I love my church. There are no "buts", "ifs" or "ands" about it. No matter how different we all are, no matter our age, experience, culture, education, no matter how annoyed and frustrated I sometimes get with the way things are done, no matter the "Russian mind set", no matter how unorganized and last minute meetings and events can sometimes be, no matter all the craziness and chaos, we all know how to do at least one thing very well, and that is to roll up our sleeves, and all work relentlessly as one for a common cause :)
I really saw that this weekend at the Women's Encounter Retreat. It was pretty much one of the most intense experiences of my life that has brought out of me the strength I didn't even know I had. Even though I have been to several encounters before, this was the first time I was serving in one as a leader/speaker.
This encounter was so "spontaneous" for me, so unplanned, in a sense that I wasn't able to go to any meetings about it, was out of town right before it, and only had 2 days to prepare 2 messages that I would be delivering to 30+ young girls/women. However, speaking was only a small part of my role in this encounter. Taking confession, going over topic forms, praying with and for the girls, and casting out demons were things that I've never done before and wasn't quite prepared to do on a moment's notice. Sure, I pray for people on a regular basis, but the intensity of this was times a thousand, because everything was so deep, so personal, so close to home... Most of these girls I've known for years, some of them were even my former students, and the rest were friends... It was such an honor to speak into their lives, to share my life with them, teach them, pray for them, work with them, minister to them... To have them listen to me, trust me, open up to me, love me... It made an impact.
So the last 2 days, roughly 16 hours, were filled with so much emotional, physical and mental hard work, so many tears, but also so much joy, that I wouldn't have traded them for anything. I absolutely love encounters... to see young girls get set free and delivered from issues that have been causing them pain, holding them back, tearing them up and destroying their lives, to see God just manifesting His love and power in their lives, healing them inside and out, watching them being transformed by Him right before my eyes... It's really indescribable...
Yet, for me, it was also semi bittersweet... As I was ministering to these girls, my mind and heart kept going back to the people I love who weren't there, yet needed to be. To the broken and the hurting who instead of turning to God to heal their pain, turned on themselves in sadness, depression and anger... It almost wasn't fair that while I was there, at the encounter, helping young girls, I couldn't help the people that my heart was truly breaking for... So I just prayed and asked God to minister to them the same way I was ministering to these girls...
So yea... I love my church... I love my pastors... I love our leaders... I love our "people"... We are such family... That's really the best way of putting it :)
1 comment:
"one thing very well, and that is to roll up our sleeves, and all work relentlessly as one for a common cause :)"
That right there is what matters the most,even so much more when it's something being done for the glory of our A`W`E`S`O`M`E AND PRECIOUS LORD! =)
You know after all that is what a church is also for a family that works hard towards a common cause, to serve, love, to praise ... And bring glory to our God.
I totally think the encounter was spontaneous for you, because you just surrendered it to let it be what the Lord wanted, it was Him in you and that is amazing!
I am glad you were blessed tons in this encounter and thanks for sharing about this experience you had.
I understand what you mean when you said it was bittersweet, i personally think that most of us God's children still have very close people we love who are still not in the Lord's path and they are still there wandering off, sadly... And we know they are being hurt, still away from the Lord, YET we hold on to God's promises and we don't let go, always praying for them. For if we believe they will also come to Him. Our Father doesn't want not even one to parish. So, let's keep on not giving up on them!!!
Bless ya lots Annie!
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