What if you were Barnabas?

I started my classes back and today I was studying on Barnabas and Paul. And I thought, “what must it have been like to be Barnabas?” Can you imagine?

The early church was being terrorized by Saul. He was murdering Christians! God gives Barnabas the task of convincing them Saul, now Paul, had changed. For the first time, I wondered if Barnabas asked God, “really?” But Barnabas was obedient and Paul went on to become one of the greatest missionaries that ever lived.

Is there a Saul in your life? Has God laid someone on your heart you need to prove credible? Perhaps the next time a person is being accused or persecuted, we need to ask God for discernment to see them as God sees them. We know to look to Barnabas as an example to encourage people, but maybe we should look to him as an example to believe in people.

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My 20th Reunion

My 20th highschool reunion is in less than a month, unbelievable! I have to be honest, I really struggled with going or not. Mainly over being embarrassed about the person I used to be. I have decided to get over it and go. Not only do I want people to meet the new Gretchen, I want to meet them. God has shown me I missed out on getting to know some really cool people in school. I think I was just too self-absorbed and childish. I’m not gonna name names, I believe these friends know who they are. Thanks to facebook, I got to catch up with a person who sat beside me in a class years ago. I remember this person as being very quiet, but now that I’ve gotten to know them better, I believe I missed out on a neat friend while in school. I don’t won’t to miss out anymore.

This occasion only happens once in our lives, so I am going. I cannot wait to catch up with old friends and make some ones. So if there is anyone else out there doubting whether they should come, come on! I want to talk to you, I want to laugh with you, I want to dance with you, and I want to be your friend.

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Friday Morning

I have not done so well keeping the blog updated and I appologize for that. There has just been so much going on and we are all so tired. I don’t have internet access in my room, so I have to come down to the lobby, so sorry it hasn’t been the best read.

Please continue to pray for those of us who are working out in this heat. The heat index here is getting around 110 degrees. The air is so thick it is hard to breathe. Yesterday, our attendance sheets were mistakenly mixed in with Spreadtruth’s sheets. So I had to run, RUN, back to the hotel, two blocks. Two blocks seems like nothing and it really is. BUT, with the heat, I thought I was dying. It seemed as though my muscles weren’t working as they should, like I was running in thick soup. So I cannot imagine what the sports camps are working in.

Mike’s cord had an awesome encounter with a lady, that originated with another cord on the previous day. But it was so cool, I think I will save that for them to tell.

Our preschool has definitely had a divine appointment with a little girl named Elisabeth. Elisabeth is five years old and has type I diabetes. She has been at our camp for the previous two years, but this year has been different. I remember her from the past two because she wears an insulin pump and we had to monitor it. Stacy Stokes monitored it last year. A week before we left I received an email about Elisabeth. Her mom, Jessica, was concerened because this was the first year Elisabeth would be seperated from her older sister, she was moving up. She wanted to know if the wonderful nurse was going to be there again and if so, she would be okay with the girls being in two areas. Joe was beside me when I read the email, and I tend to read aloud. Stacy was not able to go this year. Joe then tells me, “Its ok, Shelly is a nurse.” Shelly Owens is Susan Dyar McAbee’s neice. At the time I marvelled at my son’s ability to recall the smallest of details, I now believe this was God. And I will tell you why in my next post :) .

Pray continually.

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Day Two Tuesday

Day Two

I must tell you, the spiritual warfare here is intense. Please pray for everyone here to recognize attacks and for the strength to pray them down.

Our numbers at the Brooklyn Tabernacle went up a little.  We still had 106 in preschool but the elementary had 296. After tallking with a mom today, I believe the was some confusion with the special needs group. There was a camp specifically for them a couple of weeks ago, and she thought her little one couldn’t come to ours. Someone told her otherwise and now her little one is coming. We are having a really good time. I, myself, was a bit discouraged about not being able to really work with the kids, leading things and all. But I soon realized, as I comforted a child who bit his tongue, these are the moments God called me to.

The ATR camp at Brooklyn Miracle Temple had 60 kids to come through today!!!! AWESOME!!! These people are going nonstop in the heat, so please continue to lift them up. Same with the Streets and Parks people. From what we are hearing in the service, there has been some discouragement over rejections some have received on the streets. Please pray God will send encouragers their way tomorrow.

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Day One Monday

Day One of Mission Work

We had 106 preschoolers and 276 elementary kids at the Brooklyn Tabernacle today. The numbers are down, but we are claiming God’s favor on our work here.  We are believing God is allowing us to focus on a smaller group. We are excited to see many kids  return and they remember us, God is Good!

The ATR camp at Brooklyn Miracle Temple were our folks are serving had about 38 kids to come through.

It is hot here, very hot. Please continue to pray for our folks at the ATR camp and the streets and parks cord. There is little shade and they are out in the heat all day.

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Sunday

We got to worship at the Brooklyn Tabernacle this morning, it was incredible!

We blessed the name of Jesus. Praise and worship here is like what I imagine heaven to be. When they pray, everyone prays along. There are times when there is no music, there is no singing, there is only the congregation praising Jesus. It is quite breathtaking to be a part of. God moved through a choir member, who urged us to relinquish control of our lives to God. God is calling upon us to return to Him. Because the praise and worship went so long and God moved, Pastor Cymbala shortened his message. He preached on the decline of the church. He preached the way to grow the church is to do what the early church did. Church is not about the buildings or the programs you have. It isn’t about who is preaching from the pulpit. It is about the ministry of the church, the ministry that happens outside the church. The early church was a movement, a radical movement. It was the people who spread the gospel.

Our speaker tonight was Pastor Brian Pettry. He made a point that stuck out to me, given this morning’s message. “You gotta love on people so much, that they ask you why.” I think that is the key; for the early church and the church today. So it isn’t about the building, or the programs, or the pastor, its about the love of the people.

We are pumped to start tomorrow!

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First Post

For those of you who enjoy my emails, get excited!!!! I now have a blog!!!

We are in the final stages of getting ready to leave. Whew! I am already tired! We will be leaving in four waves, so please be in prayer for our travels on Saturday and Sunday. I plan to update everyone through this blog.

Our first big prayer request was answered just minutes ago, we have a place to park the bus!!! Praise Jesus!!

Believing Jesus!

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