Here is an update on what the lord is doing here in VA!
last week was killing the giants the week, which is a week were you set evangelism goals! Anyway! I was blessed to lead FOUR PEOPLE TO CHRIST!!! Oh my goodness! Praise GOD! Two of them were these two high school girls who were like best friends! It was so cute, they were so willing and ready! It was neat because before I went through the four spiritual laws with them, they told me and my friend Ashley who was with me that they didn't even know a Christian. So cool how God worked! HE ROCKS!
The other was a homeless guy who just wanted forgiveness so bad. He prayed the prayer and after he accepted Christ into his life, he said that he felt better. It was neat because he told me that he wanted to get off of alcohol and realized that it wasn't going to happen unless he humbled himself. With that I got to share how it was only through Christ that my sister got off of narcotics. I could also see that he was real about it all when he told me that he wished there was a way that I could know he was doing better. Instead of asking for my address, or phone number, he told me the name of this guy that works at a church on the corner, and told me that he would work with the guy and tell him how I was, and if I called him, he would tell me how George was doing (that is his name by the way).
the other guy was this kid from Chicago, who was going to leave the next day. When I asked him which circle* represented his life he pointed at the circle with the Cross inside. I was like "oh you are a Christian!" He was like "No, no! I thought you said which one do you want to be!" he was so willing and ready, and it was so cool to see God fix the misunderstanding.
God is awesome! I miss you all! I love you all! God Bless!
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Saturday, June 18, 2005
super-duper-quick post!
Hey guys quick update!
I didn't get the job at the surf shop :( I really wanted to because I wanted to reach out to the teenage girls that worked there. (gosh! I have so much I want to add to that!)anyway I work at this souvenir shop with this girl, Jen, from Crusade, and with this guy, Milan. He is from Bulgaria, he is so sweet and funny. Its cool because I really feel like Jen and I are connecting with him. I hope that we can hang out with him.
Could you guys pray for that? He has two jobs so he works in the day and the night. Also just pray for my heart! It keeps getting jealous of stupid stuff. grr.
Anyway, there is so much that I want to tell you guys! You can call me anytime! If I can't talk, my phone will be off or something. :)
I miss you all a lot!
I love you!
-Jessica
I didn't get the job at the surf shop :( I really wanted to because I wanted to reach out to the teenage girls that worked there. (gosh! I have so much I want to add to that!)anyway I work at this souvenir shop with this girl, Jen, from Crusade, and with this guy, Milan. He is from Bulgaria, he is so sweet and funny. Its cool because I really feel like Jen and I are connecting with him. I hope that we can hang out with him.
Could you guys pray for that? He has two jobs so he works in the day and the night. Also just pray for my heart! It keeps getting jealous of stupid stuff. grr.
Anyway, there is so much that I want to tell you guys! You can call me anytime! If I can't talk, my phone will be off or something. :)
I miss you all a lot!
I love you!
-Jessica
Friday, June 10, 2005
3 in one setting! (I hope you all enjoy these updates)
For those of you who don’t know what I am doing in Virginia Beach:
I am here with Campus Crusade for Christ. For 10 weeks! During this time we get a job and do outreach on the beach. We also are learning about of ministry skills and in five weeks all the Campus Crusade staff will leave and we will have to run all the night meetings, outreach and community programs ourselves. This will teach us a lot of leadership skills, which are always good! ;) So if you all want to keep us in your prayers that would be great!
I am here with Campus Crusade for Christ. For 10 weeks! During this time we get a job and do outreach on the beach. We also are learning about of ministry skills and in five weeks all the Campus Crusade staff will leave and we will have to run all the night meetings, outreach and community programs ourselves. This will teach us a lot of leadership skills, which are always good! ;) So if you all want to keep us in your prayers that would be great!
I have found one more!
I think it was yesterday afternoon. (I am not sure the days just blur together) I was lying on my bed just waking up from a well-needed nap (yes it was yesterday) and Nicole comes in. I said, “hi sweetie! Come lay down!” So she got in bed next to me (I love that about girls! I love it that we can just do that :) so awesome!). Anyway, I started talking to her about stuff. I found out that she had been to the International House of Prayer for a Conference. Which happened to be Onething, the same conference that Stephen, Jeanette Mike, Doug, and I went to in February. So basically I found out that she believes in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. So awesome! Sometime I just want to get together with her and just worship, pray, and intercede! (She is on the worship team, awesome guitarist!)
