Mojisola Sophie
My retreat experience.
First, I came empty, God made sure of this through the preparatory phase of the retreat. Some weeks before the retreat, I had been fighting some personal battles, so I went into fasting which spilled into the retreat fasting too. The result of that was that I no longer felt burdened & my heart felt light and clear, God really processed my heart ahead.
The devil’s lie: Days before the trip, I struggled to set my retreat expectations as recommended by Oluremi. This didn’t happen from the lack of knowing what to write down, but the question that kept coming in my heart was “what’s different about this one? Remember there are still so many unfulfilled promises by God which constantly breaks your heart, are you going to pile more on?” I knew that was the devil, so I went on to ask the team to pray for me & then I took some time to read the testimonies from the previous retreats. This stirred my heart & set my thoughts in the right place. On the day of the trip, I still had not written down my expectations but there was a shift in my mindset. I knew God was was waiting for me there & all I needed to do was just show up & go with the flow.
My struggles: We got to Ikoyi & as expected, I completely struggled to bond with people. Generally, I don’t do well with crowd & I knew there was no way I’d be hanging out with 100 people. My plan was just to fade into the background, follow camp itinerary, pray and go home when it’s over. So I spent the evening trying to connect spiritually & prep my heart, but e no jig. Later that at dinner, Remi mentioned everyone should bond with at least 3 people before heading back to our rooms because it was a vital part of what God was doing & it’s important to be mindfully present at every retreat activity, especially during play time. I just sat there wondering what to do because it looked like everyone just clicked with everyone and I was the only one waiting to fit in. Thankfully, Jumoke & Becca were sitting close to me and I stuck to them but the moment they went to mingle with others, I ran upstairs to my room. Meanwhile, remember I said my plan was to fade into the background & face what I came for? The Holy Spirit must have 'LOL’d' at that thought because during the room allocations, it was stated that planning team members would be room leaders. So automatically I was my room leader & I would be responsible for my roomies, which meant I’d have to bond whether I had the capacity to or not. This set the course for the rest of my entire retreat experience.
Saturday: I don’t remember exactly how it happened but I woke up and the moment I put my pen on my prayer journal, my retreat expectations flowed. I wrote down every single expectation I had alongside the prayer points Remi instructed us to put down. That morning, we went to the mountain & almost immediately after we started worshipping, I found my place with God there, I was fully into it & excitement poured in my heart. The session was short-lived & we had to head back to the hostel, however while we were sharing the words we got at the mountain during breakfast, the Holy Spirit started ministering to me. From that moment, He told me I couldn’t be fully immersed in the spiritual part of the retreat if I didn’t play! I was like is this a joke? Coming to the retreat for me was a do or die affair, like I came to hold God by his shirt & settle very serious life issues with him but He’s asking me to play??? Then I heard it again very clearly: PLAY! PLAY VERY WELL. Toh.
Worthy of mention: On the planning team, I was in charge of buying the games we didn’t have. I can say that was all I did physically during the entire planning process & at a point, I felt very under-utilized & thought I needed to take on more ‘serious’ responsibilities. As per me, a whole event planner that Word Alive has for free on a platter of gold, I could be a lot more useful than buying games. After all, my reason for volunteering (while I filled the form) was “to use my gift of planning for God’s glory”, again I’m sure God laughed at this. The day I planned to let Remi know I was available to take on more responsibilities, the holy spirit reminded me that during the call for volunteers, Remi specifically mentioned that as much as volunteers can fill the parts they want, there’s a possibility that they’d be reassigned as the spirit leads. So I held my peace but still I didn’t understand why it was in buying games, till things started playing out & I must admit that God’s sense of humor >>>>>>.
Omo from the moment I heard “PLAY”, I played & fully participated in every 'non-spiritual' aspect of the retreat.
Saturday night was the vigil and if you had asked me “how was the vigil” immediately after it ended, my response would have been “it was okay”. Don’t get me wrong, the vigil was glorious, it was wonderful & it did not end till like 8AM on Sunday because God came down himself to do the work & he took his sweet time. Even the words I got through others could have only come directly from Him, but still I would have said ‘it was okay’ because I didn’t have any ‘special’ encounter. See, I had read in the testimonies from the previous years retreats and I saw that the vigil was where every mind blowing encounters happened, so I went to Saturday's vigil with the expectation of having my own goosebumps filled encounter that night. LOL! God cannot be put in a box!
Sunday night spiritual pool: “…the only mistake you made was coming for this retreat, but as long as you’re here, you’re being touched by God, something is happening & you’re a partaker” someone gave this word during breakfast the previous day. It’s difficult to fully express into words everything I experienced that night at the spiritual pool but I’ll try. I remember the worship session that night was different, I felt very excited more than usual & I was complete loose. It felt like I was seeing everything God was doing for everyone at the retreat, not with my naked eyes but somehow I just knew he was doing everything & more than people asked for. Two words kept coming to me: ADONAI & REJOICE! I didn’t know why so I just wrote them down. Next thing I’m screaming, I’m jumping and laughing uncontrollably. Logic was telling me I needed to be calm but the spirit of God had the upper hand. At some point my throat & mouth were filled with words and it felt like I should take the mic from Remi to spill everything , but my body was saying “c’mon don’t be rude”. LOL!. I remember getting in front of Remi & moments later I saw myself on the floor, I looked up and Omotola was asking if I needed water, I was like wawu. Apparently, Remi just knew God had things to say through me and He took over. God’s humor is quite unmatched because I was telling my room mates just earlier that day that my worship is exactly like my temperament: very gentle & quiet, and that even if I tried, I couldn’t raise my voice during worship & prayer. I’m certain the whole of heaven LOL’d at this & God said hold my beer, because I was uncontrollable that night. “God is revealing himself in different forms of expressions at this retreat”, I was a full partaker of this word. The words I got & the things I saw during the spiritual pool (after the worship) were crystal clear, an answer to one of my retreat expectations.
On the mountain: I woke up on Monday feeling like I did manual labor in my sleep. It was the last day & we were going to the mountain one last time before we went back home. I was totally full from the experience the previous night and to me, that last mountain climb was only to pray over prayer requests & bottled water. But God had more in stock. The first thing He told me when we settled on the mountain was that I didn’t come to the retreat because of myself. This puzzled me a little because remember I said I came to the retreat to settle serious issues about my life with God. While we were praying on the prayer requests, He led me to lay hands on three people. I was quite reluctant because duh! I wasn’t qualified to lay hands. I sat in my spot & then all of a sudden, in the hands of one of the people He led me to lay hands on, I saw an intense redness. I wanted to be sure of what I was seeing so I looked in the hands of the person next to her and it was normal but when I looked back at her, it was red & the Holy Spirit was letting me know that redness was indeed fire & I needed to move on the instruction I got. I got up, prayed with her and gave her the words I got for her. For the second person, It felt like I was feeling all the burdens she came to the retreat with (I don’t know how to explain) but I prayed for her as I was led. Then I went to the third person & laid hands on her. In that moment God let me know I wasn’t the same person that came a few days before, something has changed.
