I have been facilitating a Sozo ("saved, healed, delivered") class at First Assembly this month. We have had twenty-something people there, wanting to learn this tool so they can help bring healing to people in our community. At our class the other night, one young man hung around until most of the others had left. This young man encountered a group of worshippers downtown Bemidji after a Friday Night Worship. They were worshipping on the corner of 3rd and Beltrami- like carolers in the summer- and attracting a crowd. Some people listened, some sang, some, like one older couple, danced. This young man was coming from one of the local bars and heard the music. He has been coming to Friday Night Worship ever since, and signed up for the Sozo training.
As we talked, I could see that he needed some time, but maybe the Holy Spirit wanted to do something right then. He began to tell me a devastating story from his childhood that he had to this point told no one. He had carried this his entire life- by himself. A seven year old boy is not meant to do that. Our amazing Holy Spirit wanted to heal him, and led him to this point. He was able to forgive who needed to forgive and receive what God had for him.
Watching this happen is always nothing short of miraculous for me. God just shows me what is going on, how to word things for them, and He does the rest. He embraces the orphans. I've seen Him do it. When I asked this young man how he was feeling after all of this- as he sat there letting the Holy Spirit love him- he said, "Free."
At the same time, our daughter Maddie was at a school leadership conference. Student council and other leaders from high schools all around MN gathered at this event. The speaker - at a secular high school leadership event- spoke of forgiveness and how important it was, how it sets people free. How, if you don't forgive, you are in a prison. (!!??!!) One young man in her class who is on student council with her, had been giving her a hard time lately. He is convinced that Communism is what our country needs, dresses like a Russian soldier, and admires the Nazi party. He calls himself a pagan and proudly relays the fact that his mother is a "witch." Ilsa and Maddie have been sharing the tools of healthy relationships, especially Love Languages, with all their friends at school, and this guy is no exception, even though he has been prickly. In simple words, they are "loving on" their classmates.
Maddie has had some impetego on her chin this week, and she noticed that this young man was staring at it a lot. Finally, in the hearing of a teacher and another friend, he said, "You look absolutely disgusting." When Maddie told us this, there was a sharp inhale in the car! WHAT?!?! He said what?!? Her friend, another guy, immediately denounced it with, "What? I think she is beautiful, no matter what she looks like!" Maddie was able to brush it off (which is more than I can say about me at her age!) Later she asked him what that was all about, and just told him that saying something like that was really rude and hurtful to people. He defended himself. This young man has never apologized for anything up to this point.
So fast forward to Wednesday night- as I was praying with the young man at the Sozo class- the speaker at the conference was slicing open hard-hearted teenagers. This young man stood up, along with many others in the group, and shared about why he transferred from the large high school to Maddie's charter high school. He had been molested by his older brother, and then made fun of and beat up at the high school for it. Hence the transfer. Maddie cried with him, and later offered her forgiveness for his mean comments. He looked at her, and said, "Maddie, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I said that."
After that, Maddie's teacher told her that she and Ilsa have made a huge impact on their school. "You have changed our school," he said.
Maddie also had an opportunity to help another friend begin to forgive her dad for molesting her when she was little. This young lady now wants to come to the Sozo training.
How's that for revival, family? I love watching the Holy Spirit work.....in and out of the church. It's so beautiful. I'm in tears as I write all this. We continue to meet on Friday nights.....offering our worship to God, praying for the sick, seeing many healed. Tuesday nights on campus, however, have been small. We recently had a prayer meeting with our leaders and put everything on a shelf- and asked God what He was doing on campus and determined to do whatever that is. Tuesday nights are going to look different, and we're excited to see what that will look like.
So Aslan is on the move, family. Enjoy your Thanksgiving and remember that!!
Love, us Thoofts
