Years ago our team had the privilege of coming to Wilton Christian School with the War of Special Forces. Since that time, we have had the privilege of coming back many times. It was great to work with Peter Lovelace and the faculty/staff. The Lord worked in so many ways. It really was a very encouraging week!

Several students in the school struggled with bitterness towards their parents. One young lady who was adopted and born with physical limitations told Janna, the Seal co-captain, that every day she wakes up feeling worthless. On Wednesday she came back during the invitation and shared about her anger towards her birth mom who had abandoned her at birth. After reading several verses and wrestling through her past, she decided to release her bitterness. Here is her testimony from Friday night… 

“I struggled a lot with bitterness. A lot of the moms in [a certain foreign country] want a healthy baby boy. That’s not what they got…I’m different. And that made me really angry and really bitter…at my biological parents…When I was younger I didn’t really understand it, but as I got older I noticed how different I was. I just felt so worthless. I couldn’t do so many of the other things people my age could do…So I asked God why I wasn’t like everyone else and why I was so different…I felt so broken. There’s a verse that goes ‘God works all things for good, for those who trust in Him and believe in Him.’ That means that God has a purpose for me and for you and for everyone…”

During the previous girl’s testimony one young man started sobbing. He was so convicted of his pride. He got up and gave the testimony below. Later that evening, Stephen, the Ranger team captain, was able to counsel him further.

“I have a really bad pride issue…I just always think of myself and not others.” 

On Friday, one young lady stood to the microphone and testified of how she got saved. Her mom was Catholic and her dad was an atheist, and she told one of the team members she had always thought she could get to heaven by being a good person. On Thursday, she realized it was just Jesus and decided to place her dependence in Him alone right there in her seat!

On Friday, Judson, the Seal team captain, went to the lunch room and spoke to three young men who hadn’t responded all week. Judson asked them what they were depending on for salvation. They all answered, “myself.” After Judson went through the gospel with them, he asked, “When do you think you should make this decision?” They answered, “right now.” Right then all three bowed their heads and depended on Jesus to save them.

One young man came back after team meetings on Thursday and talked to Josiah, the Marine team captain. He had been into pornography for several months and was terrified to tell his parents. Josiah encouraged him to do what was right and not worry about how his parents would respond. He shared during the testimony service about what happened when he told his parents:

“I got home and for three hours I didn’t do anything except sit on the floor…[then] I told them and they didn’t get mad, they started crying…and it was crazy I thought they were going to ground me, yell at me…but they cried with me and were so proud of me.”  

On Tuesday, Abi, the Marine co-captain, recruited a girl at the high school who didn’t seem too excited, but signed up. As Abi was texting her it didn’t seem like she could come, but last minute she decided to come with her sister. Both girls responded in the invitation and were gloriously saved. The sister of Abi’s recruit was sobbing and told her counselor she was planning on taking her life and had made a plan to do so. Before she took action she told God, “If you’re real, show yourself to me.” When she heard the gospel message on Wednesday, she knew it was for her and gladly accepted Jesus. 

Wow! It is hard to communicate all that the Lord did, but it seemed most of the student body responded in some way to the Lord’s dealing with them. We left early the next morning for a long drive to Arizona with joy in our hearts!