Recently, many of our students and 20s enjoyed The Hub weekend away, with teaching, worship, prayer and encounters with God.
Here are a couple of their stories.
“In one of the earlier sessions I lay down & had my eyes closed. My eyes were tired so watering a bit (also later cutting onions, I’m a fragile man). Would be awkward if someone came & prayed for my sadness. As I enjoyed the worship/prayer time, I’m was pretty sure I had a team of angels around with hands out praying for me. (quick peek, nobody was nearby)
Later in the same meeting, I was praying for some ladies at the back. Felt God giving me a message for them that was based on my angel experience. Shared it with them, and shared some tissues.”
“Weekends away are always my favourite!
Friends laughter, worship, seminars, prayer, great words of encouragements! What’s not to like! Just before Christmas I was really really down. A few weeks ago I decided to be bold and brave and visited the doctor and I have been put on medication! I felt so anxious about the weekend away and felt sick the whole way there I didn’t really want to go, I didn’t really know what to expect although I really should as it’s my 5th year! But no! I felt anxious nervous I felt I had no one to talk to and felt like nobody wanted me there! I was praying to God in my head over dinner on Saturday evening! ‘saying God why am I feeling like this is it because of my past and because I’ve never felt loved from anyone especially my ‘mam’ who has never really shown me anything but hate!! Then John brought some words about not feeling loved by families and I just broke down completely and Tori come over and prayed with me and brought some encouraging words! One which she got from me wearing a minion onesie! I was still very emotional at this point and I just couldn’t stop the tears! I just sat by myself crying and thinking God why do people hate me so much why don’t I feel like I have friends! I got a tap on the shoulder and it was Tori again saying Taiwo wanted to pray for me! His prayer was really encouraging and has really opened something up in my heart! I still feel hurt by my family but I’m beginning to see that I do have friends and that a lot of people do care about me, my real family may have disowned me, but I know I have a new family now and that’s through an almighty God who is continuing to show me just how much he loves me!
One verse which kept popping into my head is Psalm 23: The lord is my shepherd; I shall not want, he maketh me lie down in green pastures, he leadeth me beside still waters!
This is one of my favourite verses.
Although I’m not 100% I know I have an almighty GOD who is bigger than any of my problems! And I know even though my real family don’t care about me I’m surrounded by Gods family!
Prayer is still very much appreciated as I still have times where I feel down and will still have my days where I feel like I have no one! And I just want to thank everyone at Emmanuel for been the best family!
GOD loves us all!
Amen!”