I’m not sure if I’ve ever shared this with you before that I am a fan of the Moose Jaw Warriors. During my teenage years, my parents took Sis and me to multiple hockey games in the Crushed Can. I have many special memories from those days. I made several scrapbooks with newspaper clippings and kept stats of the team and players, listening to Rob Carnie, the voice of the Warriors, calling as many games as I could listen to on my Walkman, some far into the night with double overtimes or during the west coast swing.
We also became close friends of the family of one of the players, Rob Reimer, in the late 80s. Many times after the game, we would meet at the San Marino restaurant (that was across the street from the rink). Those were precious times. We enjoyed the success of the Warriors in those days as well as deep spiritual friendship and fellowship.
I married a cowboy who wasn’t interested in sports unless it was horse related, so my exposure to the Warriors waned for probably at least 20 years. But, thanks to my sister’s passion for the game, I started taking my sweet peas with me to a few games. If I wasn’t able to get to a game, I would often listen to James Gallo and Derek Kletzel (Derek played on the Warriors when Rob played!) broadcast the games. It is so hard to imagine it has almost been a year since any games have been played at Mosaic Place!
Can I say this...? I miss corporate and community gatherings! I was standing in line with a fellow Moose Jaw Warrior fan at a local business the other day and we were lamenting about the loss we have experienced as we’ve missed the gatherings at the rink. There is something about a corporate gathering whether for a sports game, a concert, a conference, a trade show or a worship service that brings life to our lives. Remember the feeling of singing to a song at a concert? Or the yell of the crowd at a tight hockey game? Or the anointing that falls on a large group at a worship night? And the energy you feel by just being together? Yes, I truly miss that. And I pray, sooner than later, that we will again be able to gather in crowds, whether to cheer, learn something new or praise God together!
A word that has come forth in this season is “a warrior spirit.” As I look to the return of WHL hockey (and all other sports), I also look for the warrior spirit to arise within you, dear readers. Proverbs 21:22 says: “A warrior filled with wisdom ascends into the high place and releases regional breakthrough, bringing down the strongholds of the mighty.”
I declare that regional breakthrough has come to our area! May the warriors arise and bring forth a new sound in the heavenlies! I declare that prayer, intercession and worship are arising in this hour and that it will bring to naught the evil agenda of the enemy. Take some time right now to use your God-given voice to speak into the atmosphere with me: “Father God, I declare that what the enemy has stolen from us in this season will be returned to us seven-fold. I release peace over the region. I release joy over the region. I release hope over the region, in Jesus’ Mighty Name! Amen!”
Let’s not give up contending for God to be poured out on this land, dear warriors!
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
