Backstory:
It was during one of the early days of training camp in August 2018 during our daily time of worship. I was sitting down on the ground, half hearted singing along to the worship songs as I really wasn’t in a great of mood while observing my new squadmates as well as the other squads singing along to the songs, eyes closed, hands open in the air, some were lying on the ground, bowed down or standing up dancing around like they were the only ones in the room. I must admit that I was a bit weirded out by this as I’ve never really been exposed to this style of worship before as I grew up in a traditional church setting, and I really wasn’t in the mood to worship either since I was still struggling with the fact that I was even there, and questioning my every move & God’s moves. As I was sitting there, I felt someone come up behind me and squatted down next to me while putting her hand on my shoulder. It was our squad mentor Madie, and she had a message for me that the spirit had spoken to her during worship. She told me that the spirit had spoken to her and told her to tell me that God saw me, and that he loves me, and that I was indeed one of his children. This was actually an answer to one of my questions that I had for him at nights when I sat on the steps of the dining patio during my quiet time with him. After this I finally felt a sense of peace, and was able to be at ease about being at training camp and all that came with it.
Needless to say, I survived training camp by the grace of God & leaning on the spirit.
Flash forward to October 2018 & launch:
After training camp we were given the chance to order a key with a prophetic word that was prayed for by the maker of the key specifically for us. We received our keys at launch, and I was excited to get mine & see what word was given to me by the spirit. I opened the pouch and took out my key and looked at it, and I was shocked for the key said “Mine”. I was speechless as the guy who made it had no knowledge of what happened to me at training camp, and seeing that word confirmed to me that God really called me his own. The point of the key was to figure out what was the reason that God gave us this specific word, and once we did then we had to find someone to pass it on to as a way to encourage them. Many of my squadmates did end up giving their key away to someone, but I knew that my key had way too personal of a meaning, and that my key was meant for me only. I ended up wearing my key in all of my countries that I served in, and my key stood as a silent witness to my service to God.
March 2019: Month 6 Albania
One night I was up late sitting on the staircase while looking out the big picture window staring at the snow falling and the outline of the mountains that were the backdrop of the town of Pogradec where my team and I were serving for the month. I was sitting there thinking about my best friend back home who had recently received some tough news, and I was sitting there praying for her and her family while also thinking of the fact if I should tell my teammates about her situation and ask for their prayers as well for her & her family. I was wearing my key, and was holding it in my hand as I was sitting there when I felt the spirit saying to me ” You’ve figured out the personal meaning of your key, now save it and take it home and give it away to your friend as she needs it to be reminded of the love that God has for her & how much he cares for her and that he hears her prayers, and will always be there to comfort her when the situation gets tough. Most importantly let her know that God calls her mine as well & will always “. I sat there in silence, looking out the window before getting up to head to bed.
A month or so later I had found out that one of my prayers that I had praying for her for was answered in a huge way. This was an major encouragement to me as well for I was in the process of learning how to pray with confidence, and to hear that update from my friend helped me to finally realized that God indeed does hear our prayers.
I had planned to give her the key for her birthday, but her birthday was 2 weeks before I returned home from the race, so I waited to give the key to her after our church’s Christmas Eve service.
check out the video below for her reaction to receiving my key as a gift.
*Update*
My friend’s family member is currently doing well since receiving the tough news, and the future looks promising for him in his fight.
Til next time your fellow sister in Christ,
Bonnie
P Squad 5th Gen Alumni
Psalms 18:2