Post retreat: experiencing God daily has been fully intense, there’s no in-between. I feel his presence heavily & the only urge I have is to spend every waking moment in his presence. I know everything has changed & I currently don’t fully know to what extent so I’m taking every day as it comes & I’m excited on this new journey. I’ve had a couple of testimonies ticked off my list of retreat prayer points & I'm grateful for them & look forward to ticking more off, but my ultimate retreat testimony is my entire pre, during & post retreat personal experience. It’s so much more significant to me than the actual prayer points. I wanted to fully experience God, I did in various forms & I’m still manifesting them at home. God confirming the serious things with the seemingly foolish things & his overall sense of humor through the process is also a major highlight. God rid me of everything I thought I knew was facts or thought was the way to go & filled it with everything He wanted, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Omotola Atitebi
From praying to planning, at every step, we could tell God was right in this. Front, back, and center.
The market provision was beautiful. We went in with a budget and 250,000. Our budget was way more than 250,000 so the plan was to buy some and come back to buy the rest. We also planned to feed participants twice.
Lol. We bought ALL that we needed that day. We didn't just buy all we needed. We were able to feed participants 3 times a day! The olopos kept commenting about how well we were feeding people.
There were alternatives too! Alternatives in Ori Oke. "I don't want bread and egg, it's bread and butter I want". I had a huge grin on my face every time I heard this because we moved from not having enough money to providing meal alternatives.
The vigil! That vigil!!!
How do you stand for about 8 hours and not feel it?😃
Back story, we had gone to clean the church in the morning, and somewhere in between the cleaning, I saw an open spot on the roof. It was quite large.
I later found I wasn't the only one who noticed that open roof because later that day at about 5, it started raining and about 2 people came to ask if I saw the roof open. Remi was also here at this point. We just ended the conversation with there is really nothing we can do now. God send your angels to cover that building.
Much later in the evening, Wale, Samson, and I had gone to get the generator for the vigil and as we dropped off the gen, my first check-in was at the church. Did water enter? Do we have to mop and clean again before it's time? Lol. I looked in and it was dry! Dry dry. No water. Then I looked up and the roof was covered. God, my God!
Remi comes to meet me excited a few minutes later - Do you know that spot has been closed?😂
God moved in ways that our hearts couldn't fully conceive even with all the snippets he gave us through prophetic words as we planned.
Giftssssss! We got gifts. I got even more!
It was like a quiet whisper of "do you want?" came after every time I saw a gift in operation.
God is the original AnÃmáshaun and that's a part of God I saw and experienced at the retreat.
On Monday, we were set to leave but we couldn't leave without distributing the abundance God left us with at the end. Yam, Milk, Milo, rice...
He promised provision to overflow and we saw it. God is good and when he makes promises, he stands by his words.
Answered prayers too! I had barely gotten into Lagos when I started ticking things off my prayer list.
I saw God and I'm sure everyone in attendance did.
Becca Otiko
Some days before the retreat I saw a Tweet on Twitter by Ayodele(An Admin) and it talked about how the 2020 retreat was when God restarted his life.
PPems quoted that tweet and said 'i remember'. Immediately I realized I had gotten to the end of myself and I needed the same.
When we got to Iwo Road I wrote my request,
"Please Restart my life, Give me a brand New Beginning, Have mercy on me"
I made up my mind that I will kneel down when Prems wants to pray for me and no matter what I won't stand up.
If you see as I went humble to be prayed for, I almost started crying when Omotola said Prems pray for Becca.
I knelt down and Prems gave me exact words.
She was smiling and said, God, has given me a new name and a new beginning, A start over and New pages.
I just started to Cry, I cried, I crode, I almost turned to crocodile.
I'm pumped up for ministry and completely sold out to his plans.
I'm also grateful for all the Prophecies God has given me.
Bukky Larissa Amoboye
Personally, my retreat experience started even before the retreat.
I thought I had seen it all at the last retreat but this year’s retreat which happens to be my second retreat with Word Alive till this day, leaves my mouth hanging open when I think about it. I am pretty sure I won’t be able to share all of it but I will write as much as space permits.
The admin had started to fast and pray concerning the retreat in August and then sometime in September, we started praying towards a date for October. Although I heard 21st in my spirit, we were told to take a vote between 7th and 21 st . At this time, I think we were just two weeks away from the 7th and I simply thought it impossible, especially financially, so I was adamant on the 21st . Whilst still in the meeting, the Holy Spirit chastised me for not believing He could provide the money in two weeks(As of this time we were looking at a 2.5m budget, we didn’t even have up to 5k in General Word Alive account). Upon conviction, I changed my vote to 7th and stated my reason. There, my first experience, the Holy Spirit had worked on my ability to believe God for the impossible. We ended up sticking to the 21st as our date, which was what I had earlier heard in my Spirit. The Holy Spirit just needed to deal with my unbelief and I kid you not, from then on, even when the budget increased, I had no doubts that the money will come and we will have in abundance. It got to a point that the Holy Spirit wouldn’t allow the retreat team pray about provision anymore, all we could do was give thanks. Budget increased to over 3m (three million naira) as more people registered, and at three days to the retreat I am not sure we had up to 1m (one million naira). Ridiculous right? But the kind of faith the Holy Spirit had built up in me concerning the retreat was so dogged and I knew one thing, except God did not send us, the money we needed would come up and we will not owe a single kobo. We praised, sent letters to sponsors who gave to the best of their abilities, we also gave our all, yet, what God wanted to prove to us was that we weren’t doing any of it by our own might. To the glory of God, we ended up with over 2m(two million naira) by the end of the retreat, everything was fully paid for(transport, accommodation, feeding, fuel, etc).
Now, here’s where a major miracle occurred. Some members of the planning team, including myself went to the market on the Friday morning of the retreat, before others arrived, to buy ‘some’ of the foodstuff needed. With only 250k out of an almost 600k budget for food, our sincerest intention was to buy foodstuff that would at least take care of Friday night and Saturday morning (because of tight finances, we had cut feeding to twice daily). Here’s the shocker, with 250k we ended up buying ALL the foodstuff we needed for the entire retreat, oh not yet. That 250k was not just 250k because upon calculation of all we bought, we saw that we had spent well over 250k. So where did the remaining money come from? Till this day, I call it THE FEEDING OF THE MULTITUDE. We kept on taking money out and somehow money wasn’t finishing from the bag. LMAO. It is giving ‘The Feeding of the Five Thousand’ , yeah? That’s exactly how I see it. We kept on taking and buying stuff, in fact we would often take money from the bag, split in twos to buy different things, then converge, yet somehow money remained. It wasn’t until Pastor Remi mentioned it that it was jinxed (LOL). Like, “wait o, we have exhausted this list and we didn’t even think of how our money had not finished.”
