Have you ever had the thought, “Who is my neighbor?” We often say that in the Christian world, but I’m not sure most of us think of our actual physical neighbors as our “neighbors.” (Those who live on our street or near our apartment.)

In my previous home, I will confess, I only knew the families living on both sides of our house.  I like to think I’ve gotten older and smarter with age and am happy to say that we know almost all of our neighbors where we live now. (We know the ones who want to be known anyway.)

Because of the Phoenix housing bust, we have a ton of new neighbors.  We hosted a neighborhood party last week and the feeling tone was great—after people got there that is.  I think no one wanted to be the first one there, so most arrived over a half hour late.  We were glad they came after a few minutes of wondering if anyone was showing up at all. (I think God would have liked the fact that we risked even if no one had shown up.) Then there was a lot of food and a lot of mingling!  (And a lot of mess from kids but that is part of the deal.) 

Here were some results:

The kids in the neighborhood are becoming better friends.

Everyone thanked us and wants to have another one soon.

One older man is helping a first time home owner figure out how to use his pool filter.

I overheard someone offering to look after someone else’s home when they were gone.

One man said he was bragging at work that he got invited over to a neighbor’s home.

I can’t prove it, but I think God was smiling.

Community is close to the heart of God.  I’m looking forward to seeing what will come out of this.

I encourage you to think through…”Who is my neighbor?”

 Blessings,

Thora

As I sat in my car listening to this, I tried to imagine what it would be like to live in that kind of reality.  I went over in my mind all of the times during my daily routine I use clean water that is right at my fingertips.  I just couldn’t fathom the heartbreak of not having clean water to give to my child.

Then I started thinking about the joy these families must feel when they receive the water filter and realize they no longer have to worry about getting access to clean water.  What a wonderful experience to be there and witness this organization being the hands and feet of Jesus – not only providing clean water for physical needs, but also sharing the Gospel with these same families.

In John 4:13 Jesus speaks to a Samaritan woman at the well:  Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.  The water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Then the Holy Spirit gently reminded me…I don’t have to go to Rwanda in order to offer “the water of eternal life” to others.  God has placed me in my own little mission field…in my neighborhood and in contact with certain people in order to do the very same thing.  Sometimes in the busyness of life, it’s easy to forget that people we see everyday who do not know Jesus personally are thirsting for the water of eternal life that only comes from Him.  As followers of Jesus, we are called to share the Gospel with them so that they, too, can experience true joy and freedom in Christ.

Melissa

I couldn’t believe what was happening.

During a ministry trip to Honduras, a team from Vineyard North Phoenix went to visit a La Viña church in Valle de Angeles – the Valley of the Angels. What a beautiful place that was! Pastor Mario Fernandez began to share his message to this church, and I had the privilege to interpret it into Spanish.

As his message unfolded my heart began to race and my legs to weaken. My head thumped and my ears buzzed. Feeling short of breath, I was sure that, any moment now, I would faint – making a total fool of myself and bringing the meeting to a halt.

Despite being scared half to death, I managed to continue with the interpretation. Thoughts raced through my mind like swooshing arrows: Any time, now, and you’re going to faint. You’re going to mess things up. Look at all these people, hungry for God’s Word. Look at Pastor Mario. He’s depending on you to deliver his message. You’re a failure. You can’t do this.

I began to breath faster. Fear pushed all oxygen from my lungs and mind.

“I don’t think I can go on, Lord,” I cried in desperation.

Yes you can. I will sustain you.

I turned to look at all the men and women crowding the pews, eager and needy. “Lord, I’m not sure I can do this much longer. But I will go on for as long as You’d let me. If I faint, I faint. I’m among friends. I will trust in You.”

I gulped and interpreted the section of Mario’s message he had just finished saying. And then the next. And the next. And the next. Thought a battled raged in my mind the whole time, I was able to do the job I had come all this way to do.

