This last week I spent my time in the “mountains” of Georgia meeting my team, growing spiritually ready for the WR, camping, packing, and, all in all, learning about a Good God. Training Camp was…indescribable; which is precisely why I am having such a hard time finding my words to describe it to you. I could talk your ears off about my special moments of teammate bonding, or how I learned new skills in packing my pack—which really meant wearing the same thing for 3 days so I didn’t have to unpack my pack. I could cry hours with you about how I FELT God’s presence in moments of listening prayer and reached complete abandonment with the simple act of yelling truth out in the middle of worship. However, instead of spending hours upon hours with you telling stories, I will try to find a few words to describe some of the most powerful moments of camp to you all. (This will be a three part series)
I learned some valuable lessons about God this week. Now that simple phrase is an understatement. Bare with me: here is how I would encompass my week’s lessons…
Lesson 1:
I learned that God is Jehovah-Rapha-God who heals. During the first part of the week, we sat through some amazing sermons! We would listen to the sermons then transition into a time of ministry (a time to put into action what we had just learned). One of the nights the sermon was about healing. This was a concept I read about in the Bible, but never experienced or thought I would experience in my life. When the time for ministry came, the speaker asked for someone who needed healing. One of my squad mates volunteered. She came to Training Camp on Saturday in a walking boot with some torn ligaments, etc from being a professional dancer. Her hearts desire is to glorify the Lord through dance. As we prayed over her, asking for the Holy Spirit to dwell on her, she would occasionaly stop to tell us that she felt some tingling. Honestly, I had a spirit of doubt. I couldn’t believe that healing could be something that I could personally see, feel, and experience. To much resolve, with no faith on my part, God rocked my world. One of the last nights we spent together worshipping, my squad mate stepped onto the main stage and danced for Jesus. I immediately fell to my knees in shock, awe, and plainly mystified by God’s sovereignty in healing. And not only in healing, but in healing TODAY in 2012! Above is a picture of her glorifying the Lord through her dance. The "firm" beliefs I once thought I stood on came to light this week looking much more like beliefs placed on a woobling tower of little faith. God changed my faith with one fail swoop of truth that spoke firm words back into my life about his identity as… God is Jehovah-Rapha- God who heals!
And you would think it would end there…God made sure I knew healing not only through my eyes but also through my body. Granted, I didn't show up with a broken arm, but I did come with a hurt heart like many others. As we broke off to pray healing over the other members of our squads, I had a strong tug at my heart to ask for prayer. I prayed over many other squadmates- none of which were for physical healing. I kept thinking my need for healing didn't really qualify at that moment. God finally pushed me hard enough to voice my requests. My squad placed their hands on me and began to pray. Now here is where God showed me his true Jehovah Rapha power! There was a hand that was placed on my head-during the prayer it lifted up once. In that moment it felt like the pain and hurt in my heart was being pulled right up out of my head. Seconds later there was a hand placed in the middle of my back. It felt like that hand was pushing goodness into the holes that the hurt had left behind. I felt like a healed person! You couldn't see any physical healing on the outside, but I sure felt the innermost healing take place in my heart! God is Jehovah-Rapha-God who heals!
