Transforming Love

^{Psalm 91:9-13}

⁹ If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,”
   and you make the Most High your dwelling,
¹⁰ no harm will overtake you,
   no disaster will come near your tent.
¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you
   to guard you in all your ways;
¹² they will lift you up in their hands,
   so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
¹³ You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
   you will trample the great lion and the serpent. 

This passage has been especially powerful to me lately. This was one of the most important passages to me when I was going through all I did as a teenager and it played a HUGE role in my ability to hope and trust in God to save me. It was sooo awesome to share it with so many hurting girls this past weekend at Bella Girls' Getaway camp and see them experience the freedom that comes from resting in God's hands!

It has been a busy couple of weeks! But I'll try to fill you in on as much as I can.

Me and some of the girls at camp

The spiritual climate is intense, but God is prevailing. I went to Girls' Getaway this past weekend. This camp is designed to bring the girls who participate in Shine in the school system away to an environment where relationship can be developed and the love and freedom found in Jesus can be proclaimed. We had about 30 girls, most all of whom are unsaved and come from lives of abuse, oppression, self-harm, suicide attempts, and more. On Saturday morning God gave me the privilege to share my testimony of  anorexia, depression, and suicide attempt and how God radically and fully healed me body, soul, and spirit. The response was huge!! Nothing to my credit at all, but I have never felt the Holy Spirit speaking so clearly and confidently out of me before. Many say it was the turning point in camp... One of the most powerful times is when they get Christian men from the city to come and speak a "fathers blessing" over each individual girl . The men get the names of 2 or 3 girls the week before to pray over and seek God over, and then on the final day they just love them and bless them. Many of the girls have never heard anything positive, let alone a blessing full of love, from a man. Its just huge! In the end about 10-12 girls accepted Jesus. There is one girl in particular who was on high suicide watch and was struggling with anorexia who found hope and healing in the love of Jesus through my testimony. She was radically radically transformed!! Praise God for his overwhelming love, grace, and mercy!!! Thank you all for your prayers for me and the girls. After the weekend I became pretty sick...along with about 3 or 4 of the other leaders! Satan did NOT like all that went on, but it was so worth it :) 

After receiving her "father" blessing

Jonathan went to help lead a group called "The Base" this past weekend while I was at camp. "The Base" is a youth group type setting for children and teens that are primarily on the streets and not plugged into a church. It's a totally different environment from the  normal "youth group," but one we are pretty comfortable with :) It was fun for him to go and be a "father" to the kids who have no earthly fathers. Just teaching a little boy a card game and holding him and spinning him around can do so much more for that child to show him the love of our daddy God than we could ever imagine. We are going to help "The Base" set up a website in the next couple weeks. God has really allowed us to use different giftings here and there to help people. I know that our administrative gifts have DEFINITELY been stretched. 

We are going "full on" with Easterfest. Stress is rising in that office as things get closer and closer. Easterfest City has DOUBLED its venues, artists, and church participants (check out more about EF City at www.easterfestcity.com). This means there will be artists all over the city, in bars and pubs too, worshiping on Easter Sunday morning. How cool!! Jonathan has done such an excellent job working to make this year's EF the biggest and best yet, and I'm so proud of him. More than that though, he is really being a light of God's peace, joy, and faith there... kind of like the eye in the middle of the storm.

Jonathan had his 22nd b'day this week. (I'll put up a pic tonight!) The EF office blessed him with the dessert of choice here, apple crumble cheesecake from "The Cheesecake Lady"...yummmm.... It was fun for him to celebrate his b'day BEFORE his twin brother for the first time in his life, thanks to the time difference. We hope to sneak away for a picnic or something together soon...that is if our schedule calms any :-). We get to go to dinner out in Oakey (the Moundville of the area) with a sweet sweet pastor we met through the Christian Leaders Network. This is the second pastor outside of Toowoomba City Church we have been able to fellowship with. It is such a blessing to fellowship and encourage each other in the faith.

I got to go to a group last night called "Ladies in Waiting." This is a group for women who are experiencing infertility to pray together, support one another, and rally each others' faith. It was so amazing to lay my hands on wombs and pray LIFE into them! When Pam was here last year, one of the ladies conceived the week that she prayed for her! I'm believing that for the women I prayed for as well. Our God is a God of healing. 

As we are now in the second half of our stay, we are really seeking God about any changes he wants us to make once we return home. We want make sure we are placing all of our time and energy into propelling God's kingdom, whatever that means for us. Please be in prayer as we seek God for vision and clarity to this regard. We trust His leading and will continue to be servants until he raises us up to whatever He has for us next.

Sorry so long, but I had a lot to catch you up on. We love you all and miss you all greatly. This has been a slightly "home-sick" week for me personally, but its exciting to see the harvest here. Can't wait to dive back into the harvest at home too. 

Many blessings,

Jono and Mel