Thankfully, by the time she mentioned it, we were about 98% done. We bought complete foodstuff that comfortably fed about 120 people, three times daily for the complete duration of the retreat. Remember our budget had been cut down to twice daily because of cost but God had said, “not on My watch! My children will eat and eat well!” Everyone left the market in awe, we couldn’t stop talking about it.
Prior to the retreat, the Retreat team gathered upon instruction at a particular location in Lagos for a full day of prayer (about 6-7 hours). I personally remember being drunk in the Spirit as many others were. Lol. I was on a high in the Spirit I had never been on in my life before and God kept showing us so many things He wanted to do at the retreat. It was so much, at a point about three to four people saw the same things and we thought to ourselves, “Lord, do you want to burn Your children? This thing You want to do, is it not too much like this?” but God calmed everyone of us and told us what He wanted to do will not merely delight us but it was destiny altering and something He had longed to do. Oof! The fire will consume, purify, delight, consecrate, renew and revive! We didn’t know at least three of us were having the same conversations with God in our spirits until we shared what we had seen and heard. In the course of the prayer, I had also seen a cloud of fire set on the roof of the church we regularly use for our retreat vigils. He was already there, waiting for us. Also a night to the retreat, I had dreamt and seen angels suspended in the air at the church, as if they were waiting for us. That church was very significant to what God wanted to do.
At the retreat, I was supposed to share some words, like an exhortation. This was supposed to be the first word on Friday evening but things happened and we couldn’t do it. On Saturday, Pastor Remi still told me to prepare to share but in the course of worshipping at the mountain on Saturday morning, the Holy Spirit told me I wasn’t going to share at all because all I was going to say, He had already put in their hearts and will make a display of it in the course of the retreat. I didn’t share this with anyone so even when Pastor Remi still asked me to prepare for afternoon, all I did was nod. Towards late afternoon, I was feeling exhausted and told her I needed to rest. I wasn’t intentionally avoiding it as I was truly exhausted. It wasn’t until later in the evening I remembered what the Holy Spirit said in the morning. When people asked, “oh Bukky, when are you sharing with us, we can’t wait.”, my sincere reply was “as the Spirit leads” and truly He led, and I didn’t share. Everything He did at the retreat, He did Himself. We didn’t even do a single Bible Study, all the programs we planned were discarded. This is one thing I have seen with Word Alive, it doesn’t matter what we plan, if the time comes and the Holy Spirit decides differently, we let go and allow Him. Who are we but mere vessels after all?
During the worship on Saturday, I was in tears for most of it and it’s not because I know how to cry; after the Lord told me He was going to stir up conviction and make a practical display of what I was going to share, He started to show me His heart and intent for us for the retreat. All I could do was stand in awe and weep at the manner of love and deep desire the Father had to do all these things. He wanted to pour Himself and He said to me, “I am coming Myself.”
I’ll take you back a bit now, on arrival day, Friday, we went to discus with the staff at Ori-oke regarding the keys to the church so we could arrange for it to be cleaned ahead of the vigil on Saturday. They told us the key had been misplaced. We were three there; Pastor Remi, Precious and I. We asked if it could be broken and replaced and they were adamant, about 3 of them in particular with one guy who was their boss. I think we started calling him Daddy G.O at some point as a joke. We were there for over an hour. He kept refusing for us to put a call through to the owner and speak with them ourselves. In fact, at a point the Baba who we were more familiar with told us he could get another church for us to use but immediately my spirit rebuked it and I started to smile because at this point, I recognized the devil’s ploy. He was the one who didn’t want us in that church and not ‘Daddy G.o’. I began to pray in the Spirit right there and then. Pastor Remi also insisted and said, “except God is not on the throne and did not send us, we will use that church.” I continued to pray, we had visions and had gotten words way before the retreat concerning that church and I just knew that whether the devil likes it or not, we will use the church. Like Pastor Remi will say, “if the devil likes, he should bang his head against a wall.” After a lot of back and forth, they finally allowed Pastor Remi to speak with the person in charge on phone. It didn’t take three minutes and we were allowed to break the old lock. The only condition was that we buy the exact same lock to replace it. How much? 9k(nine thousand naira). This was the price? Lol. If they had asked for One million we would have coughed it out but our God doesn’t wear flip-flop dears. 9k? We gladly paid and in no time we had our church.
Glory!
Time to clean, we asked the staff there if they could help us for a fee and they were charging about 40k. Lol. When we have over 200 hands? Never mind. We put a call out for people to volunteer to go and clean the church early Saturday morning. People gladly came out. We had people going to the stream to fetch water (giving Nollywood village vibes), while others used the water they fetched to clean. We swept and washed the floors till it was sparkling clean. We wouldn’t be needing chairs anyway so we stacked all the chairs at the back of the church. It took us about two hours or a little more but we did it. I remember someone asking me to take Pastor Remi back to the room so she could rest, I smiled and said she wouldn’t go. In fact, I dare not bring it up. Pastor Remi is the kind of leader that would stay and do the ‘dirty work’, whatever was necessary, whether you joined her or not. In retrospect, I feel God actually wanted us to clean it ourselves. We had gotten instructions weeks before that the retreat team should pray in the church before we used it so it was the right opportunity, as we cleaned, we prayed.
Now, a huge part of the roof of the church was open and it was a cause for concern seeing that we wanted to use the church that night. We prayed that rain wouldn’t fall or else, our efforts would have been wasted because the church would get drenched and we probably wouldn’t be able to use it. Now my faith was that the rain wouldn’t fall. In fact, I insisted that except the angel on duty was asleep, rain can’t fall. But see one thing I discovered, when God wants to do something, He doesn’t do it and hide. He will do with His full chest and everybody will know it was Him. Remember from the beginning, God wanted to prove He was in full control and it wasn’t by our own strength or efforts, definitely not because we cleaned. It won’t rain ke? It rained o. Omo, it rained and rained very well. LMAO. This rain lasted till around 9/10 for a vigil that was to start 11/12. How will church even dry? With wide open roof? Were we worried, yes. I didn’t know how but I knew one thing, except God’s intent is to move the vigil to the next night, we will use that church this night. But remember the God of doings? Guess what? When Pastor Remi went with one or two people to check after the rain finally stopped, they found the roof closed. Ah! How?? Roof that the staff had said has been open like that for months! Somehow it was closed, COMPLETELY. We understand that if it was wind, it wouldn’t even close well. Wind will blow the roof in a way that it still won’t close properly. But here’s the thing, there was no wind! I remember very well, in fact that was the first question that came to my mind. But there was no wind nau, how did roof even close? You know those rain that will start with drizzle then become heavy from nowhere, no wind, that was it. God Himself went to close the roof and closed it completely. We went for the vigil that night and found it closed, not a single drop of rain in the church.
