by Hanne Marte Forrester
My name is Hanne Marte, and I graduated from RHEMA USA in May 2024. I went to school for three years – two years of Ministry Fundamentals, and I did "Music & Media” my third year. During my time at RHEMA, I also met my wonderful husband, and together we now have an 11-month-old daughter. RHEMA has truly equipped us and prepared us to go through life's challenges in victory.
Let me take you back to the beginning of my RHEMA journey. It all started in 2015 when my family started attending the church Connection on Osterøy. Siri and Rune Tysse are the wonderful pastors there, and both are RHEMA USA alumni. My time at Connection equipped me in many ways—I was able to serve in the worship team and built lifelong relationships. Among them was a friend who graduated from RHEMA USA in 2017. When she planned to travel to Oklahoma in 2019 to attend a wedding, she asked if I wanted to come with her to visit RHEMA. I thought, "Why not check it out? But I don’t think I’ll end up going to Bible school in big America…»
However, when I visited the school, I felt an indescribable peace and knew that this was where I was meant to go. At the time, I was in my second year of high school and had a small part-time job. When I came home after my trip, people asked if I was planning to go to RHEMA Bible School. I responded, "That would be great, but I don’t know how I would make it happen." To get approved for a student visa, I had to prove that I had 160,000 NOK in my account. After a while, I realized that this was a poor confession, so I changed my response to: "Yes, I am going to attend RHEMA in the USA right after high school.”
From that moment, God provided through good job opportunities and financial gifts. That summer, I worked three jobs, often working double shifts several days a week. God gave me all the energy and joy I needed to move through my days with a smile. I created a chart with 100 squares, each representing 1,000 NOK. With full trust that God provides for what He has called me to do, every square was filled in—and more— in less than a year! All things are possible for the one who believes! In the fall of 2021, the year I finished high school, I left Norway to go to great America.
The teaching at RHEMA was absolutely amazing. Every day, I learned something new and grew closer to God. There is so much I could share, but the greatest lesson I learned is that God’s Word is for you and me—it is powerful, and we have authority in the name of Jesus. We are His hands and feet, and when we are willing, He uses us in both small and big ways to transform the lives of those around us.
During my time at Rhema Bible Training College, I was able to serve extensively at RHEMA Bible Church. I served in several worship teams and helped in the Broadcast Media and Audio department. My third year, I did the program "Music & Media”. This is an incredibly enjoyable and educational program for those interested in the technical aspects behind the scenes in a church and in worship ministry.
In the fall of 2024, my husband joined the U.S. Army. That was a big step for us as a family, but God gives us His strength to walk in His calling. We thrive as an Army family. As mentioned earlier, RHEMA has equipped us to go through life's circumstances in victory.
As a family, we are incredibly grateful for our time at RHEMA. We consider RHEMA USA our home. The foundation and training we have received to go out into the world as God’s ambassadors has truly been life-changing. We look forward to returning to Oklahoma for various seminars and continue to stay in touch with RHEMA and all our friends from there.
"All things are possible for the one who believes." – Mark 9:23
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