Breaking the Chains

Has it been already to weeks since I came to Nicaragua? Wow! Time goes by so fast when your having fun. Nicaragua has been one of the most challenging times for me. It has been the first time I have done a missions trip on my own and not with a group of people. I have been able to hang out and encourage some of the local missionaries here in Nicaragua, but I have also seen the struggles and everyday battles that have gone through. I never really knew how hard missions work was until I got here. But I have never fell so much in love with God in one place before. I have seen the darkness in this place. I have seen the hopelessness, My hear breaks for the youth here and the children, well I would say for everyone!

This weekend I was able to plan out a youth retreat for the youth at the church I am working with. We took everyone to a farm in the middle of no where. We slept outside, froze to death, cooked with wood, did not shower, got stung by wasps, slept with chickens, etc... It was an adventure in its self. But best of all chains were BROKEN! I felt God was telling me that I needed to speak about the lies of Satan that we hear. The lies that ties us down from truly know how much God loves us, but how we are free from condemnation through Jesus Christ.
 

As I shared my testimony about my life and how I was a broken teenager that was addicted to drugs and alcohol. Also being told I will never be someone in live that I was worthless. I was a broken teen. Those lies from my past took a toll in my Christian life until a year ago I was set free because I was worthy to be LOVED by God. He made me worthy. As I said my testimony to there kids all I could see is their heads shake in agreement of how they felt the same way as when I was a teenager. Then I asked all of them to grab a piece of wood and to write down ever lie Satan or anyone has ever told them... I told them this was the day that we were going to be set free from every lie and everything that is holding us back from truly experiencing the love of God. As we started a fire outside I told the teens we are going to burn this piece if wood with all the lies we have ever believed...

As the songs were playing I prayed to God saying thank you for the freedom he has given us and that we will not believe these lies anymore!!!! We all bowed our heads and just prayed to God and I told them when they were ready to bur those lies they could get up and throw it in the fire. I could see their faces and how so many of them have been hurt in so many ways. One by one they would put the wood in the fire to burn those lies forever! Then I asked them to grab something from the ground and throw it in the fire and scream out I am FREE from ____ what ever they felt they needed to say! As they went up some were in tears, but God was breaking them free form all of those lies they have all believed their whole lives. God did some amazing this in that retreat. I had so many kids come up to me and say that they were told by their own parents that they were scum! That they would cut themselves, use drugs, and were depressed. I praise God that I was able to be there for them that day. To tell them that they are loved children of God

Thank you so much for reading this story and all for your prayers. God bless!