I come from Santa Ana, California and I never thought I would ever be part of such an amazing church/school. It was such a hard journey for me to get here but I am just glad God opened the door and allowed me to be here. When I first heard of The River was in the beginning of March when my friend Boris Larios called me and started to share with me of all the things God has been doing in his life ever since he arrived to The River.

He also started to share with me about the school program that The River has, as soon as he told me about the School of Worship he got my full attention. I was so happy just hearing his testimony; I just knew my soul wanted what my friend has been receiving. As soon as I hung up many things started to come into my head. Things that I am sure many students went thru, “how will I pay for everything”, “Where will I live”, “I don’t know anyone there”, and many more. All I knew was I had to be here. God started to put everything together, blessed me with a Full Scholarship, he used my friend Boris to help me find a place to live, transportation, and even helped me find friend. He has been a true blessing in my life.

When I came back from the AMT Course with Overland Missions. My heart kept on getting hungrier and hungrier for the things of God. I was so excited to start RBI and continue walking in what God has called me to do, save Souls. When the first day of school started (RBI Revival week), I was excited and yet nervous because I had doubts of going to school. My heart was still in Africa! I fell love with the people in a way that I can’t describe. The first week of school they had pictures from Pastor Rodney in Africa and every time it was shown I had flash backs of the ministry time and the environment that I experienced. I wanted to be back in Zambia walking for miles and ministering the gospel. Yet I knew that God has called me here to be trained up. I knew that this school would help break, shape, and mold me in to the man God is raising me up to be, a servant.

The next week they extend the Revival week and God kept on showing how real he is in, through, and around my life. He started breaking me in giving, and what it means to give. I have learned that if I give because I think I will get something back I am selfish and my heart is corrupt. But if I give with a cheerful heart being selfless, my heart is incorruptible. If you can’t be selfless by giving, you can’t be selfless with God. These Revival weeks have showed me that even in financial deposition that it doesn’t matter what you think because it’s about Jesus. The more I give myself to Jesus the more I get of Jesus. God has used the RBI Revival week to break me into reality in Jesus and this is one of the things that I just take and treasure because is a honor to know more about Him!

On 9/8/20211, God brought much of the student body to a repentance which caused us to let go of some of the idols to which we had formerly given first place.  Today, we more fully joined Jesus when he denied himself and took up the cross.

Today’s service eclipsed all.

After the offering, the Holy Spirit began moving on people to give something special, and I brought my lunch money.  Then I was moved to give up my most precious possession.  During her kindergarten year, my firstborn had given me a silver ring with two hearts, representing our love for each other.  She and her sister had both known the Lord from the very beginning.  They spent every day of their young years in CBN’s cartoons of the Bible, reading Bible stories and their Picture Bibles.  The Lord told me one day when they were playing in the bath tub at about 3 and 6 exactly how to lead them into the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  He said my youngest would receive her language first and then faith would spring up in my oldest who would receive.   Jocelyn received first and Amanda, after an astounded look, began laughing and praying in her language also.

Their father divorced me and married his mistress after the 6-month waiting period required by the Episcopal Church.  Once when the girls were with him, he became infuriated upon finding Amanda praying in the spirit over an injured Jocelyn.  He set out to separate us.  A pathological liar, he was eventually able to alienate my firstborn from me for a number of years.  Later, she realized what had really happened, and our relationship was healed.  However, the girls lacked the fire of their childhood relationship with God.

That ring became a symbol to me of the love we shared so I wore it almost constantly.  Today, when I put that little child’s gift on the steps on the other, more costly jewelry, I was placing that very relationship on the altar.  I realized that I had, like Abraham, put my first-born child on His altar.  Immediately, inspired by God, Pastor Rodney said some of us were “sacrificing our Isaacs.”  Nothing could have been truer.

Since school started God has been revealing to me where in my character he wants me to improve. I have started to tackle my pride, laziness, and impatience.

I used to be worried about how I appeared to others when I worshiped in the church. God spoke to me in His Word that if I exalted myself, I would be humbled. However, if I humbled myself, He would exalt me. I realized I didn’t need to worry about what others might think of me but I should hold nothing back and press into His Presence.

In our second week of our revival, Pastor Todd gave what seemed to be an unpopular message about faith that spoke to me. I learned how to correctly apply faith to my job search. I now rest on the promise of God’s favor over the work of my hands.

God has increased my patience as well. I learned that the more I trust God, the less I worry about His timing. I started school without knowing how it would work out money-wise. I had even sown my Bible right before school started. Since I have started school, someone has already given me a textbook and I know more of God’s provision is on the way.

I am excited about what God has been doing in me. My wife said she can already see a change. I look forward to growing more in character, knowledge, and relationship with God here in RBI…..Gary W.