I wish I could say things got easier as the message progressed. But they didn’t. However, in the back of my tortured mind, this thought was ever present: God will sustain me.

At the end of the service, I collapsed on a chair, quietly and in secret. No one knew what had happened, except for me, the enemy of my soul and my precious Lord and Savior.

I was so freaked out by what had happened, it took me a couple of days before I was able to share my experience with DaNetta, our team leader. Thankfully, the episode did not repeat itself during the rest of the trip. I truly believe this was a bizarre instance of fierce spiritual battle. Something I had to face. God only knows why.

This morning, during my devotional, I read this portion of a book called “Brakethrough Prayers for Women”, by Clift and Kathleen Richards:

“You are more than a conqueror. Use all the tools God has given to you – the Word of God, the shield of faith, the power of the Holy Spirit, the power of the blood of Jesus, overcoming faith, and the power of prayer – to vanquish every enemy in your life and to tear down the walls erected by the enemy to block your progress in spiritual things.”

I realized that during the intense 45-minute war I experienced in Honduras, each of these elements came together to my rescue: God’s Word, His Holy Spirit whispering encouraging words in my ear, Jesus’ love and power at work, faith, prayer, complete trust…

This encounter took me by surprise, but it didn’t catch me unprepared. And it reminded me of the essentiality of my daily encounters with God through prayer and the reading of His Word.

Ephesians 6:13 says, “Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

The Lord Jesus is indeed my Savior. In Him will I trust, and my heart will not fear.

Ana

I sure have!  I especially feel this every time I join a team from my church for our annual ministry trip to the beautiful country of Honduras.  The need is so great and so evident there, one can easily feel overwhelmed by it.

My dear friend, DaNetta Fernandez – who is our team leader during our trips to Honduras – was experiencing these feelings at the beginning of this month.

“Oh, Ana,” she’d told me, “our Honduran friends have so many needs!  There is so much I wish I could do for them, but I just don’t have the money.”

“Is there anything we could do?” I asked her, trying to be helpful.

“What about a garage sale?” she responded, half-heartedly.

It was a plan.

We asked our friends for donations, hoping to collect enough items to make our efforts worth something.

I have to confess that at first, I wasn’t too hopeful.  But as the donations began trickling in, my faith grew bigger and stronger.

“I think God will provide, DaNetta,” I told my friend.

“We’ll see,” she responded, feeling weary.

The donations poured in more abundantly during the week of our sale, and on Saturday morning, our customers flooded DaNetta’s driveway ceaselessly.

When it was all said and done, we had made 670 dollars!!!  By 11 am, exhausted and sunburned, we were ready to close shop.  We packed what was left and filled DaNetta’s truck to the max.  She and Paige (one of our team members) took the items to GoodWill.  Before that, we filled Lord only knows how many bags of clothes that we took to our church’s Food Bank.  We also filled two big suitcases with children’s clothes to take with us to Honduras.

Talk about God coming through!

This experience reminded me of the time when Jesus told His disciples to feed the hungry crowds that had been listening to His teachings all day long.

“[But] we have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they had answered. (Matthew 14:17)

That didn’t matter to Jesus.  He took the little that had been given and multiplied it.  The Bible says that “those who ate [were] about five thousand men, besides women and children.” (vs. 21)

It also says that the disciples filled twelve basketfuls with what was left over.

I thought about our friends who gave their contributions to us: a few fish here; a couple loaves of bread there.  Yet Jesus multiplied their seemingly small offerings and showed us that He is indeed a faithful and compassionate Provider!

Our team will leave for Honduras today.  So I am asking you again, dear friends, to offer your “small” contribution of prayer as we embark in this adventure.  We will have a chance to teach, to minister, to encourage, to pray and to share God’s love and message with the people of Honduras.  And we really can use your help, again.

Can’t wait to tell you what God does next!

