It all started by the broadcast, one day I was home and a friend of mines told me about The River church she attented and she was talking about the presence of god felt strongly in the church, After she was done talking she told me “Watch Channel 2” and so I was curious about what she told me I turned it to the channel and started watching .Well, at first, I was being kinda polite by listening to what she was saying but really I didnt want to hear it because I was brought up catholic and my families beliefs are also witch craft So I believed in many things but all that I was hearing and watching on tv was a bit like “Oh wow all they talk about is winning people to the lost”.

Well sooner than later I ended  up attending the river and they mentioned the River bible Institude and School of worship. That day I filled out the paper and placed it in the box I honestly was not planing on attending a bible Colege I was prideful and I though that it would be a waste of time , BUT also remember im not only prideful but I had such a religious mind set that I didn’t know the truth from the lie and I was not yet even SAVED .Well , I keep attending the River – something keep on pulling me back (it was the love of god ) my spirit cried out and my flesh didn’t want nothing to do with what I was feeling inside.

Till one day I was laying in bed and I put CTN P.Adonica was preaching and what she said touch my heart in such a way that I couldn’t refuse Jesus Into my heart I called the prayer line and accepted christ in my heart. So, remember in the beginning how I was saying that on The broadcast all they talk about was souls, once I got saved and saw the passion that the Pastors had for the lost I understood everything in a different way. I prayed that I would get accepted to the school because I wanted that fire, that passion for the lost. Ever since the first day of school I went in expecting a touch from the lord.

P.Maldonado came to visit our church the week of revival week and I got touched like I never have before I cried from the inside for the Lord to touch my heart to change me I wanna see people like I never seen them before I wanna walk by my brothers and sisters and not be able to walk away without telling them “YOU KNOW THAT GOD LOVES YOU and HAS A WONDERFUL PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE”.Then, the day that the bible students filled the alter with their most prize possesions without holding anything back from the lord. It showed me that our treasures are in heaven we are followers of the Lord and we cant hold nothing back from him we have to trust him in everything.

The next day I beleive P.Adonica preached. She prayed for everyone and all I remember is this peace coming upon me that I can’t even explain it … Super soul winning saturday was that very next day.. I was so excited to go out .. 18 people recieved the lord as their savior ,but ,when I go to knock on another door a lady opens the door ,, sweet lady ,, she listened to what I had to say but when I was going to pray with her she stopped me and said I have my sin in my hand right now (she was holding Crack , Cocaine ) I Told that lady how God loves her . I told her ,”grab my hand lets pray” I prayed for her and while she had her eyes closed and grabbing on to my hand as tight as she could, she repeated after me the Soul Winning Script.

We all have freedom in us and by the way she held my hand and repeated the prayer after me to accept Christ in her heart , I beleive that she felt that freedom in her ! We are all free because Jesus payed the price on Calvary we dont have to be bound by sin , destruction , hate , sadness nor depression because he paid the price so we can be free . The lord was pouring into me so I can pour out to my brothers and sisters. Its only been 3 weeks and so much has happened already I cant wait to see what the lord has next for me………

One night I just happened to turn on the television to the Great Awakening.  My spirit witnessed with what they were saying and how they were reaching out to people.  When I heard they were offering a $2,000.00 scholarship.  I prayed if it was Gods will for me to go to Bible School, He would open the door for me.  I always wanted to go to Bible School but never had been able to go.  I called in that same night and requested an application form, which came very promptly.  After completing all the requirements I submitted my application.

About six weeks later I received a voice-mail saying I had been accepted to River Bible Institute.  Halleluiah!  I was so happy at first but then I began to think that the voice-mail didn’t say I had received the scholarship, only that I had been accepted to the school, so the next day I called River Bible Institute and kept playing phone tag with the people I was trying to reach that afternoon.  The next morning I called the number back and the operator told me the number could not be completed as dialed, so, I tried about four or five times with the same results.

I called information and asked for the River Bible Institute telephone number in Tampa, Florida.  The information operator told me they had no such listing.  I told her I had used the same number yesterday with no problems.  She asked me if I wanted to speak to her supervisor and I replied yes.  He looked up the number on the computer and said the same thing.  I realized there was no sense in arguing with him so I hung up.  As soon as I hung up my mind took off like a rocket ship.  It started telling me this was a fly-by-night deal and it was a scam and the people had pulled the plug and had run off.

Finally I began to get ahold of myself and realized everything was in Gods hands and if He didn’t want me to go to Bible School it was ok with me, He knew what was best for me and I did not have to worry.  He would not let anything happen to me.  It was in His hands.  I got peace again and continued with my day’s plans. That afternoon I decided to call the same number again, just for grins.  The phone rang and the Institute operator said, “Good afternoon, River Bible Institute”.  I couldn’t believe it.  I had made contact just as it should have happened.

I told the lady my name and asked if I had received the scholarship.  She said, “Let me check”.  She came back on and said congratulations; you have received your scholarship.  Then I began to tell her what had happened previously that morning and as I was speaking to her I realized that satin was fighting me to keep me from coming to this school.  I told the lady, ma’am, God is going to be doing great work in me.  I now know because if it were not so, satan would not be fighting me so hard to keep me from coming there.  He is afraid.  Halleluiah!

As I meditated later on what had happened, I understood that this whole incident was to confirm to me by the Spirit that I was being sent to River Bible Institute by the Spirit.  If this had not happened I would have come to the school not really knowing by the Spirit I was in Gods will.  Because although initially I witnessed that what was going on at this Great Awakening was a good thing and I agreed with what I was seeing.

I still didn’t hear God say go.  Without this experience, later on I probably would have questioned whether or not this was just a good idea. This is my first testimony of River Bible Institute.  Since then God has revealed Himself in so many ways to me and we are experiencing Gods pouring out of His Holy Spirit on us here at the River.  May God Bless you all……