Imagine the following situation: You are walking by a lake, when suddenly an airplane has fallen into the water. You and your friend are the only people in that place who can help. What would you do? Would you throw yourself into the water to help get people off the plane? Would you call for help?
Well, I imagine you felt distressed by this situation. But I can tell you that I experienced this situation in a dream. However, my anguish was doubled because I didn’t know how to swim to save people.
And that’s how I understood that I needed to learn to swim spiritually. How many people around us who are spiritually dying and are not able to help?
I had this dream about 4 months ago and I understood that I should prepare myself to help save people. And that’s when ISEED training came to me, with the purpose of helping me to be a discipler.
The training has been very important to me and I am very happy to be able to participate in each class. Each class is an awakening. I have grown a lot!
I highly value ISEED training because I’ve been on the other side. I was once the one who was dying spiritually. I thought I lived an upright and good life. Today, after 4 years after saying yes to Jesus, my heart burns for bringing people to Him.
People need to live it!
Well, what would it be like to live it?
In my case, I knew the Lord’s love and care. I’m going to tell you a little bit of my story to help you understand.
I was born in the southern region of Brazil. My mom got pregnant with my dad and they weren’t even officially dating. I was born and taken care of by my grandmother. I had contact with my parents, but each one took care of their own lives. My father was dating my current stepmother and my mother started her family. And that’s how I grew up learning to be independent and strong. In reality, strength and self-sufficiency were just masks I wore to disguise my lack. My heart might be broken, but I moved on.
But in 2017 I said yes to Jesus. 🙂 I realized that pretending strength and sufficiency is tiresome and that Jesus is the rest I need. I understood that I am loved and cared for by Him. He values my every characteristic. While many did not see my value, He saw a treasure chest. I understood that I am weak and that Jesus strengthens me.
Please don’t take these phrases as cliché. I lived situations where Jesus showed me how much He loves me. By the way I have some testimonies. It’s like being in love every day of life. Love that cannot be explained.
And it’s all this love that I need to tell people. They need to experience this love and I need to learn to show them that. Well, this is just a summary of the motivation to take ISEED training and I’m sure it will change my life. In reality it is already doing.
I’ll be back…
Mariana Alves Ibarr