Thank you so much,

Ana

http://anastinescorner.blogspot.com

After awhile, I got busy with life and forgot about the article.  Over the course of this past year, I had been praying off and on that God wouldn’t let me “miss my purpose.”  I felt I needed to be serving Him in a specific area, but wasn’t quite sure what it was.  About six months ago, I saw a story on TV about a multiple-city bust in the U.S. on a child sex trafficking ring.  I remember my heart breaking when I heard the details.

Then two months ago, God began to make it abundantly clear to me that He was answering my prayer about finding my purpose.  Over the course of about a week, I saw various stories on TV, learned about a local organization dedicated to eradicating child sex slavery and re-read the Today’s Christian Woman magazine I had saved.  To my disbelief, I learned more about just how prevalent this issue is not only around the world, but in our own backyard.  It is happening everywhere and Phoenix is a magnet city for it.  Even more disheartening is the fact that human trafficking is now considered the 2^nd largest (next to drugs) and fastest growing illegal trafficking activity in the world.  It is a $32+ billion industry.

All of this happened the week before VCNP hosted the National Leadership Conference.  The first night of the conference, I saw a booth labeled “Vineyard Anti-Slavery Team.”  To make a long story short, I met one of the Vineyard pastors involved in this group who used to work for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and whose portfolio included human trafficking.  At that moment, I knew God was confirming what I already suspected.  He was showing me that combating child sex trafficking is where He wants me to serve Him.  God has been so overwhelmingly graceful and merciful to me through this process.  Initially when I felt the calling, I didn’t have a clue as to where I should start.

Currently, I am putting into practice what I learned at the VAST workshops during the conference, connecting with others at VCNP interested in this same issue, and in the process of becoming a volunteer for Streetlight Phx.  This organization works to eradicate child sex slavery and is a safe house for girls ages 11-17 who have been rescued.

If you are trying to find your purpose, I hope sharing my journey has encouraged you.  If you spend time in prayer asking God what it is, He will not only answer you, but He will lead you every step of the way.

For more information on human trafficking and what you can do to make a difference, please visit the VAST website at http://www.vineyardusa.org/site/task-forces/justice-response .  For more information about Streetlight Phx (which is located in Glendale), please visit http://www.streetlightphx.com.

Melissa

 Ever feel like it’s a jungle out there?  Do you need to laugh? Would you like to spend some time with other women and just relax?

 Well, “Girls’ Night Out 2011” is right around the corner on Friday, June 24th.  Our theme is “Friday Night Live:  It’s a Jungle Out There” and the program is similar to a variety show.

 Girls’ Night Out is a multi-generational event designed as a safe place to invite “pre-Christians.”  If you are looking for an event for that family member who thinks Christians are fuddy-duddies, this is it!  We will laugh, talk, have snacks, and be entertained by others in our church family using the gifts and abilities God has given them.

 Please pray about either…

… inviting some of your friends from church to sit together (and then invite some more women to join you that night at your table),

…or ask some friends who don’t attend church to join you for a fun evening.

Ask God it do exceedingly beyond what you can think with your invitations.

 It is my heart for this event to bridge the age gap and Girl’s Night Out is aimed from 6^th grade up to ……….well, the oldest women we can get to attend.  : )

 It is also inexpensive!  Where else can you go for $3 in advance or $5 at the door for snacks and entertainment?  (No where I know of)  So, come and enjoy.  Get ready for some fun.

 For those of you who are really party animals, you can go out again with your friends after the event and stay out as late as you want.  (Or as late as your baby sitter will allow you)

 Bless you Big.

Here are the basics: June 24^th from 7p.m. until 9p.m.

Wear Jungle attire. 

$3 in advance or $5 at the door

Cost covers snacks. 

 Hope to see you there!

Thora

My husband, 4 sons and I moved from Bristol, England where we spent 4 years as Pastors with the Bristol Vineyard.

One of the things I personally became involved in was the huge population of very young single mom’s. A few of us teamed up with a support group in one of the local neighborhoods and we would go and give the young “mums” a day where they were pampered.