Now the vigil, let me just say, I found myself worshipping in ways I didn’t understand. Five minutes in and I would be on the floor. It’s not because the floor is sweet, in fact if you know me as the ‘butty’ that I sometimes am, I wouldn’t be found on the floor much less rolling on it on a normal day. But something extraordinary was happening, for every time we worshipped, I would instantly be taken up. I would see the host of heaven worshipping along with us and I will join them immediately. You can’t behold the glory of God and remain the same, much more worship the same. At some point I felt I would die(in a good way), my Spirit wanted to stay there in worship, I realized one thing, I had heard about it, read about it, preached it but now here I was living it; I was made for worship. I used to think I worshipped with reckless abandon before but during the retreat, I was taken to new depths in worship and it wasn’t about songs. There was a particular way they threw themselves to the ground in heaven and I would emulate as they did, at the end of it, I would feel pain in my body because it was unnatural for us but if we go into worship the next minute, all pain would be forgotten and I’m back to doing it again.
God came Himself and did things I can’t even begin to describe; I literally heard and saw chains breaking. Oh my God! Men were loosened and set free! So many! Some from ancestral chains, many for generations, chains were smashed. I kept hearing the sounds all over as men prayed. Not a single sermon was preached, it was full eight hours of prayers and prophesying (12am- 8am), non-stop, and men were not tired! God was set to do and pour Himself but He didn’t begin the release until He had delivered everyone of anything that could restrict His flow, anything that had restricted His work in their lives. He made sure all deliverance was complete and men were unclogged. Many were prayed for and received the gifts of tongues right there and then. It wasn’t exactly my first time but this was where the Holy Spirit gave me a practical demonstration of what He had been trying to teach me months before the retreat. I’m mostly a shy/reserved person so I prefer to be backdoor even in ministry. But then God had been teaching me this, when He is set to do, it’s not about me. It is really Him doing it, I’m only the face/hands. Whether I’m shy or not, didn’t matter. For months, I had been hearing the same words repeatedly, “your hand is an extension of Mine.” So when He needed to touch and I stretched my hands, it was really Him doing the touching. I remember at the previous retreat too, up to giving someone a hug, it wasn’t me hugging, God was doing the hugging through me. I simply released myself to Him and He gave men new tongues, He delivered men, and opened the ears of men to hear Him.
After I had prayed for some people, I felt the need to retreat and recharge personally in the Spirit; far be it from me that I be a vessel dispensing but I am unable to receive for myself. In any meeting, I deliberately retreat in between to have personal moments with God. I love to give, to be used of Him but I also love to receive. After a few minutes of praying by myself, someone (name withheld), walked up to me and grabbed my hand and we started walking to and fro, praying together. Before I knew it, the Lord came for me and down I went. It happened for the first time at the last retreat, I didn’t understand it and so I fought it, even though I still prophesied whether I understood it or not, (lol). But by this time, it had occurred multiple times both at home and in meetings so when He came for my body, I gave myself immediately. I don’t remember all He said through me but I know it was in the line of the fact that He wasn’t done with us. There was more and there was about to be a switch. Now that I think about it, that retreating to recharge was necessary because this manner of prophesying really does take a lot out of your human body; actually, He overpowers you and your human senses shut down until God is done.
Once it’s done, you take a while to come back/regain your senses and strength. As He said, He wasn’t done so not long after this, we worshipped and prayed for few minutes and He came for Teemah. She prophesied for almost an hour, giving such specific and accurate words in ways I had never heard before. So many people screamed and jumped in confirmation as she prophesied and mentioned specific cases. In the course of prophesying, God spoke through her and said He was releasing much of His power to Pastor Remi to dispense to His children, Pastor Remi was a few feet away and in that particular moment I don’t think she even heard Teemah but the second Teemah said it, Pastor Remi screamed and went down. She kept trembling and shouting, “o ti poju, it’s too much!” repeatedly. I again began to pray in the Spirit and was literally begging God like, “please God, small small, either reduce it or give her the capacity to carry this thing You’re pouring on her.” For a few seconds I felt a fragment of the weight of it and I knew it was a lot so all I could do was pray for strength for her. When she finally stopped screaming, she turned sharply, there was such strength and fierceness in her eyes like I had never seen before, still on the floor, she reached for the closest thing to her, it was Wale’s leg. The way she grabbed Wale’s leg was so funny yet scary and fierce at the same time. Wale himself was in shock like the rest of us and he went down almost immediately. I was standing close by and the next person she turned to was me. Ah! She touched my belly, in fact I actually didn’t see her hand coming, all I felt was extremely hot fire in my belly, someone collected everything I was holding and I kept screaming, somebody said I flew and I really don’t doubt it. I mean, by the time I came to, I found myself in the middle of the church, note that I was in front o, like pulpit front and somehow I woke up and found myself in the middle, if you know the church, you know how big it is. Wow, what a flew! (Lol) As time went and she ministered to every single person individually, over one hundred people including elderly people, you could see that physically her body couldn’t contain the power deposited inside of her but in her eyes was still fierceness. She was drunk in the Spirit and had to be held as she moved and by Jove was she moving fast! The sharp turns, the speed with which she moved, you could tell it wasn’t her. Those of us working alongside her were busy panting trying to keep up with the speed because before you know she has touched five persons from different corners of the church and everybody was falling at the same time. I don’t think Usain Bolt had anything on us that night. (Lol)
I am unable to share all of what God did, my laptop would probably crash if I tried but all I can say is, this retreat was one of a kind and for many of us it started even before the actual retreat.
Before we left the retreat grounds, testimonies were flying everywhere, at least two people had gotten new jobs. At the time of documenting this, it’s been about three weeks since the retreat and the testimonies haven’t stopped rolling in. I personally find myself in worship and prayers at the most random times, even on the road, I just burst out in tongues. There’s been clarity, peace, so much immersion of myself into the Spirit and I’m in awe of some of the things He has shown me that is still to come. There’s a readiness and willingness in me I didn’t have before the retreat and the only song that has been on my lips in response is this line from a song by Jenn Johnson, “Here I am Lord, send me.”
Truly, there’s nothing like Word Alive Retreat and I am not just grateful for all God does with us, in us, for us and through us, but I am also so grateful that I get to be a witness to it all.
God came Himself as promised but more than that, HE CAME FOR EVERYONE!!
