Even though I’ve been saved since I was 5, and raised in a good Christian home I lived a very defeated life. God wasn’t real to me, I didn’t have or care about having a personal relationship with him. He always seemed so far away, so when I went through something hard he was usually the last one I turned to for help.

I had a terrible time sleeping because I was very fearful of things that sound ridiculous to me now. I thought I would be left behind when Jesus came back because God forgot about me. I was afraid of dying in my sleep. I would lay awake, tears rolling down my face because I was too scared to close my eyes but too tired to keep them open.

I also had problems physically, like sometimes my heart would skip a beat. I had migraine headaches, and trouble focusing my eyes in and out.

Plus, I’ve always been a very shy, timid person. Like I heard someone else say, I wouldn’t even order my own food at a restaurant because I didn’t want to talk to the waitress.

I’ve been a part of the River Church since February 2011 and since then God and His Word have become more real to me than ever before. I always knew in my head that his promises were for me but now it’s getting down into my heart. I’ve been pressing in like I didn’t even know was possible. RBI especially has helped me go deeper into the things of God. I wish everyone could come and experience this with me.

I now sleep SOUNDLY through the night, no fear at all. My heart has a light feeling and beats in time. I can’t remember the last time I had a migraine. I thought I would have to get glasses and I don’t. I proclaim the Gospel to total strangers, I’ve taken nearly 100 calls in the call center already, and I order my own lunch.

One of my favorite verses is Matthew 6:33 which says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Because that’s what I did, I went after God and one by one my problems left.

God is so amazingly good, just thinking about all this stuff that He’s done for me puts a smile on my face…..Mary K P.

What have I learned as an Intern in my third quarter of internship?  No matter what you do, submission to authority is always important, SOULS is what counts in this life, and the devil will try to discourage you and attack your body with illness and pain, but God is mighty to save, and it does not matter, He always makes a way, for those who are hungry and thirsty for His Word and the fire of the Holy Ghost.

There are many trials and tribulations that I have gone through in the natural; attacks against my family, my mother’s sense of discouragement, my daughter trying to fit in with the wrong kind of crowd and skipping school.  My body fighting and saying “I am tired” I don’t want to go on.  God is always faithful, and in my times of worst financial need, He has provided relief.  In my times of loneliness, He has provided an invitation from the S1ngular or Outreach team.  I have pressed in, in my two assigned departments for these last two quarters, but I am always looking to do more.  And I feel that I could still be used more in the RBI Espanola area; the newest area of our Bible Institute.

–Sandra

I haven’t even been an intern that long but this year has definitely felt so far like the most stretching I’ve ever been through. But like Pastor Todd says, your spirit is like Gumby – it loves to be stretched! So while it’s uncomfortable, I’m so glad I’m going through it, because I know I need to grow in a lot of things. Different situations with my finances came to a head, and through it I have been learning more responsibility and I feel like I’m just now getting to the place where I truly HAVE to lean on the Lord and there’s no plan B! God has grown me and set me free in so many areas in the last two years in school, but it’s like the focus has turned to this area because I haven’t grown much in it. I have already been seeing God’s miraculous provision – I didn’t know where I was going to stay, and He provided just in time – I got a new job, someone offered to pay half my current rent, I’ve been blessed with unexpected cash, food, clothes and more. I am so grateful to be in the department I’m in and for the people that I have been placed under, they have pushed me forward to press in not just spiritually but practically. I am so excited for everything the Lord is going to do this year and all the things I’m going to learn!

–Victoria

Also in Fort Meyers at the outreach I prayed with a man who had diabetes and his legs were really swollen and he had pain at about an 8 out of 10. I told him that since he just had received Jesus as his Lord and Savior that he was a child of God and that Jesus bore every infirmity on his body when he died on the cross for us. I asked him if he believed that God could heal him right then and he said “yes”. As I began to pray for him and lay my hands on his legs, he began to say “WOW!” He then proceeded to tell me that the pain in his legs had left and he was able to move his legs! Then he got out of his wheelchair and began to walk around the front for all to see!! The man then told us that he hadn’t been able to walk since 2008!! God used me as a vessel to minister healing to that man! God has really been teaching me about obedience as well. No matter how crazy something may seem, if God is telling you to do it, you just need to do it! It might just be the key to someone else’s breakthrough.