A day they could receive and refuel.

A day that the Lord could, without any hidden agenda, touch them in a very real way.

These women only needed an affirming word and not to feel judged. We wanted them to be proud of their decision to have gone through with their pregnancy when so much of the world tells them otherwise.

The woman in charge of the support center was completely shocked that we didn’t charge them for this service, and when I explained we wanted to bless them, she was silent and bewildered. It was a wonderful success and we went back a few months later to do another one.I know that God left a fingerprint on all those young moms and I personally feel blessed through that experience.

When I first arrived in Arizona, I was approached by Alecia Manes who had been successfully running an outreach for the VCNP called Single Mom’s Spa Day. Small world, and wonderful timing I thought! We had lunch together and I learned about this now 14 year ministry that she and a handful of other faithful women had started with 10 moms… I was so excited to hear how God’s hand was obviously in this and was delighted when she asked me to join the team. Like the outreach in Bristol, there was no charge for this day. The entire core team were excited about the idea of reaching out to women not just in the church but outside as well.To really focus on becoming an outreach, much in the same way the compassion ministry works. To reach women who were in the sex industry, victims of spousal abuse, recovering from drug and alcohol addition, HIV and AIDS positive mom’s and teen moms. We asked the Lord to bring half of the women from outside of the church, and in 2009 that is exactly what happened! He did it!!

We had 250 women come, and 125 of them were from outside the church!!! I had never witnessed anything like it.

Women were crying with gratefulness at being given a day where they are simply loved on. No hidden agenda, no surprise attacks or “Accept Jesus or else!” moments. Simply stepping out of the way, and allowing the Holy Spirit to minister with our actions and words of affirmation. Being an ear for them to be heard, and offering prayer if the Holy Spirit suggests it.I love that our church is willing to get messy and love those people that some may be afraid to love. I love that we invite everyone to come as they are, and yet be challenged to allow God to make you into more than you will ever expect to be.

Transforming ordinary people into extraordinary followers of Christ.

It is overwhelming to lock hands with our fellow sisters before the day starts and see the over 100 women serving together.

Striving to be 1 Corinthians 13 and allow God to use us to love on His people.

We get to do it again on May 21st and we cannot wait to see what God has in store this year!!!

Thank you VCNP for allowing me to be a part of such a wonderful family.

Blessings,

Rebecca Turrigiano

Yeah, yeah, very funny…

Well, I guess I should be glad my husband has a sense of humor. It must be frustrating living with someone whose mind is often in Analand.

Yet who can blame me? Analand is an amazing place, filled with creative ideas, inspiring music, beautiful landscapes, and meaningful conversations with my own very agreeable self. It is no wonder I love visiting so often.

But eventually duty beckons, and I make the trek back to reality.

My reality, however, isn’t bad either. I live in a cute little house with a family that loves me. I have a great job and wonderful friends. I’m seldom cold and never go hungry. And even in times of struggle, I have an enduring conviction that God loves me and will be there for me through it all.

In fact, my reality is usually so cozy, I seldom stop to think about anybody else’s. But is that the way it is supposed to be?

Not according to Jesus.

Christian artist Matthew West challenges me with these lyrics:

What if there’s a bigger picture?
What if I’m missing out?
What if there’s a greater purpose
I could be living right now
Outside my own little world?

Truth is that outside my own little world there is need, heartbreak, strife, illness, poverty, loneliness, bondage… All of the things Jesus died on the cross for.

His resurrection message offers hope, healing, freedom, love, joy, peace, and so much more. But this powerful message needs to be shared by people who are willing to look outside their window and into a world crying out for help.

The Apostle Paul said that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”. But “how”, he continues, “can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”
(Romans 10:13-14)

Oh, that my heart would be filled with passion for the lost, the broken and the needy, that I’d be willing to step out of my comfort and share the Lord with those who haven’t yet heard His message!