Joy Ibeabughichi
MY TESTIMONY AFTER THE 2022 WORD ALIVE RETREAT
My name is Joy Ibeabughichi and I want to say thank you Jesus for all He has done thus far.
So I have been unemployed now since July this year and sustaining has been God all the way through friends and family. I specifically asked God for a job that is flexible and well effective and efficient. So before the retreat, I applied for a job at a medspa as an administrative officer where I will practically run errands for any and everybody in the office with late hour closing time (9am-9pm including weekends and only weekdays can be taken as off days), the nature of the job bothered me a lot but I was just in dire need of something to do with needed income. I went for the interview by September this year and was given an appointment letter a week later to resume 1st of November 2022, I felt the gap was too much but just kept believing God for the best.
Another job opportunity came up in mid-October and I only did a virtual interview and was expectant. This new opportunity as an exec assistant in an interior/architectural firm will help build my knowledge on a more advance work space and it is more efficient and effective and also a hybrid job! Meaning I don’t have to go to the office every day, I was supper excited about this one and so longing and praying for it to work out for me.
The Wednesday after we returned from the retreat, I got a call to come in on Friday for a physical interview for this exec ass job, I went and one of the issues that came up is I need a laptop to work with and I apparently do not have a personal one at the moment. I left the interview hoping they will be able to provide me one and call me to resume on the 7th of Nov. as they stated, and at the same time, I was in between resuming at the medspa on the 1st of Nov. or tell them that I’m no longer interested in the employment, but I was scared I may not get the exec ass job because of the laptop issue.
Come Nov. 1st and the medspa sent a mail that we will not resume physically but virtually, that was a bit relieve, but I wondered what their game was, the next few days, they kept asking for some outrageous documentation, I thought it outrageous because we had the physical interview at the Magodo branch (a functioning office) and was told we are to resume at the VI (which was they said was undergoing some set up) remember this interview was carried out since September and it’s been a whole month to the supposed resumption and still we have not seen or known the office to resume to and they kept being dodgy especially when we ask questions. I on the other hand was not so kin on asking many questions because I know what I was asking God for. But I still remained like I am still with them on whenever they want us to resume onsite.
A friend of mine then volunteered to give me a laptop and modem for me to work with and also told me to inform the interior office that I have been able to source for a laptop and will be expecting to hear from them as I look forward to be called for the job, this I did via text and call and was still hoping.
On Wednesday last week I got a call from the recruiting agency that I have been asked to resume today Monday (Interior Company) and that my letter of employment will come in on or before Friday the same week (which it did). I was supper excited and grateful to God. Then on Thursday the same week, the medspa sent me a mail that they are retrieving my appointment as the office is going through some issues and are willing to pay me half of the month salary by end of this month November, I called (just for formality sake though, because I already got what I wanted) and was told that my employment was just retrieved and it was not an issue from my end but the company, which was fine by me.
To top it up, I resumed fully today at the interior/architectural firm and it is everything I prayed for.
I want to say a BIG THANK YOU LORD for this miracle in my life.
Nkiru
My first impression of this year's retreat was a reminder of the major changes that have occurred in my life due to the retreat.
Since the inception of the retreat in 2020, I've seen major breakthroughs in areas that were altogether impossible. In areas that I have given up on, I get reassurance, God's word and power to keep pushing.
In 2020, it was help to move out of a one-room apartment where we have lived for more than a score.
In 2021, it was healing from offence and help to let go. An absolute change of direction to what is currently happening now.
This year, it's assurance of help for yet another situation that seems impossible. God has always come through.
This is also quite personal and very different from seeing God's power displayed over and over again. It's quite amazing that there's no getting used to it.
And how God takes over a place. As Habakkuk said, he has spoken, I have written it down, and I am watching. It's indeed not over.
Bolu Famakinwa
I had so many expectations since the first day the retreat date was announced, the link for volunteers that would like to plan the retreat was released and I had this strong urge to join. I became weary in heart and I did not register not until the last week the link would be retracted.
The early morning prayers helped a lot and helped geared up my faith and I became excited about the retreat all over again.
I invited my brother to come for the retreat but he declined the invite. I had longed for him to just come and allow God to do the rest, it almost got to the point that I had decided that I will go through my dad to make it compulsory for my brother to attend, but he later yielded and came along for the retreat.
When we got to Toye’s house I met new people and how we clicked and started talking like we knew each other before that moment still amazes me.
The journey to Ikoyi mountain started and our bus broke down at Ibadan, we had time to bond with people from the second bus. On getting to the mountain and I got allocated my room with new people except for Nk which I knew from previous retreats. We held morning devotion in my room and we prayed for each other that morning.
Nk got a word for me during the devotion and explained all I have been feeling and how bothered I have been, my faith came alive and I knew God was set to do something great in me.
We went to the mountain on Saturday morning to worship God and pray. The spirit of God descended in the fullness of His splendor and I had a wonderful time in His presence.
We played games and mingled with people and I am always excited to volunteer at the kitchen department, which I did.
We were asked to go and relax before the vigil, but before then it was raining and Pastor Remi came to the kitchen side and said that we should either pray that the rain stops or God should make sure that the church dries up before we use it, because the church was cleaned in the morning and one of the roofs had opened. When we got to the church in the night, I saw the first miracle the opened rooftop was closed like a repairer had come to fix it.
My new roommate was asking me how long the vigil would take and I was laughing inside of me that I don’t know but what I know is that we will pray and have a superb time in God’s presence, we prayed for 8 hours straight from past 12am to some minute before 8am. Prophecies, gifts, blessings, and healings were all available to go round for everyone. I received new utterances and gift of interpretation of tongues. I was hearing what my neighbor was praying in tongues in a language I understand and I was confused not until I spoke to Nk about it and she explained to me and how I need to fan the flames of the new gifts.
The spiritual pool service is one I always look forward to where we say still and listen to what God has to say and someone walked up to me and told me she has no idea what the pool is all about and she doubts if she would be able to write, I explained to her and prayed along with her. After the pool, she said she heard God and wrote a lot.
I’m grateful to God for all of these experiences!
I’m grateful to God on behalf of Pastor Remi for yielding!
I’m grateful to God for the beautiful friendship formed!
I’m grateful to God for the new armies raised!
I’m grateful to God for WORD ALIVE FAMILY!
I look forward to Retreat 2023!!
Ibukun
My Experience at World Alive’s Retreat
Wow, I dunno where to start honestly…
Well, at first I was so happy about the retreat, I was just so happy about it!
I was like I’m going for this retreat no matter what. Along the line, something happened and my father changed his mind saying I can’t attend because it was too far. Omo I was so pained to the extent that I refused to join the 14 day fast.
