I was able to tell my testimony at a high school and the holy spirit had a hold of my words. After I completed talking about 50 or more where moved to accept christ. It had nothign to do with me but the amazing blessings that can be done through the holy spirit. For Fatherheart of God, and Holy Spirit we had another base with us. We had 11 living in this small 3 bedroom, 1 bath house. Father heart of God showed me how to take up my authority that has been given from God. Holy Spirit, my favorite week, not just talked about the holy spirit, but gave us time to experience it. One night I was on teh ground for an hour just in His presence. In the mid of the week I also was rebaptised and rededicated my life to God. God asked me that week to not look to the past anymore but to look to the future and I felt this was the best way to start anew. I was also given a letter from a student that wrote what he felt the Lord was wanting him to tell me (its in another blog post called "letters from God.") Crucified Life talked about how we are dead to sin, ourselves, and the law. He talked about how we are forgiven of our sins in the past, present, and future. The 11th week, Plumbline, spent time talking about how we are to forgive others and how we put up different walls in our lives. During that time I was able to forgive someone who teased me for 12 years and ask for forgiveness for some things I thought I would never tell anyone. This week, Community Development, is talking about how we need to go about developing a community not only economically and socially, but spiritually. Although a lot of it sounds straight from a business school (which I have been very used to) its been great to hear about how to deal with cross-cultural communication and how to preach the gospel to other cultures.

12 weeks, really....its been 12 weeks? It feels like I am a different person but at the same time I feel like it was only yesterday that I was at home getting nervous about leaving. The Lord has blessed me in this time and if you have read any of the other blogs you have seen he has given me some prophetic words as well. The fun yet most challenging part of my journey is just about to begin. I will live in tents for 6 weeks somewhere in botswana (the place we are going isn;t even on a map.) And then spend 2 weeks in Rustenburg, South Africa...YES the same place where U.S. - England will play their World Cup match and no I won't be in the stadium but I will probably be just outside. In this time of reflection I want to thank all of you that have supported me either financially, spiritually, or just have been touched by my story. I originally made this blog for myself, family, and friends but I see I need to not hold back to show those that read it that God is not only real but he is alive. God bless you all!

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