I am a witness...so why not act like it!

It has been a week since the high school retreat, and God is still working on my heart.  I pray He is doing the same for the students that were there.  God showed up in powerful ways, in ways that I have never experienced until last weekend!  I think part of me writing this blog so much later is the fact that I am still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that God DID show up and he DID move and it wasn't a dream as well as the reality that some may not believe it is true!  I still am not sure I can accurately describe how great of a weekend it was, but I will try!


The Axis peeps with a student(Caleb, Stephanie, Daniel, and Alisa)

 A group called Axis was here from the states sharing with our students for the weekend.  They worked through a view different worldviews with the students allowing them to see how others think about the natural and spiritual worlds.  They also challenged the students in their thinking about the evidence they have for the existence of God.   The Axis group imparted some great wisdom and thoughts to our group that I will take with me as well. 



 

Ronnie and Natalia gave their lives to Christ

We got to the camp Friday afternoon with a great schedule ahead of us, but God had other plans.  The plan for Friday night was for the Axis group to do a session and to have some worship.  The projector seemed to be broken and no one could get it to work properly.  The Axis group's presentations are multimedia presentations, so we had to change some things around for the night.  Instead of hearing them, we got to hear from the students.  Ryan opened up the floor for students to give their testimonies to the entire group.  All I can say is that the spirit moved students to share things that some had never shared with anyone before.  That night we heard stories of planned suicides stopped by God, eating disorders turned into blessing by God, parents that persecute their children because of their belief in God, the healing of relationships, those being humbled through conviction of sin...all the while God showed off by allowing those students to see that He redeems us, his children, over and over again.  That night 2 students gave their lives to Christ, and I am pretty sure the testimonies of His faithfulness helped in making that decision. 

The Sheet Drops...what is their name? This was hiliarious!

Saturday, with no surprise, the projector worked just fine.  :)  I love that God used a broken projector to spur us into testimonies!  Saturday, brought more great information from Axis, free time, get-to-know you games, games against classes, and some great worship that night where some students shared a song they wrote about Friday night's powerful testimonies.    It was very powerful and spoke of the Holy Spirit being in there and asking for more!  It was so good!  Afterward, we had a rousing game of Hunger Games inspired capture the flag (no students were killed or harmed...although one of the Axis guys got a pretty nasty gash on his leg).  

Students sharing a song they wrote.

Sunday, we awoke to a great breakfast.  In the middle of breakfast, one of our seniors, Luis, started having trouble breathing.  A couple of his friends took him outside away from the crowd to get some air.  His chest became tighter and eventually his face, arms, and hands went numb.  We didn't have a nurse, so a few different people offered their opinions on what should be done.  In the meantime, I got my phone and started calling people to get the number of doctors that work with SAM for their opinion and to ask where the nearest hospital/clinic was.  At one point, Luis was moved to laying on his back with his feet in the air.  Different people tried to calm him down and get him to breathe deeply, but nothing seemed to be helping.  His mom was on the way.  While standing there I remembered one of my fellow teachers and friends sharing that she believes that the Lord has given her a gift of healing.  I found her off to the side and asked her if she had prayed for him.  She said she had.  After a while, I asked her if she had asked if in Jesus' powerful name she commanded Satan to leave and for the fear and anxiety within Luis to be taken away.  She had not, so she went to praying.  At this point, there were 5 of us with our hands on Luis praying in English and Spanish for the Lord to be victorious over the darkness.  As I held his hand, I felt the tension and seizing of his hands begin to subside.  I watched as his breathes get longer and deeper. As the praying continued, the darkness slowly released him from bondage.  Within 3 to 8 minutes of prayer, Luis set up shook out his hands and exclaimed 3 or 4 times that he was ok.  I stood in shock, amazement, and tears watching this miracle take place knowing that it was truly God at work.  He went from someone writhing in pain with no breath to someone who was overcome with peace surrounded by his joyfully, weeping friends.  It was unbelievably overwhelming to realize that I had just experienced the healing of someone before my very eyes.  IT WAS NOTHING WE DID!!  All we did was pray...even the students were circled up in the meeting room praying fervently for their companion.  The healer was Jesus and in his powerful name he overcame the darkness within Luis!  He continued to heal Luis after this by allowing him a chance to share his testimony of pain, loneliness, and struggle with the students.    I continue to pray for Luis's complete healing physically, emotionaly, and spiritually.  I know that God is not done with this amazing guy, and God has given him another reason to share his story with others.



Luis with Caleb and Stephanie from Axis

If you know me, a few years ago I would have read this doubting every second of the story about Luis.  When one of my best friends, Amy, went on a mission trip called the World Race, she blogged about seeing people healed and God moving in ways that no human could have worked.  Her blogs challenged my faith in understanding ways that our God really does move, not the ways I think or was taught that he works these days.  I had just assumed that God stopped working like that in this modern era, but He continues to show me I am wrong in what the true power of his name will and can do.  I praise his name for allowing me to experience the healing of Luis, and I pray that if you see this as a untruthful story ask God to reveal to you the truth of what he is capable of. 