But even with the lost hope I just felt it in my spirit that I must attend this program no matter what, I also prayed and told God this and he said "participate in the remaining 4 days of fasting”. I said okay, shebi it’s to fast and pray, I will do it. My major prayer point during the fast was, God touch my father and let him change his mind so I can attend this program.
During one of our 9pm prayers, I just had the urge to send a message to brother Samson to pray for my dad so he can release me because I really wanted to attend this program( not knowing what God had in store for me.
So, after the prayer and fasting, God answered my prayers and my dad released me finally.
Now to the retreat itself.
On getting to the Mountain I did not know what to expect honestly, just felt like God should just use me anyhow He wants.
So we go to the mountain yeah, got our room, I made new friends and we had prayers that night.
Next morning, we went to clean the church. Entering the church, I still did not know what to expect that night. Then we went to the mountain after cleaning and we began to worship, at this point I was finding it a little bit hard to connect but I was later able to.
Then after we came back to the hostel we talked, ate and played games, one of my favorite part of the retreat.️Well I played the charades which was fun, met new friends, met new people. After the games, we slept then it was time for night vigil. Okay, here again I was going for the night vigil again without expectations.
I was just thinking maybe I might fall in trance or something I don’t know. We started praying and here I was so lost, I found it so hard to pray or connect or even concentrate, my eyes were so open like I was trying to see everything that was going on.
Then later on someone came to me and said “God said you are not a spectator here just try to connect you are not a small girl". At this point I just did not have any other choice than to connect I tried sha and connected even though it was fluctuating.
Then gen gen, next thing I saw myself in a deliverance session which I least expected, I was shocked and let’s say disappointed I just did not know why but still I was happy sort of.
But still, I just want to thank God because he had a specific purpose for allowing me to come for this retreat honestly, he made me crave it day by day that you see ehn Ibukun this retreat you must attend no matter what.
And yes, I did and He performed his miracle because He really has plans for me.
So after Saturday night, I was feeling okay I guess and a little bit scared however, the atmosphere around me didn’t let me worry too much, it just made me feel like nothing ever happened even though I was still feeling a little bit shy.
Last day of the retreat, this day made me feel sad cos I did not want the retreat to end, it was doing me like we just came but still I thank God️.
In general, my experience at the retreat was unexpected, I didn't expect any of the things I saw there but glory be to God, he did his thing.
And he made me a new person all over again…
If I type everything, I felt I won’t stop so let me end here.
Temitope Dada
I prepared and prayed to God concerning the retreat, the devil tried and this is how my testimony began.
Starting it off with my trip within Lagos to Oshodi
Park, because I left for Ori Oke on Saturday.
I was about to be involved in a Danfo accident and even got bruises on my shoulder which I did not know until I got to the mountain. The devil tried to stop me from going but God said NO.
I was so expectant and the Lord did His things once
again. The vigil had me deliver messages to about two people, one person just
called me to pray for her and I was like "Me!!!" Pray for you?
I never knew what the Lord wanted to do at that point and we got praying, speaking in tongues and just like what I have got to know about myself lately that I get to hear and speak mostly through songs, the Lord delivered His messages to her through me, but what got me wowed the most was that she also dropped a message for me, which made me blessed while blessing another person.
I met with another person and prayed for her also and I got messages and confirmations for the individual too. I was so blessed I could be used as a mouthpiece to deliver God's messages to people, because I continually pray that God uses me as His mouthpiece in this generation.
Furthermore, when Pastor Remi was blessing all of us, the more it got to my turn, she will say I should wait, and she made sure I was the last to be blessed by her. I don't know why till now and will still ask her.
But I got to know that something was to come out of it and which was more messages from God through me to His children.
I am so happy I am a vessel unto honour. All glory to God for His move at the retreat. I will always be in awe of Him.
So, to close my testimony for now, the devil came back from where he stopped on my travel back home, after traveling all the way from the mountain to Iyana Ipaja, the devil wanted to get me involved in another accident, but God still said NO not now and not ever. So, I was saved from accidents to and fro. All glory to God
Thank you, Pastor Remi, for yielding, Word Alive is my family forever.
Hallelujah!
Ebosa
Praise God... My name is Ebosa. I am a Word Alive member. This is my experience/testimony.
So honestly, I didn't want to come retreat because I was not on good terms with God ... Anyways I came because it was my sister's first time coming and I needed to be with her.
Fast forward to when I got to the bus I sat with Becca and JMK and I actually bonded with them more, so I knew these girls before but for some reason, JMK, Becca and I were really talking till we got to our destination, the new hostel. I was honestly happy about everything but I wanted to be alone. However, for the first time in my years of coming for retreat, I was really loud, like after I settled in my room I literally moved from room to room to meet everyone, just the girls though and introduce myself.
Friday night
When we worshipped and prayed I fought with the Holy Spirit... I didn't want to let loose, I was like God not me and you...lol I honestly didn't want to break
Saturday morning
We went to the mountain and the atmosphere did change I was anticipating the vigil.. but God said I have begun don't wait, let loose I am here...
Afternoon/evening
We did the introduction and got acquainted with one another and also played games.
Saturday night/vigil
This day I got angry afew minutes to the vigil like honestly didn't feel like going for it again, like I lost interest so I just removed my mind from any involvement with God. We started vigil and the battle between me and the Holyspirit started.. Like I could feel His presence right beside me sometimes I would feel a touch, I will open my eyes and there was no one around me, I was legit saying leave me alone and He was just laughing, I was far from people but some saw how I was fighting with the Holyspirit. At some point He told me to go and meet Prems to let me loose because I said I won't just go around and start prophesying, I told Him I would wait till Prems laid hands on me. Later on, Prems did lay hands on me and that was it, I did prophesying in a way I have never done, I felt a difference like I could literally hear Toyosi's tongues and interpret in English. God revealed a whole lot to me that night that I could not take it all in. I was so weak because I was just too amazed at what was happening and His promises. God showed himself to us in a different way, the urge was different but I was still holding myself back from the Holy Spirit.. The end of the vigil came and my voice was not totally lost for the first time. Lol
Sunday
Was fun-filled and spirit-filled too and I enjoyed every bit of it
Monday
Our journey back was sweet again I love every bit of it and can't still get over all the experiences altogether.
My Testimony
I thank God for healing my sister, after the camp she could no longer feel the pains she usually felt previously, I'm really grateful.
I thank God for answering one of my prayer requests days after camp, so I got two sweet jobs and I am really grateful.
I thank God for constantly telling me what to do. Like, it's really very loud like I can hear him telling me things and honestly I can say Holyspirit is sweet
I also thank God for not making me go back home totally, and I know I won't go back at all soon.
Glory to God!
I have a lot to say but then no words can actually befit my experience.
Toyosi
This year’s retreat was on a different level for me because normally I don’t pray ahead of retreat but this year, I did after seeing all that God has in store for us.
