Together We Make All the Difference
Resting in the Lord!
In late September, many pastors and church leaders came together for the ABBA Ecuador retreat, centered around the theme, “Rest in the Lord.” It was a time of renewal, reflection, and profound spiritual experiences. Below are two powerful testimonies of how God moved in the hearts of those present: I feel as though God had specifically prepared this retreat for me. Before attending, I was deeply frustrated, spending two weeks job-hunting without success. Now I see it was God’s will for me to be there. I was overwhelmed with worries about my future and often went to bed feeling depressed. The retreat was a great blessing. God spoke to me and taught me to surrender everything to Him and rest in His care. I prayed that I wouldn’t leave unchanged, and on Monday, God began to work in me. By Wednesday, the chains that had bound me were broken, and He revealed the wounds preventing me from being fully used by Him. I’m incredibly grateful to God for lifting me up. Even though I went to church and prayed, my mind was consumed with worries. Now I feel He will continue working in me, and I want to bless others who are struggling. The retreat also challenged us to read four books of the Bible in two days, which helped me get back into my reading. Without a doubt, this experience was transformative, and I now feel free and joyful in God’s presence. -Samira Muñoz, Iglesia Sanidad Celestial Greetings and blessings to all who made the ABBA Ecuador retreat possible. It has been such a significant help to me. Being a pastor does not mean I am free from difficulties; in fact, I arrived at the retreat feeling very sad and burdened by personal struggles. But thank God! He granted me rest in every moment of the retreat—through each session and every song. The retreat’s theme, “Rest in the Lord,” became my reality, and I truly found the rest, relief, and peace I so desperately needed. My health had not been well, but the Lord sustained me, and I felt strengthened. Every word spoken during the retreat brought me comfort, and it is clear that a retreat like this is truly a gift from God. He called me into His rest, and now I have returned home feeling renewed and uplifted. While my challenges remain, I now feel more protected, relieved, and have greater faith that God will not allow the enemy to harm me. God has been very good to me by allowing me to participate in this retreat. I pray that the Lord will bless us with another retreat like this in the near future, and I bless those who made it possible. I am grateful to God for raising up people to teach and equip us. Many blessings, my beloved brothers and sisters. -Pr. Carmen Quiñonez, Iglesia Sanidad Celestial These testimonies reflect the power of God’s rest, encouraging us all to slow down and allow the Lord to refresh and strengthen us in His presence.