The Divine Plumb-line (week 5)

My name is Philippe, I am French and have lived in Italy for many years. Being 47, I am the eldest among the DTS' students.
I have been collaborating with Youth With a Mission since October 2008 and the Lord led me to take these months for the DTS to improve my relationship with him, it is never too late!

The teacher for the past week was David de Carvalho, a Brazilian who ministers in the YWAM base of Chatel in Switzerland.
David taught on the Plumb Line that God puts on our hearts to help us build our lives on Jesus' foundations. Living without God we have built walls in order to isolate and avoid being injured by others. We put up several bricks as self hatred, insecurity, despair, hostility, stubbornness, resentment, or many others deriving from the pain caused by authority figures in our lives (parents, siblings, teachers, etc. ..)
We also understood that sin consists in a search of false pleasure to find relief from pain.
Now our foundation is in the redemption of Jesus therefore our concrete wall of protection is reinforced by revelation, by repentance, by renouncing our rights, by the renewal of the mind and by complete forgiveness that we give to those who have harmed us..

The days fly away with lectures, various meetings, practical work or ministry! Our group is small but very active and increasingly cohesive. There are just a few minor differences of opinions that everyone is trying to work on. The truth is that this DTS is the one with the prettiest girls and strongest boys in YWAM!

Next week we will have Giuseppe Restivo, Pescara's base leader, who will teach us on homiletics. I know him personally and he is the ideal teacher on the art of preaching.

During the past week we had the opportunity to examine ourselves with God's help and leave to the cross any resentment, pains, sins that we still kept hidden. We were able to give and receive forgiveness. We have done it together as a group and it was a time of incredible blessings. We have received forgiveness, healing, and deliverance! It was sort of a new start with God. Our openness in sharing has further strengthened the unity of our group and I am convinced that God will use us to bless the people we'll meet.
Sunday we visited the Apostolic Church of in Pescara Colli.. It was a day of ministry, fellowship, making new friends and evangelizing.

Our "Love Feast" was a great blessing on Friday evening. Barbecue and good food, dancing and fun! We needed it after such an intense week in the classroom. We relaxed a bit and I'm sure the Lord rejoiced with us.
See you soon,

Philippe