On getting to the camp I was really happy and expectant.
The first day we went to the mountain and we worshipped it was really a 'touching God' moment for me.
While we were getting down from the mountain, Femi approached me and told me that I had a very unique tongue that I should take time to ask God what my tongues meant and I said thank you and smiled about it.
Then vigil that night I was really expectant and was ready to be used by God, we sang prayed, words came forth, prophecies and all.
I gave people words in tongues and Joy my friend who invited me to World Alive interpreted the tongues to people, I didn’t know what was going on then but I know she was holding my hands and taking me round to meet people and I was speaking in tongues with so much confidence not knowing I was giving words out to people.
That day passed but God's power did not pass, His presence was mighty amongst us.
I bonded with new and amazing kingdom friends, games session was really fun(the mafia game)I can’t forget the lovely moments I spent with everyone. The mafia gang: Damipe, Joy, Oyin, Ibukun, Cynthia, Dotun, Emmanuel, Omololu, King Lolu, Ebuka, Adetutu, Afolabi, Tijesunimi etc
I really enjoyed the food that was given. Those caterers really did a lot of work to make sure we enjoyed our food and had no problem eating.
Camp ended but I could feel and hear myself always praying in tongues.
During the vigil, a prophecy came forth that there’s someone that has a father that does everything to put food on the table, that when the person gets home they should ask their dad to pray for them, the Holy Spirit immediately spoke to me then and there and told me I was the one that needed to do that. Immediately I got home I went to meet my dad to pray for me and bless me, he prayed and trust me it was a moment in my life that I’ve always dreamt and hoped for because I was not a child that my father had always liked because of my past. After he prayed, I also told him I wanted to pray for him and he knelt down, I was trying to tell him not to kneel but he said he wasn’t kneeling for me but kneeling for his God and I prayed for him and my dad burst into tears. It was a very emotional moment for me especially because I and my dad didn't have a good relationship before but I’m grateful to God for this that He has done.
I’m now the one my Daddy will call to tell me things that are going on with him.
I’m just really grateful to God for this that he has done and more to come.
I’m really grateful for the gift of Oluremi Eko, for yielding to God’s call and to her executives for bringing this camp to pass.
You all are the Real MVPs and I love you allðŸ˜ðŸ¥º❤
Oluwadamilola Olorungbade
I want to thank God for all He has done for me in this year 2022
I thank him for His promises are sure and Amen, I joined Word Alive prayer meeting in September when everything seemed dark and non-functional. When all hopes felt lost, when suicidal thoughts were the order of the day and constantly fighting battles, that’s when I joined the Word Alive 9pm Zoom prayers. God does wonders in that prayer meeting.
When I joined the prayers not long, they announced the Mountain/Camp retreat and I was led to join. Days before the retreat I was believing God for financial help as I did not want to travel without money because I needed to get some food and provisions for my child and I wanted to sow towards the retreat. A day to the retreat, a long-time friend gave me money and it was more than enough.
On the day of the retreat when the bus was taking off and en route, I experienced a lot of things that could have frustrated my faith and did frustrate it but the Holy Spirit pushed me and gave me strength.
On the second day of the retreat, I was just feeling very frustrated and overwhelmed that I contemplated going back home I even remembered the night of the retreat I did not pray well because I just wanted to go home but I thank God he made me stay.
I bless God for the amazing roommates that gave me, my Room 1 people gave me strength to carry on and even continually encouraged me. I got various words and amazing words, I just kept believing in God for answers to my prayer. On the last day of the retreat, while we were preparing to come home, I got a phone call that I got a job which I had done an interview for and my salary was not negotiated, I had mentioned this particular salary because I wanted to push them away and I did not want the job.
When I lost my job in July 2022, some weeks later I decided that my best option was to leave the country and I even started processing my travel documents, my son’s documentation was easy, however, my passport was seized and still seized, I believe this was God's way of making me stay because He knows it is not yet time for me to move.
God had told me during one of the retreats that he would give me double for my shame, and I did not understand. At the last place I worked, I was shamefully sacked and I was an object of ridicule at the former office amongst my then colleagues. I thank God that for the first time in my life, I experienced what people called instant miracles, I experienced speedily answered prayers.
In addition, I have been praying to God to connect me with a prophetic ministry where I can nurture and build my gift.
I thank God for connecting me to Word Alive, thank you Oluremi and the team for letting God use you. I am very grateful. And I thank God for my Amazing roommates, Efeosa, Joy and Toyosi.
I started my job on the 1st day of November 2022 and I just thank God for everything.
Samson Oloto
The Word Alive retreat has become, to me, a symbol of revival and personal transformation. An avenue to pray and worship God together with other believers is something I won’t ever take for granted.
The thing about God is that when He does something that you think cannot be surpassed, He comes around and surpasses that thing. The Waiting Room was the third edition of the retreat, and every single time, God surpassed himself. In coming through during preparations, the miracles, the testimonies, and the moves of the Spirit, God showed off.
I don’t know where the strength to pray came from, but during the retreat, I prayed the longest I have ever done. I saw and still continue to see miracles in the lives of people that participated, even those that were not around physically were not left out.
Thank you, Jesus.
King Damipe
I'm really glad I was able to be a part of the "The Waiting Room" trip to Ikoyi. Before the trip, I had a concern with clarity of decision on a particular move I was trying to make with my music, and during the prayer vigil, while Teemah was giving out words, she literally said " That voice of yours God said it is for my glory", and that for sure was the confirmation that I needed to get clarity on that decision, I just knew it was for me.
My second testimony is that when I got back after the trip, my prayer life got strengthened beyond my comprehension. Even when I am in the midst of people, I just start craving a quiet place to pray. And I am also really grateful for the friendships I was able to make from the trip, they have been a blessing in keeping me grounded.
God
bless Word Alive️
Ayodele Ibiyemi
I am
grateful to God for what He always does and for being God. When we were
planning the retreat, I had a lot of anxieties about my career and even about
the retreat. Even during the retreat, I felt left out because I could not go physically. I
was waiting for God to use the retreat to transform me in a new way as He
usually did but because I could not join online, I felt left out. I keyed into
the retreat AFTER the retreat had ended and I got my own share of the
blessings. While I was sulking that I could not participate, God had already
prepared my own package for me, I did not see it. My testimony is that God
showed up for me in a different way and brought me into a new regime of ease
and favor in life. I am really grateful for these, reminder that God is
omniscient and ubiquitous.
Tunmise
My own testimony started like a few days to retreat. I had an interview for an open position in my company sometime around late June but I received a rejection email in July.
Fast forward to retreat week, and I got an email re-inviting me for an interview for the same post.
On the day the retreat started, I had the last interview and got the job!!!
