Wow...rough day!

So pretty much yesterday was one of the hardest days of my life....at Masters, it is called boot camp, and they compare it to Hell Week that the Navy SEALs go through to be initiated.

I was woken up at 3 in the morning, and marched into our lounge area with the rest of students, where we were forced to stand in complete dark in rows of 7 by 10, completely silent, for three hours. Trust me, standing silent in a completely black room is a very hard thing to do for a long time. after this, we were all taken on a long run around the area and then they had us do a team building activity: Carrying one person up a steep hill at a time until only one of us was left. this meant that about 5 of us would have to carry one person up this hill until there were only 5 people left, in which only 4 could carry, until there were only two, and one would have to carry the other up the hill. After we did this, the last person would be brought up the hill by the rest of us laying down on the hill two by two so that the person could use us as a bridge to get up to the top. After we had gotten him up, and the girls had gotten their last person up, we went to one of the hills by the dream center, where the second year boys would have to push a truck up the hill and down it 3 times...while all the first year guys would do leg ups. A leg up is when you lay flat on your back and raise your legs up in the air a foot up. Basically this means that we would have to keep our legs in the air for around 4-5 minutes. If we didn't succeed, we had to run around the whole Dream Center complex, which is quite hard. We weren't able to get it done the first time...and ran. Then we had to do it again, but finally succeeded. After this, the girls had to do it. Once they had finished, 5 boys and 5 girls were asked to volunteer for the next 'trial'. I don't know why I did, but I volunteered, and was then told the next ordeal. The five girls would do leg ups again, while they guys would run around the Dream Center. The longer it took us to run the distance, the longer it was for the girls to hold up their legs. And if the girls dropped their legs, all of the girls would have to run around the Dream Center. In other words, us guys would have to run at a full sprint to make sure that the girls wouldn't have to run. I have never ran so fast in my life. We all managed to get the run finished in record time, and the girls didn't have to run. After this, I was so tired I could barely stand. The long hours standing silently, the running, the leg lifts, and that final race had completely wiped me out. And it was only 10 o'clock.

After the grueling morning, we were brought to the Church sanctuary to be informed of what we would do next. We were going to walk from the Dream Center all the way to central Hollywood...a good 4 hour walk. Once we got there we were going to line up along one of the streets, girls on one side, and boys on the other, and on top of each of the stars along the walk of fame, kneel down and cry out to God for the city of Los Angeles. Once we started walking, I entered a second wind and was able to keep up a good attitude with those around me, even going into a fun freestyle rapping deal that three of the guys, Dan(D-Jack), Blake, and Leo were starting. I provided the beat boxing, haha. Blake, one of the guys, is definitely the BEST freestyle rapper I have ever hear...actually stellar...completely a gift from God to him. anyhow, we reached Hollywood, and I knelt down on one of the stars with the rest of us, and started to pray for the deliverance of the city, the industry in Hollywood, and the world that is so affected by what comes out of the place in which I was standing. After we had prayed, we all went on some of the Dream Center buses which had come to pick us up to the Hollywood Ridge trail, where we walked up to a certain point. We were told that we were going to be prayed over by the second years and anointed with oil, to give this year to God in a real and tangible way. This was definitely the highlight of the day, and the spirit of God was so strong and amazing that everyone was deeply touched. After this amazing experience overlooking all of LA, we went back to the Dream Center and showered off all of the oil and went to bed. Although I was sore, tired, and weary, I had been so happy that I had experienced this day...It was the moment were I really decided that i was here for the right reasons, and that God had an amazing plan for me!

I really appreciate all the prayer that I am receiving from everyone back home, as it strengthens my resolve and commitment to completing this commitment to God. I love you all, and I pray for you daily! God Bless you guys!

Busy busy busy!

Wow, I just moved into the Dream Center yesterday, and there is already so much to do! Between getting my room set up, meeting new people, and exploring the huge location, I have also been trying to spend some time with my parents seeing the sights of LA...on minimal sleep, unfortunately. I can do it!..with energy drinks...

My roommates, Sam and Shane, are pretty cool guys. Its going to be really cool to get to know them over the next nine months. And we have pretty much the sweetest room on the whole floor. A TV, microwave, and a mini-fridge....yeah we are hooked up.

I went to the Dream Center's Thursday night service, and let me tell you...they have the most intense worship! I though Gen Unleashed got pretty concert-like at times...but they were head-banging on the stage! It was stellar! Absolutely on fire! We also had a guest speaker, who gave a sermon on realizing who Jesus is to you. He gave an amazing testimony about how he was shot at five times at point blank range, and wasn't even hurt, due to his faith in God as his Protector. Needless to say, the whole sermon was really awesome.

Well, Its going to take a lot of getting adjusting to life here...getting used to the area, and memorizing about 50 peoples names (not kidding either...its more like 150), and also getting past my missing of my friends and family back home...but God is on my side, so who can stand against me?

Parting is such sweet sorrow...

Today was my last day to say goodbye to everyone at church...and it was probably the hardest thing I have ever done. My roots at home have been planted very deeply, and its going to really hurt having those roots placed in LA...

As excited as I am, I'm finding that it is much harder than I would have thought. Saying goodbye to my good friends was very difficult for myself and for them. I really love them all so much, and I hope that our friendships will be sharpened and that my leaving will bring us closer together in the end.

I know that it is God's plan for me to go, so I'm not second-guessing it at all...I just wish it wasn't so hard...but I know that the Lord is testing my will in this matter, and that I will come out the better from this experience. And after all, I will be back at Christmas, so its not too long!