“Rebecca, would you like to attend the Holiness Institute?” When my corps officers first asked me, it was met with a resounding and exaggerated no! I have so many responsibilities and I do so many things that it just did not seem like a good option for me. I really wasn’t sure how I could fit it into my schedule without overstressing or overburdening myself. As soon as the no was out of my mouth, I felt convicted. I took some time to pray on it and I knew that it was something that God was leading me to be a part of. That Sunday, a couple from the corps came to me let me know they were praying and felt that God wanted me to be part of Holiness institute.

Part of my hesitation with the Holiness Institute was not knowing what to expect. Unfortunately, I sometimes associate holiness with a checklist or an appearance. I am not sure what I was expecting it to be, but it was not what I expected. It exceeded my expectations! God knew I needed some time to step away from life and be refreshed. The weekend was an amazing opportunity to just be, to rest in Jesus. There was no teaching on what to/not to do but rather it was a weekend full of diving into the Word and understanding it more. I wish I had words to describe the peace that rested there.

Over the last couple years God has been growing me, sometimes through painful circumstances, and this weekend provided a time for me to reflect. It provided confirmation, peace, hope, and revelation. I realized just how far God has taken me and I was challenged to live consecrated to God in a deeper way. On the last afternoon, we had a small group time to reflect on what God has been doing in that weekend. I was so amazed to hear how many people also received confirmation and peace about the situation that they were in. The situations were so diverse, but I don’t think one person left there without receiving. I realized just how incredible God is to take one thing and use it to bless so many people.

In the final covenant service, we had the opportunity to renew our commitment. I have not done that in a very long time. Recommitting doesn’t need to happen because you are doing something or not doing something. It’s creating a moment in time where you consecrate yourself to God and to his will again. The way the Holy Spirit met me, in that moment was absolutely incredible! It moved me to tears and I didn’t even know why there were tears. I’ve been overwhelmed by so many things, but never have I been so overwhelmed by God.

I’ve never had a moment where I was just so confident in who he has made me to be. Never so confident that he is at work transforming me, never so confident that I am already holy and worthy. Not because of me, but in spite of me. God was so faithful the entire weekend, he knew what I needed, and I was so blessed. Often times we leave a mountaintop experience, go home and life goes back to normal and we quickly forget what God has done. This was so different, God did such a deep uprooting in my heart and mind that even on returning home, things are not the same. God pursued me, I obeyed, he did his work. As concerned as I was about everything I was leaving behind, I couldn’t afford not to go!

written by Rebecca Watts of the Nashua Corps-NNE