–Nicole

Over the course of my life I’ve always been told to read the word of God ever since I was a little boy. But sadly enough, there my Bible sat on the book shelf collecting dust till Sunday. I wish I would’ve put more time into reading it. I know that if I had, my walk would’ve been so much more fruitful. It’s sad to think that until recently I have just begun to understand the importance of reading and knowing the word of God. I’ve definitely been blessed to have Godly people in my life to get to this point, though. But looking back there are numerous times where I can see that when I pressed in and really got into the word of God that I was not only able to encourage and strengthen myself but those around me. If there’s anything I can say, it’s this; that the word of God is power and it’s important to take it to heart. Not only for our lives but for those who are lost. They need to know the love and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. You can’t give what you don’t have. The word of God is our weapon to defeat and destroy the kingdom of the wicked one. Ephesians 6:17(AMP) “And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the spirit wields, which is the word of God”. It is our job as believers in Christ Jesus to arm ourselves with the word of God so that we can encourage and strengthen and help arm others to do the same. Since I’ve been getting into the word, I’ve had break throughs in giving, in lustful thoughts, in anger and it’s only by standing on the word of God, and I’ve been able to help others in those areas as well.

Matthew 13 had not come alive in me the first few times I had read it.  I have been saved since May 1, 2011, but over the summer, and even in the fall when i had came back to it, there was always a sense that I was missing something. I had understood that Jesus spoke in parables for a reason, and that there was a true meaning for every word, and every line, and at one point I convinced myself I understood completely.  When I had listened to Pastor Rodney speak last week, I had my own personal revelation that the soil being sowed was actually the heart, my own heart. I knew it was kindergarten for some people but I’m aware of my own walk with God.

Thinking back upon my life it’s very easy to notice the different types of soil I happened to have. When I was saved last year, immediately after it seemed like I was set for life. I was going to save everyone I preached too, instantly, while calmly walking down the narrow path to heaven. But I did not know enough of God’s word, and became easily disheartened when things did not work out, or when I could not reach someone the way I thought I could. This was because my heart was rocky soil. I had accepted the word with joy, but had no roots to keep me upright. This slowly became a heart among thorns, and after a few months, without proper washing of the word of God, I found one foot in my old sinful life, and the other trying to hold on to as much of the cross as my own will would allow. Two months went by until it felt like my hand was about to slip for good.

It wasn’t until my friend Josh had talked with me and told me about RBI, and until I made a snap decision to get up and go, that I felt the thorns were being cut. A week later, I left on my birthday, December 30, with Josh and two other friends of mine to New York to see them preach with a bullhorn to a crowd of people, and immediately left on a 20 hour ride to Tampa. And it wasn’t until a couple weeks ago, that I found my soil was good, and its getting softer every day. Praise God!

Things that would cause fear now get confronted and conquered.   People who used to be a thorn in my flesh now are greeted with love.

I like these changes.   Do I feel like the Lord is finished with me?  Oh my, no!  This is just the beginning.  I’m just getting to the place where I can be used.  That’s not because I’ve attained anything; I feel woefully unprepared in myself.  That’s a good thing.  That means I must lean on God for everything.  I’ve learned to listen to the Holy Spirit and hear His voice as He guides me through situations.

There is a saying at the River: Preparation days are never wasted days.  Being at RBI has been the best experience for me.   For anyone who feels a call into full time ministry, or just wants to learn more of the Bible, the anointing and the Holy Spirit, The River Bible Institute/River School of Worship is for you.

–Susan