The TWA Story
"Trinity Wrestling America was born of the spirit in January 2005. it was a deep and intimate prayer time that turned into a stunning vision."
(Jacksonville, FL.) It is the story of my life. Vision, vision, vision! Even to the point that no one really expected me to follow through on this vision. After 13 years of youth ministry where God's vision was always fresh to me but never fulfilled by me, I had gained quite a reputation. A reputation for not backing up the words of my mouth. A terrible reputation that could have destroyed me all together. However, that all changed on December 7, 2002. Walking down the steps of my trailer with a load of sopping wet clothes in a basket, I tripped and fell breaking my ankle bone cleanly. One month later I developed an acute tonsillitis that inhibited me from eating, drinking, or sometimes breathing. Talking about being down and out! I couldn't walk and couldn't talk and I was growing bitter at everyone around me. One night in early January 2003 after cursing everyone and everything around me, I was laying in my bed (couldn't do anything else) and I looked up at the ceiling and whispered "God why has this happened to me"! In that very moment I will never forget His response. It was as if in that moment God had taken a big mirror and put it in front of my face and said, "behold your problem". But how could that be I thought. What have I done? Really it was all about what I hadn't done. When God calls you to a purpose, no matter what the purpose, it is imperative that we obey. I had not! Time after time I had been instructed to do this or that and I would begin the task, but not complete it. My own disobedience had bit me in the butt.
It was in that moment that I committed, before God, to be a Willing and Obedient vessel. That night the Spirit of God spoke to me that I would go through a 24 month Boot Camp. God had to know if I was serious about being Willing and Obedient. Oh my, the next two years were one test after another as I was learning to be Obedient. Then came January 2005, the month that marked the end of the two year Boot Camp.
As I do every New Year; I went into my office, locked the door, and prayed! Before I knew it I was writing down faster than I could write everything that God was saying to me. In the end it was 17 pages long. Those 17 pages turned into 11 typed pages and our TWA Business Plan. Since then we have benefited from great relationships that we have forged, none better than with our friends at UCW. All praise and glory belong to God who has given us this calling in Christ Jesus! Without Him I would surely fail, but TWA will not fail. Why? Because I am committed to be Willing and Obedient to my God. All we do, we do because he empowers us. May God receive all the glory!
Isaiah 1:19-20
Rick Hidalgo