Meghan Labrecque's Testimony [Maine, USA]

When I went to the War College I thought I knew exactly what I was getting myself into, sure enough I soon realized that I had no idea. Throughout the year I was challenged more than I could have ever anticipated a year ago I would have never imagined being the way I am now. I learned so much about myself and God by living here. A key thing about this year was living in community, by living in this community I had to sacrifice the ability to hide anything. My sessionmates always knew when I was going through a hard time and they were there to help through it and lift me up, I had never experienced that previous to that year, and it helped to teach me about the way God is. Before the War College I struggled with depression and anxiety and through stepping out of my comfort zone and throwing away the boundaries I had put on myself I was healed! The War College was a tough year and I was stretched beyond what I could have ever expected, but I would never trade this experience for anything else. God used this year to heal me and to show me what it means to live for Him and not myself.

Ashley Aspeitia's Testimony [New Zealand]

WARNING! The War College is not a euphemism! There is a war going on down here and some of the bravest souls I have ever met. There are times of intense testing and trying spiritually, mentally, and physically. Yet, this is a haven for those of us aliens to this earth. This is a place of living water where trees can be planted and rooted. Incubate your greatst weapon: love. If I knew what I was getting into before coming here, I wouldn't have come because I would have marked it as something my heart was too faint to bear. God has spoken otherwise. Praise Him; His grace is enough!

Jessica Bryant's Testimony [New Westminster, BC]

My year at the War College was pretty much one huge contradiction.
It was safe and secure, yet new and terrifying.
It was a challenge, yet it was the easiest thing to do.
It filled me with hope, and it filled me with despair.
The War College is a roller coaster of emotions that will take you out of your comfort zones, but bring under the safety of the Almighty's wings. It will make you question what you believe, and end up with the most amazing answers. It will show you what it means to love God, and to be loved by God.
You will learn to see God anywhere and everywhere.
This is the saddest neighbourhood I've ever seen, but it is also the one with the most hope, the most joy, and the most love.

Robbie Alberts' Testimony [Dauphin, MB]

Going through the War College was the greatest challenge that I've been through in my entire life. God has challenged me in every aspect of my life, from purity to emotional stability, along with lies that were built up over the years. I've learned to denounce these lies and giving everything up to the Lord. God turned my heart from a heart of rock to a heart of flesh.

Being in the War College meant giving up on all pride, insecurities, passions (that were not mine), hatred, guilt, condemnation, and past related issues. It also meant having a desire for the Lord that I never thought I could. Knowing that the Lord lives inside of us is a great comfort to have. To know that God has imparted His Spirit into me and from the very beginning He created me to be his child and servant. He does care and he is a jealous God.

I learned that being bold and vulnerable were good things. Boldness helps me confront people better. Through vulnerability and confession I was able to receive healing from issues, and having a false sense of love for people. I received freedom from sins that were so easily entangled to me.

Community has a big role this year because through community I’m able to be open with things that are happening in my life, build relationships with God and making new friendships. This also meant spending time with my session on a number of occasions. I believe that these times united us together as brothers and sisters. These relationships will never be let go of because the Lord has united us together. So I would encourage the next session to spend as much time with your session mates and really get to know them. Show an unconditional love that the Father shows us. Let us not bicker but live in harmony with one another.

Remember the greatest commandment. 37And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38This is the great and first commandment. 39And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Caitlyn Spence's Testimony [Nanaimo, BC]

The War College was the hardest and most trying year of my life. A time of intense love and overwhelming heartbreak, breathless joy and signifigant sorrow. God broke me and began rebuilding my foundation on Him, that I might live for the unseen eternal instead of what is seen and temporal. Things like grace, mercy, trust, love and compassion were only abstract truths that I had studied before I moved to the Downtown Eastside and experianced them firsthand. God taught me more about His character through every person I met on the streets and challenged me to be made more like Him. I put to death the person I was when I originally came to the War College and embraced Christ's resurrection as the chance to live as a new creation as His bride, not his enemy. YHWH taught me to start living as Christ lived, not just reading and arguing about it but allowing myself to be changed by Him. God became more real to me than He had ever been, and no longer just fit in my head: His truth started to overflow into my actions and character. I learned what it meant to choose life and be light in the darkness; not of this world, nor reflecting it's surroundings, but acting as Christ's ambassador in every circumstance. God used the Downtown Eastside to teach me to bring life into places of death, joy into places of depression and love into places of hate.

Megan Smith's Testimony [Toronto, Canada]

By the grace of God, I have been transformed...praise the Lord!! I came to The War College not knowing much about it but knowing that LORD God called me to be here, and I'm really glad that He did. It was a struggle at times coming here, but I am glad I surrendered and gave up my will for His. At the War College I have learned better how to study His Word, I have discovered the joy and neccessity of Christian community, I have become PASSIONATE about discipleship and holiness, I have been confirmed and encouraged in my life's calling, I have found freedom from past hurt and sin, but most importantly I have been fallen in love! Yes, it's true, I fell in love at The War College - with the residents of the downtown eastside, with the Bride of Christ, with my lost brothers and sisters who God wants to be His bride, and with the Lord Himself! The most lifechanging aspect of this year has been the incredible love I've experienced, from God and His people. It is a love that fills, overflows, and changes hearts! The most heartbreaking thing I've discovered this year is that some people do not know how to recieve or give love because they have never experienced any! How tragic! It was a very painful year, surrounded by hopelessness, pain and spiritual warfare, but I've learned that it is in those places that God draws nearer to us. There are no words to express how thankful I am that The War College was raised up and that God called ME of all people to be here. "Amazing love! how can it be that Thou, my God, shoulds't die for me?" Praise the Lord.