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

THE BESTEST DAY THUS FAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our Lord just keeps pouring it out!  Since I went to bed last night and woken up this morning, He has continued to pour out his blessings upon me!  I am praising him for his faithfulness and the power in his name!  Ahhh, what an amazing God we serve!  He loves and He wants victory for us!

It all started last night.  The air was cool enough to leave my windows open throughout the night and be comfortable sleeping in my sweatpants.  I did wake up sweating at one point, but nevertheless...SWEATPANTS!!  He knows my love for cool, breezy fall days where I end up in my sweatshirt and sweatpants...He loves me!

This morning as I woke up...He loves me! :)

When I got to school I found a post card in my box from my brother from another mother (Scott)! I was excited and my day was made.  I was getting mail from home!  After checking my box, I meander my way to the business office to pay for high school retreat that is tomorrow!!  I sweet, Bolivian man that works there asked if my name was Johnston...I said, "Yes!  Katie Johnston."  "You have package", he replied.  I heart skipped a beat.  It was finally here!!  My birthday package from my parents!  As he led me back to the boxes, I find that I have not one but TWO packages.  My smile could have not been any bigger!  They really do love me, I thought!  After I took my students to Spanish, I sat at my desk and opened each box.  They were filled with chocolate chips, nasal spray, makeup and pajamas from my Ma and Pop, and Dunkin Donuts coffee, Easy Mac, contact solution, iTunes card, and peanut butter from Katherine (my old roommate and sister)!  My heart was so happy!

Lately, I have been getting really frustrated with my students because of their lack of following directions and disrespect.  There have been days when I was so frustrated that I was giving up.  I could not do it anymore.  Yesterday, I sent three boys to the office because of their bullying and harassment of each other.  I was not the one that needed to talk to them anymore.  It seemed like nothing I was doing was working.  Their talk with Mrs. Ordonez seemed to work, but only time could tell.

Today, was a typical day with students that can't stop talking, are unorganized, pick on each and turn in late homework.  You know regular 6th grade behaviors.  It wasn't until after lunch recess when the winds of change started to turn.  In our walk from the playground to the classroom, one of my boys jumped to scare another boy.  The scaree pushed the scarer, ran away, sat and cried. This is where I found him.  The boy's name is Carlos.  He is a smaller 6th grader that everyone seems to like, yet an easy target for those students who are looking to make themselves feel better. He explained to me that he had had it!  He was tired of getting picked on every single day because he was short and weak.  My heart broke.  It is situations like these that make my blood boil!!  Why do they have to be so playfully mean!!  I walked him to the counselor and thanked the teacher that stepped in to take my class while I helped Carlos.  My heart was torn because I longed to counsel him through this, but I had 17 other students that needed my attention.  I put him in good hands and confronted my class with my feelings about the behavior toward Carlos.  I gave my "mom" lecture about how we should treat others with kindness especially since we are all made by God to be unique.  I gave students some time to talk and discuss the situation until it was time to go to art.

While in art, I pulled Carlos out to talk to him about how he was doing.  We talked about the different things that others do that hurt him and we also talked about proper reactions to those hurtful things.  He understood that he needed to talk about it and not hold it all inside, but he needed to talk and process through it with someone perhaps the person that hurt him.  The Holy Spirit led me to ask him if he would like to address the whole class about the things that have hurt him and with a deep sigh he agreed.  (Sidenote:  This child is not a child that likes to speak in front of classes or crowds.  Last year he never gave a presentation to the whole class.)  I prayed with him for the Lord to give him strength and power as well as the words to say to the class.  He went back  to class and I went to see the principal.  I shared the days events with her and that Carlos would be talking to the class.  She was shocked and immediately prayed over the situation!  I also told her that we would probably not get to Science or Social Studies today.  This lesson was so much better!!

Upon returning from art, I asked the class to get out their Bibles and Bible workbooks.  They started working as we waited on a student to return from the nurse.  When he arrived, I leaned down to Carlos and asked if he was ready.  With a deep breath, he said yes.  I instructed the class that these next few moments would be a time of receiving and not questioning.  They intently waited on Carlos's words.  As I stood behind him for support, he proceeded to share the hurts his heart endured because of words and actions of those in the class.  He apologized to those he lashed out at in his hurt.  He called out and forgave those that made up mean songs about him.  He was the best example of Jesus that I have seen in my classroom all year (including me).  The SPIRIT was moving in my classroom and in the hearts of my students.  When he concluded the students applauded him and I asked him if he felt better.  He smiled his Carlos smile and giggled a yes!!