Which reminds me of something else. We had a worship and praise time last night. Which was cool but so structured. I felt like it was hard to take it serious. Anyway, I was talking to a girl, Chelsea who plays guitar, and was telling her that I wish it wasn’t so structured. By this I mean, they sing for 30 min, pray in groups for 15 minutes, then shout out thank-yous to God. Now don’t get me wrong, this isn’t bad. I just would love to see more worship and freedom in prayer. Like just open it up and have some things to focus on in prayer but let people pray for longer than 15 minutes. If someone wants to worship, then go for it. Or you could have a time for the singing and a time for the “speaking-type” prayer. But lets sing more! Lets pray more. When you do different things and get in groups it breaks peoples focus. People start to talk to each other. So anyway, I was talking to her about it and she was in agreement. Maybe we can just have a time for worship and prayer outside of those meetings.
I just want to pray more. I need it. I need more passion for it.
Which reminds me of something else. We had a worship and praise time last night. Which was cool but so structured. I felt like it was hard to take it serious. Anyway, I was talking to a girl, Chelsea who plays guitar, and was telling her that I wish it wasn’t so structured. By this I mean, they sing for 30 min, pray in groups for 15 minutes, then shout out thank-yous to God. Now don’t get me wrong, this isn’t bad. I just would love to see more worship and freedom in prayer. Like just open it up and have some things to focus on in prayer but let people pray for longer than 15 minutes. If someone wants to worship, then go for it. Or you could have a time for the singing and a time for the “speaking-type” prayer. But lets sing more! Lets pray more. When you do different things and get in groups it breaks peoples focus. People start to talk to each other. So anyway, I was talking to her about it and she was in agreement. Maybe we can just have a time for worship and prayer outside of those meetings.
I just want to pray more. I need it. I need more passion for it.
I got a job and an interview! Yay!
I for sure got a job at this souvenir shop but I also have an interview for this Quiksilver style shop. I’d be cool to have that job but there isn’t anyone from Crusade working there which will make it harder to witness. See at this other shop there will probably be two of us there and we will be working with the foreign people helping them out and teaching them what to do. This is good because it will be a great opportunity to witness. So I seriously need to seek a lot of wisdom on this. Because I can see how God would want to use me in both places. Please pray for me guys!
Monday, June 06, 2005
So Nice I Posted Twice!
Second day. I don’t have reception right now. Well it says I do but can’t find the server or something. Anyway, I love the people here. Today we got together with our bible study groups and the leader. The group consists of four girls, they live in our 3-bedroom/12-girl apartment. I am so excited about these girls. The Lord is so good. There is one girl who I felt like I didn’t click well with, and when I saw that she was in my group I thought, “oh Awesome God! This will be cool.” See she is kind of a stand off kind of girl (I can’t hug her :( ) which I am not too used to, but I know its not me, its just her personality. I was excited because I wanted to try to get to know her more and get past our personality differences.
Another thing that was cool was that today asked God to reveal to me any one who believed more of what I believe (I guess you could say charismatic). Well one of the girls in my bible study said that her mom goes to a charismatic church so later I talked to her about it and found that she didn’t speak in tongs but believed in it and is still looking into it. (Shh! Don’t tell crusade that we talked about tongs!) Also that she believes in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we talked about it really quick because she had to go.
Yay! (Happy dance!)
I am really excited! I think this is going to be great! We’ll see what the Lord does!
Love you all!
Jessica
The Lord is so funny! Tonight a few of us went to worship on the beach and we met two guys from two different Vineyards here. We invited them to our Monday Crusade meetings. I was like “bring your Vineyard friends!”
I can’t attend a Vineyard here, because they give us only a choice of four churches. But it’s cool! I am excited to see all that I will learn through the church that I’ll attend. Right now I am trying to decide between the Black church and the non-denominational, more contemporary, church. The black church was cool, now I just want to check out the other.
Okay bye again, love you all!
Jessica
Another thing that was cool was that today asked God to reveal to me any one who believed more of what I believe (I guess you could say charismatic). Well one of the girls in my bible study said that her mom goes to a charismatic church so later I talked to her about it and found that she didn’t speak in tongs but believed in it and is still looking into it. (Shh! Don’t tell crusade that we talked about tongs!) Also that she believes in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we talked about it really quick because she had to go.
Yay! (Happy dance!)
I am really excited! I think this is going to be great! We’ll see what the Lord does!
Love you all!
Jessica
The Lord is so funny! Tonight a few of us went to worship on the beach and we met two guys from two different Vineyards here. We invited them to our Monday Crusade meetings. I was like “bring your Vineyard friends!”
I can’t attend a Vineyard here, because they give us only a choice of four churches. But it’s cool! I am excited to see all that I will learn through the church that I’ll attend. Right now I am trying to decide between the Black church and the non-denominational, more contemporary, church. The black church was cool, now I just want to check out the other.