To
crown it all, I got a new tongue at the
retreat and also some words of prophecy at the retreat spiritual pool. Indeed eyes
have not seen, ears have not heard and neither has it been conceived in the heart
of men what God has in store for me!
Jane
I was
super excited to be at the retreat, but I had to take an excuse from my new place of
work for this.
Then
the Day of arrival I invited a few people, sharing my previous experience and
God made them able to come, I can't say it was so easy, but God made it happen,
I knew God was going to blow my mind.
I
already started having encounters before this retreat and this made me so
expectant for more of what God will do.
During our first night vigil at the retreat, I had leadings to share words with people and
as well pray with them, also the strength I felt that day was so unusual, ( my
kind of person would love to just seat at a spot) but I kept on pacing for a
while, I was amazed.
Also
my invitees, I was filled with joy as she spoke in tongues for the first
time, just to mention a few, it was a great experience for me, and even after
this, I have clarity and boldness daily.
I Just
bless God for being a part of this Family of God, I'm looking forward to other
retreats.
Precious Patrick
I'm thankful to God for this year’s retreat, I needed the break and wanted to just get away from the noise, I’ve been nonchalant about a lot of things and I really needed to hear God clearly on certain decisions I was about to make, and true to my father he gave his words.
The encounters, seeing God move in his might, seeing people encounter God, and most importantly seeing myself encounter God in ways I never imagined, of a truth God loves the fellowship of the brethren.
Before the retreat, I had a work meeting and I had deliverables that were due, the network around the mountain had been pretty bad and I was worried because I usually moderate that meeting, fortunately on the day of the meeting I had a stable network and my deliverables were excused till a future date, grateful to God for that favor.
Grateful to God for the peace I've felt since the retreat, for the reassurance of his promises and for reconfirming his words to me.
Elizabeth Eyo Asuquo
My 2022
Retreat Experience
This is my second time at the retreat, Remi had announced earlier that it would be in October so I took my study leave in that month and just felt it would be easy to tell my parents I needed to take a break off reading for few days. Fast forward to days before the retreat, I started to fidget, I couldn’t tell my parents because I didn’t feel like I had studied enough for the exam that was scheduled for October 31st. I would say it’s today I would tell them but move it to tomorrow because of fear.
Three days to retreat I told my dad and he immediately said ok, the real wahala was telling my mum. Omo my siblings had already started laughing at me because they knew I wanted to come for the retreat but also knew my mum won’t let me. I had said in my mind that if I got 80% in my practice question I would convince her with that but I got 76% that day though that 76% felt like 80% because I wasn’t concentrating as I took the test.
I met my mum Wednesday evening, told her and she said ok so quick, just asked that I drop a number they can reach, asked security-related questions, finish….ah I was grateful.I started to officially pack.
Enroute Ikoyi Mountain
I had a swell time inside the bus. We sang till we got to our hostel even when we got there we didn’t stop singing.
I didn’t tell you I joined the retreat
planning team and was made room lead…Omo I don’t know if you think it’s small
but it was big to me. I can never forget how my room lead last year was so
selfless,I loved and still love her,being room lead now felt like I was filling a big shoe. Me that I’m shy, I hope my roommate would like me, plenty thoughts
ran through my mind.
I met them and God helping me, my friend was in the same room with me. I’m sure the person allocating rooms to people didn’t know, by every standard she wasn’t supposed to be in the same room with me but I’m sure God wanted me to be calm.
My roommates, GOD bless them plentyyy, I loved them almost immediately God helped me, bonding was easy.
That night we had to all meet to
pray, it felt like God had already started.
I experienced God as Father so strongly, it felt like that was how he wanted me to see him,in my mind I was like Oya now, we never start this is already happening, let’s go!! The next day at the mountain was super sunny and I struggled a bit.
Fast forward to that afternoon, I slept a bit and dreamt that I was being taught how to prepare for the vigil (heart posture for receiving), the class was interrupted though but this has been a major prayer point for me. Imagine my excitement when Remi said Bukky was going to teach on a topic related to this subject(it didn’t hold, but I was confident that God was really interested in my experience at the vigil)
Games Time!!!!
I didn’t feel like it but had to be there but Remi had instructed we all come out. I stood by one corner close to the stairs watching everyone excited about the games and picking what they wanted to play. Remi stood almost in front of me and said “who isn’t playing any game,I want to teach you people a game with cards it’s called “Donkey”…..Ah I was happy(Back story: a colleague of mine always talked about how her dad taught her and her siblings how to play donkey and it was a wonderful experience every time, very interesting. I wanted to learn but we didn’t have the right cards)
So you see the reason why I was so excited, I had mad fun,I played pà “shout out to my “Donkey Team”, like I lost my voice just from playing Donkey, I was soooooo happy, GOD made my evening.
Vigil!!!
Hours before the time for the vigil, something happened and I had lost my peace, I was scared I won’t be able to concentrate. I had to tell someone, so I spoke to my last year’s room lead and I felt lighter but not light enough. We got to church and I still couldn’t concentrate, I just told the Holy Spirit everything that had happened and He asked me “if I had said sorry”, immediately I tore my journal(I never tear my journal) and wrote an apology letter, that was it, I was sooooo free that I could concentrate.
I had wanted to stand where I stood last year but I felt the urge to go to another side of the hall, I went there and Boom it was an experience, 6hrs pacing around, singing and praying in tongues, it felt like I was reminded of how I best connected with God,it was intimacy raised to power 100. I got words that addressed one major prayer point I always had(I always struggled to connect at large gatherings but one of the first things He told me was “Me that you came to meet, I have my attention fixed on you 100%, you too do same, this changed everything). At some point I paused and said “ok God what are you doing now and I heard restoration, mind-blowingnot too long I think Remi mentioned something in that line.
Let’s not talk of what was happening
to people around, it was mind-blowing.
I had to leave on Sunday (I made a
pact with my mum, so she could allow me come)
And inside the car, I was sleeping and could hear people praying in tongues, I thought someone was playing something but when I woke up same thing, the sound from the breeze that blew was like tongues (I was like ah Jesu no oh, this one no go fresh oh),while it lasted it was interestingly funny.
Now Home!!
It’s been a lovely ride, you know when
you go for programs and you are afraid that you would go cold.
Hmmmm
At first, the thought that I wouldn’t be able to sustain what I had received for long didn’t cross my mind. One day I just said ah ah I’m not afraid oh,even when I force myself to think “shey it would stop”
My mind isn’t afraid.
The food !!!
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
No retreat can ever, the food blew my
mind. God bless our caterers!
The food na full package. I told my brother all we ate for the days I attended and he was like shey I would not come next year like this. Nooooooo.
How would you finish eating yam and
fish stew and you are given milk and milo to step it down.
Abi is it the rice, plantain, egg, and
fish stew with diced ponmo?