After a prompting from the Spirit, I asked if anyone else would like to share their heart.  Six of my students shared hurts to their heart's with the class.  The last student that spoke had been bullied and hurt in 4th grade shared that after being treated like that he started treating others like he was treated.  Sobbing he apologized!  By this time, others in the class were in tears.  I could tell some were feeling guilty and some were just hurting!  I looked out at many tear-filled eyes, thanked them for their bravery in sharing and told them that tears are healing.  The Spirit spoke other words through me that I don't remember, but then I prayed for healing and for a change in hearts.  After our prayer I shared how much I love them and how I want them to love each other  like Jesus loves us.  I told them that I knew there were some people that may need to ask someone for forgiveness, forgive someone, or forgive themselves.  I told them to use the 15 minutes of the day we had left to hug each other, to apologize, to love, to hug me :), and to cry it out!  He was alive and moving in my classroom!  I felt his presence, and today I got to counsel my students alongside the  Holy Spirit....THIS is what I came here for!!  THIS MAKES EVERYTHING WORTH IT!!

As the bell rang, one of my students looked at me with a smile and said, "Ms. Johnston, it is going to be different now. Isn't it?"  With tear-filled eyes I told her, "That is my prayer."  Whomever lifted up prayers for me and my students today...please keep praying for a change in their hearts and minds!  I could not ask for a better day!  He is soooooooooooooooooooo faithful!!

Prayers:
-Continued change and openness in my classroom
-Movement in our high school... to rise up leaders and disciples of Jesus
-Two girls have accepted Christ this week!!  Please pray for their lives to be forever changed along with their families
-High school retreat starts at 12:45pm tomorrow and goes until Sunday sometime.  Pray for safety, unity, openness, conviction, and compassion ( I am so excited!!)

HE IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD!  The rain of blessings is here and I am praying He continues to bring more of His goodness to this place!!

Spiritual Emphasis Week at SCCLC

Victory!!!

     Although I was not here at the very beginning of the year, the adult leaders and the youth minister, Ryan Parsons, set a goal of unifying the whole student body of the middle and high school.   This started through chapels, Monday night youth groups, along with the leadership of the senior class. 

God has already done great things with high school students through our Monday night youth group!  He is  alive and working!   Two of our Mondays since we have begun youth group, we have had two students step up and share what God is working on in them.  Tayo shared about the being the light using Matthew 5:13-16 and 2 Corinthians 2:6.  He was inspiring and knows the truth.  He is a leader in this school and I pray that his sincerity and passion for sharing the light continues after high school.  Recently, Nathan shared about running the race with integrity and purpose.  He used 1 Corinthians 9:24 to share his thoughts which led to a great discussion of how we need to do our best whether we are winning on Earth or not.  Two Mondays ago, we had the day off from school for Santa Cruz Day.  Ryan decided we would have a special youth group time.  The students worked as a whole group (40+ students) to accomplish 5 different events around the Smith's yard, pool, and house (pictures included).  If they finished all 5 in 1 hour, the students would get see Ryan dress like a woman for chapel. Throughout the games, leaders emerged and encouragement was evident.  I really believe these events were just the start of something big here at SCCLC.    All of these youth group moments, conversations on campus, and other events in the lives of these students have brought them to this week.....Spiritual Emphasis Week!



  And if tonight was any indication of how the Holy Spirit is working on some of these students, I don't know what is.  Tonight, was so great it brought tears to my eyes.  Ryan spoke about hypocrisy and  the fact that everyone is a hypocrite of some kind.  He used Matthew 23 and the 7 woes.  After talking about the first 2, the students split up into groups to talk about the others.  I followed a group of girls that I rarely talk to and listened as they read the Bible and interpreted it on their own.  Just sitting and listening made my heart sing.  Hearing the things that came out of those mouths was a blessing to my soul.  If that wasn't enough, Ryan called the students to step up and be real about their hypocrisy.  He placed a chair in the middle of the circle and asked the students to be real about the parts of their lives that they have been like a clean cup with dirty insides.  Five students got up one at a time, walked across that big circle, sat in the chair, and confessed to their classmates of the wrongs they have done while looking clean on the outside.  We forgave and prayed for each student.  It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen!  

In this week leading up to high school retreat, students will go to chapel everyday to hear from Ryan as he casts the vision he has been given for the students on this campus.  He desires for students to serve and disciple each other as well as be discipled by him and other adults on campus.  Those true leaders and disciples of Christ are stepping up and stepping out in faith to lay before a crowd of people that they long to honor our Father with their actions, with their hearts, and with their mouths.  I am praying that through this week these students as well as the adults will be renewed in their (our) faith, but also truly open their hearts to God and allow Him to work on them through each talk and worship time. We have students on the verge of making the decision to say yes to giving their lives totally to God and his calling.  We pray that this is the week that allows them to see what it truly means to deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Jesus (Mark 8:34--Just happens to be the memory verse for my 6th grade students this week)!! 



Please pray for:
- the love and care that comes from their hearts this week and weekend will be lifechanging
- a revival of sorts this week and weekend at high school retreat
- Ryan as he conveys to the student body the vision that God has given him for this campus
- the adult leaders that we would be open and willing to reach out to students
- leaders to emerge in both the high school and middle school
- fresh revelation of who God wants me to work with, encourage, and disciple
- for the worship team as we practice in preparation for worship on the retreat ( I have never done this on a stage before...I am feeling very insecure and unworthy of this position!)