Week 10: Spiritual Warfare

Before this week started, I was really nervous because I knew little to nothing about spiritual warfare, and I was afraid the guy was going to be totally crazy. I was not disappointed; our teacher was the craziest man I have ever met, in the very best way.

Monday

On Monday, I met our teacher: Terry Snow, a native Texan who’d been living in Haiti as a missionary for (I think) dozens of years. His teaching style was something I’d never experienced before, but it was awesome. He had a crazy story for every point he wanted to make, and was able to keep our attention and get his message across in a way we’d never experienced. At the Monday night service at IDC, he gave a message as well, and it really reawakened a passion in me to live a crazy life for God. This man was up there telling a stories of all of these amazingly dangerous adventures; the kind you can only survive if you’re in constant communication with God. It made me desire so deeply being that close with God that He could use me in such powerful ways as well.

After the Monday night service, I went to the fair in town with Bailey, Tom, and Ashley, and we rode the sketchy Guatemalan Ferris wheel. I had one of those backwards-nostalgia moments like, “what life events could have possibly led me to be sitting at the top of a rickety Ferris wheel in Guatemala with a girl I’ve only known for two months but has become a life-long friend?” This grand adventure is something only the hand of God could put together, and for that I am thankful.

On Top of the World. Alternate title: Which Life Events Led Me to Be Sitting at the Top of a Sketchy Guatemalan Ferris Wheel?

Tuesday

Class on Tuesday was really challenging to me. Terry talked about levels of spiritual warfare, based on Revelation 12:2: They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. He went through this verse in three parts. The first way we triumph over spiritual warfare is in the personal realm; by the blood of the Lamb, in having salvation from jesus. The second level is in our realm of influence. We share our testimonies, our stories, with those around us. They can see us and know whether or not we are living a life worthy of God. Lastly, not shrinking from death. The big one. Giving up everything, and having no fear to do whatever God asks of you. This makes history. This makes the devil run.

For me, I was really convicted by this. What am I willing to give? How far am I willing to follow God? Mentally, I want to be so in tune with God that I wouldn’t shrink from death if He asked me to put myself in that position. The question now is, am I willing to give all of myself to find that?

After class, I took Bailey on a “date” to the local coffee shop and we talked for a while over coffee. Then I hung out, talked to my mom, and dyed my hair.

Wednesday and Thursday

Sadly, these two days are lost to history. I remember going to bed really late and being too tired to write, but that’s all.

Friday

Friday was an amazing day, and one day, if I ever have any free time, I’m going to make a Thoughts From Places video about it.

In the morning, we had our usual activities; breakfast, worship, intercession, small group, and drama practice for outreach. In the afternoon though, we went to the local school for handicapped children to have a carnival for them. We led games, had food, and shared the story of David and Goliath with them. Those children are so amazingly loving, and I really loved the time I got to spend playing with them.

That evening, we had Family Night, and this month’s theme was Game Night. We played a game that Tom brought from Germany: Plane Crash. The idea was that everyone was on a plane that crashed into the building we live in, and everyone had some sort of injury, whether mental or physical. There were two people that were emergency workers whose goal was to get everyone into the emergency room, which was the living room. Parts included having no legs, being unable to speak, or my part: being a terrible liar who only wants to cause confusion and panic. Mostly what I did was tell the two “emergency workers” that I was their helper and I could tell them what everyone’s injury was. Except I told them the opposite of what everyone’s injury was, and it was the best thing ever. Then, I made it my personal goal to be the last person brought back to the living room, in which I was successful.

Then we played Mafia for a couple hours. It was a really, really wonderful day.

Saturday

A very typical Saturday: I slept in, hung out with Tom and Ashley, sat in on Ashley's English class, talked with Tom, played around online, finished an essay, wrote a blog post, and watched some Doctor Who. After dinner, we made pumpkin pie and snickerdoodles, played ping pong (which was awful) and then played Tichu (the wonderful German card game) until midnight. 

Sunday

Also a very typical Sunday: I went to church, went out to eat, did laundry, and hung out around the base. It sounds boring, but boring Sundays are a great part of being alive.