"Adding Value To Your Life!!!"

Feb 20

Written by: Gretchen
2/20/2010 3:01 PM 

I have come to a conclusion of relief that it is not only Thanksgiving we are to be thankful! There is not a day where I wake and do not look up at the sky without offering a small, long, loud, or quiet song of praise to my Abba Father. I would just like to challenge all of you, when was the last time you thanked Him for the smallest blessings in life? i.e. A family, a phone, toilet paper, the sky, paved roads, books in your household. He is always faithful to provide even in the smallest of things! I would love hearing back from you about some of the areas He has blessed and provided for you. Our testimonies have power and light so that we can encourage one another toward love and good deeds!

Where to begin...
I first want to apologize for not staying in contact with you all as much as I should have been. When I stop to look back and see how much has happened, it feels like years have already come and gone and my Pre Calc teacher's words come to mind... " the older you get, the faster life goes!" And how true is it that our life is but a blade of grass being swept too and fro before we know it we will wither away and our presence will no longer be a part of this earth.

Since my last post I have experienced going home on Christmas break, getting to know my knew January Interns, our next Fasting Life Transfomorming Event, and being on SWAT AND SUPPORT for our Aqcuire the Fire youth conference events. These are just the large events God has been using as tools in my life to cultivate, but even the small everyday experiences with my core, ministry placement, and class God is speaking to me mightily.

Over break, I would like to highlight a few specific items.
First off, it was wonderful to spend much needed catching up time with family. I love my mom so much, I would not be even close to where I am today if all of this had not been prayed for and sought for by her.
A couple of quick testimonies.
I left campus with the challenge of practicing of what we were learning in class and reaching out to the hurt around me. the day I left, Dec. 12th, I entered the Dallas Airport with prayers of "use me God, however seems best." I mean, when you pray prayers like that, He will answer of course. :) He gave me oppurtunities each time of  ministry and the chance to share His light with amazing people sitting next to me, and I love His promise of giving us the words to say when put on trial, because He did! that was just the start of it though. The first day back, coming to church, oppurtunity after oppurtunity had presented itself for me to pour out what I had been being poured into back on campus to youth and adults alike around me all afternoon! Thank you Jesus! tThose two weeks were very refreshing, slowing down life by Ten, and just enjoying loved ones.

Coming back to campus, we had a week to adjust before the arrival of our new January Interns. They came, went through "Gauntlet", their first week, and were placed in their new ministry placements (each of our job assignments to help run campus). God is already putting a couple of very sweet women into my life to help encourage me and for me to encourage them! I am excited to continue to develop these relationships, getting a fresh perspective on the zeal of pushing ourselves on to finish the race, yes, but to WIN the race!

I then was chosen to go on SWAT and SUPPORT with ATF to Houston Texas in the end of January. I helped represent Global Expeditions (missions trips put on by Teen Mania). God brought person after person to our booth to sign up and to be prayed for. Just a couple of testimonies from that weekend. 1) we set up 800 chairs for our GE breakout session, and during that breakout session, God filled the room to standing room only! We had 1000 leads to go on missions this summer! Can I get an amen! 2) I was able to lead a young woman to Christ who came up to my booth looking compelely hopeless and depressed, after fourty five minutes of the Holy Spirit just speaking through me, and through desperate intercession for Him to move on her heart,
I learned so much more about teamwork and sacrifice this weekend. Sacrificing my time and comfort to minister to those hurting teens who are just waiting to hear about God's love that is just waiting to flood over them!

Valentine's weekend I had two amazing experiences.
1) It snowed 6" in Garden Valley Texas (there were snowman all over campus) the most it has snowed in 20 years
2) We had our second Fasting Life Transforming Event; meaning we fasted from food and talking for a weekend. We had sessions throughout the weekend, and worship, but plenty of time to go off by ourself and just speaking to God, seeking more of our future.
I believe He gave me this weekend to just rest in His presence, and not push for more of Him, but let Him wash over me. One of the biggest areas He revealed to me was Abraham's blessing and calling. Yes, God blessed Abraham because He loved Him, but also because other nations were to be blessed through Abraham. God blesses us so we can be a blessing to others which just blows me out of the water. How He chooses to use us for His greater plan is just profound. Many a time I like to call it, unjust, but Jesus justifies it through the power and testimony of His blood.
With this revelation of God blessing me to be a blessing to others, I see there is a reason why he has called me a "GOER" to the region of South America.
How has He blessed me to prepare me for this?
1) Put in in a country that is in the top 5% richest countries of the world
2) I have an American passport that is basically "gold" in most countries
3)I am a youth for this very time and reason, to have the energy and passion to go out. (though I believe you are never too old or young to be used for God when He places that zeal and mandate on your heart.) 
God also just reconfirmed that I am not called to just a specific country in South America, but to the region of South America. Ask me about the couple who missioned in Chile who prayed over me in Spanish! :) God is faithful to remind and invoke, I can tell you that!

What is next you ask?

Stay tuned for...
 Week of the Ring, where we understand the meaning behind living a life of honor after we graduate from the Honor Academy

World Awareness LTE
Unreached People Groups LTE
Our trip to IHOP!

Praises,

*God is providing more than enough money for my internship the rest of the year. By the rate he is bringing in money, I should not even have to send out support letters for my mission's trip to Alaska this summer for the month of July! Yes, please ask me more about it!
*A love for my core is being defined as deeper and deeper
*He is giving me grace in my classes and expanding mind to enable it to concieve and ponder more and more worldviews and how to lovingly approach them!
*that mom is coming down for the first weekend in March for the Week of the Ring!


A couple of prayer requests:

*Eliana (the girl who gave her life to the Lord at the Houston Acquire the Fire)
*That God will continue to instill a fear of Him that will direct my every decision
*That God will give me an intercessors heart
for the youth pastors who are finding more and more reasons to turn down missions this summer to go and collect the Harvest.
*Also for personal money. I have groceries and clothes I need to buy for certain activities on campus and personal needs. God has provided and I know He will continue to do so. I love that He is the same yesterday, today and forever!

Thank you all, and I love you all! Please continue to keep me updated as well! I love those small little posts you write on facebook, they encourage me to stand after I feel I have done everything to stand! :)

Romans 12

Living Sacrifices to God

 ¹ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.