Earth to Ana, Earth to Ana! I hear the world calling.

http://anastinescorner.blogspot.com/

 Have you been hoping for an event you can invite your “pre-Christian” friends to which will be fun?

 Well, here is your chance!

 June 25 is a date set aside for a “Girl’s Night Out.”  I don’t know about you, but every now and then, I am ready for some girl time.

 I wanted to “put a bug in your ear” so to speak, that this is a great opportunity to invite some sphere of your influence (be it your small group, friends, family or co-workers) to a fun night out for women.  This is a great opportunity to invite seekers as it is really a fun event.  I promise it will not be threatening and we won’t try to manipulate your friends to get saved or give a guilt trip to anyone about coming to church.  We want seekers to see that Christians can be really fun too!

 Please pray about either…

… inviting some of your friends from church to sit together (and then invite some more women to join you that night at your table),

…or ask some friends who don’t attend church to join you for a fun evening.

 Ask God it do exceedingly beyond what you can think with your invitations.

 It is my heart for this event to bridge the age gap and Girl’s Night Out is aimed from 6^th grade up to ……….well, the oldest women we can get to attend.  : )  My Grandmother is 101, but she lives in Missouri.  I wish she could come, but we advertised the event from 6^th grade to 100.  ; )

 It is also inexpensive!  Where else can you go for $3 in advance or $5 at the door for snacks and entertainment?  (No where I know of)  So, come and enjoy.  Get ready for some fun.

 For those of you who are really party animals, you can go out again with your friends after the event and stay out as late as you want.  (Or as late as your baby sitter will allow you)

 If you have questions, please ask.  Hope to see you there!

 Blessings,

Thora

Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.” Psalm 96:3 (NIV)

One by one, each woman walked to the front of the small room, turned to face our little group of beginning speakers.  She straightened her notes, took a deep breath and proceeded to give a brief, but moving testimony of how God saved her from a life of misery.  Tears flowed in the room, as each listener empathized with the sadness of a broken life without God.

As my turn neared, my heart pounded.  Combined with the nervousness over public speaking, was insecurity about my own testimony.  No dramatic conversion was in my background, no painful loss, no rejection of God.  My story – compared to theirs – seemed tame.  In fact, at that moment, I was embarrassed over the ordinary-ness of my life.

After that training exercise, instead of feeling better equipped to speak, I was convinced I’d heard God’s instructions incorrectly.  Maybe I wasn’t supposed to tell others about what God had done in my life.  After all, it didn’t seem like much compared to everyone else.  What can a woman who became a Christian at an early age testify about?  That wrong line of thought affected me for years. 

God did open doors for me to speak and teach women, but instead of talking about what He had done in my life, I focused on the stories of others.  I taught from Scripture and books, but kept distant from my own life experience.  In some way I felt disqualified to share my stories.  They just didn’t seem dramatic enough, and that’s what I thought people wanted to hear.

The more I compared my own life experiences to others, the more I dismissed God’s work in my life.  Then one day, God gently challenged me to take my focus off of what He’d done in the lives of others and be amazed at what He had done in mine!  He showed me that it wasn’t ever about me and “my” story, it always was and always will be “His” story – and there was nothing ordinary or boring about that! 

I began to see things with new eyes.  What I’d written off as “normal,” became miraculous.  As I focused on how, over the years, God answered my prayers, took away my fears, taught me things, comforted me in sadness, brought me friends, and healed my emotions and body, my testimony grew.  Now, instead of glossing over the everyday experiences, I dissect them looking for God’s fingerprints – and find them everywhere. And, as I’ve been more faithful to tell about God’s work in my life, He has touched the lives of others.

I’ve learned there’s no “one-size-fits-all” testimony – but there’s always a story to tell.  I just had to take the focus off me and put it on God.  Then I can join the psalmist and “declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all people.”

In His Love,

Glynnis Whitwer