Hey guys!!
About a month ago, I was able to attend a life changing church retreat. At first I didn’t have a clear idea as to why I was going or what God wanted me to get out of the retreat. The first night I sat during worship and reflected on everything I was thankful for in life. I experienced such a crazy overwhelming flood of happiness and peace that I didn’t know what to do, so I started writing down everything God was showing me. As we got into the first session of the second day It was immediately so powerful. The pastor started speaking about how God was always with us in situations when we were hurting, even if we didn’t think He was there to help. We were asked to take a moment and dig deep to asked God where He was in those moments of pain. He started showing me specific memories when I was hurt and how He was always there. My pain was from a long time ago, but it stuck with me for a while. I had a coach tear me down and bully me for years. I was labeled with things that nobody should be labeled with. I constantly felt unloved by some close people in my life. I was just so lost I didn’t feel welcome anywhere. God showed me where He was there through it all. He was helping restore me each step of the healing process even when I didn’t see it. God brought a coach into my life to restore my confidence that was ripped away from me, He showed me a specific image of him comforting me so I would know He was there, and He showed me what my future has to offer even when I thought there was no future at all. This whole time He was bringing good to my path and I didn’t recognize it because I was so blind. As I started becoming free of my past baggage, the amount of weight that was being lifted off my shoulders was incredible.
During the second day of the retreat is when it became clear what my purpose was for going to the retreat. As the service began, clear as day God told me, “I am preparing you to be free, so that you can lead”. As the speaker started to get into the heart of his message, it was all about leading the nations, and being free from baggage. As I listened to his message and reflected on what God was showing me, it all started coming together. I realized that during this retreat I was going to be healed, freed, and equipped to do anything God wanted me to do on the mission field. As the day continued each message got stronger. We talked about strongholds and He helped me recognize what mine strongholds were so I could be healed. He helped me understand that I was a captive because of someone else’s sin. I wasn’t doing anything wrong to deserve what was done to me. When you don’t have the Lord as your savior you just put your troubles on others. It creates strongholds in your life because of the pain and you carry things you are not responsible to carry.
I was healed from so many things I was carrying. I was carrying things that wasn’t mine to carry. I was wrecked by the Holy Spirit multiple times, healed of a learning disability, saved from sin, cleared of baggage, and had the ability to forgive the wrong done to me in the past. God works in powerful ways and i’m so thankful. God will always have a plan and will always blow up your expectations. I am prepared to lead, and I will continue to prepare to lead.
This is all for your kingdom God, so I say thank you again for what you have done, and for what you will do!!!