Okay bye again, love you all!
Jessica
Sequel: From Sea to Shining Sea --Jason couldn't handle the suspense!
After I saw my sister Julie I went through security and came to the gate just as my row was boarding. It was about 8:35. Oh no! I guess I was wrong! Time to board.
8:45 we rocket shot out of the air. I fell asleep. I slept most of the way.
It is four hours later. We are about to land and we see big puffy clouds upon us. We go through them. ::swoosh! Jolt! Jerk!:: Turbulence. You can hear the children laugh “wee! Whoa!” The plane shakes and drops and catches itself again. It’s the Twilight Zone Plane of Terror. At this point I was sure that AJ wished he were here.
We landed safely in Detroit. I tried to get on the Internet but they wanted me to pay for it. I was mad. I closed my computer and boarded the plane.
When I got on the plane I squeezed into a tiny seat by the window. For the next ten minutes a child screamed “But I want it! I want it!” The plane then revved up its engines as if it were going to take of and went into reverse out of its parking space. They warned us ahead of time. We taxied and took off. Again I slept. I woke up realizing I missed the pretzels and soda. The passenger next to me told me to call a steward. I did and ordered a Pepsi and pretzels. They were interesting.
I landed, “deplaned” (as the stewardess had said), and went to the baggage claim. “Hmm, no crusade people.” “Meow! Meow!” My phone rings. It is Katrina, my bible study leader.
“Were are you?”
“I am at the airport!”
“Has Ben called you?”
“No.”
“Oh! I’ll have him call you”
“Meow! Meow!” My phone rings again.
“Hi Jessica this is Ben, I am so sorry I’ll be there in thirty minutes.”
Thirty minutes later he arrived. We drove to the meeting just in time to catch the ending. I didn’t make it to the intro meeting but made it to Virginia! From one coast to the Other.
And so the adventure begins!
8:45 we rocket shot out of the air. I fell asleep. I slept most of the way.
It is four hours later. We are about to land and we see big puffy clouds upon us. We go through them. ::swoosh! Jolt! Jerk!:: Turbulence. You can hear the children laugh “wee! Whoa!” The plane shakes and drops and catches itself again. It’s the Twilight Zone Plane of Terror. At this point I was sure that AJ wished he were here.
We landed safely in Detroit. I tried to get on the Internet but they wanted me to pay for it. I was mad. I closed my computer and boarded the plane.
When I got on the plane I squeezed into a tiny seat by the window. For the next ten minutes a child screamed “But I want it! I want it!” The plane then revved up its engines as if it were going to take of and went into reverse out of its parking space. They warned us ahead of time. We taxied and took off. Again I slept. I woke up realizing I missed the pretzels and soda. The passenger next to me told me to call a steward. I did and ordered a Pepsi and pretzels. They were interesting.
I landed, “deplaned” (as the stewardess had said), and went to the baggage claim. “Hmm, no crusade people.” “Meow! Meow!” My phone rings. It is Katrina, my bible study leader.
“Were are you?”
“I am at the airport!”
“Has Ben called you?”
“No.”
“Oh! I’ll have him call you”
“Meow! Meow!” My phone rings again.
“Hi Jessica this is Ben, I am so sorry I’ll be there in thirty minutes.”
Thirty minutes later he arrived. We drove to the meeting just in time to catch the ending. I didn’t make it to the intro meeting but made it to Virginia! From one coast to the Other.
And so the adventure begins!
Saturday, June 04, 2005
John Wayne lived here
Its 6:49 am according to the clock over there. I’m listening to the wurring engine sounds mixed with the low droll of the air conditioner in the background, two people walk by and one says, “I mean it’s the terrible twos, we were th…” then a lady on the loud speaker says, “For your safety please closely monitor and control your luggage and packages. Any unattended items are subject to immediate confiscation. Any unattended items should be reported to an airline representative or law enforcement officer immediately. Thank you.” Then a child screams in the background. It is 6:57 am.
I leave in two hours. That is how much sleep I got last night. It is 7:00 am. My stepfather got me here two hours early, he thinks it will take two hours to get though security and check in.
It is 7:01 am, an hour and forty-five minutes left. I might see Julie in thirty minutes she wanted to say goodbye. I will have to go though the security check again. Don’t worry it won’t take two hours to get though. I think I’ll make it in the nick of time with just thirty minutes to an hour to spare. That is when I’ll wipe the sweet from my brow, “Whew! almost didn’t make it!”
I leave in two hours. That is how much sleep I got last night. It is 7:00 am. My stepfather got me here two hours early, he thinks it will take two hours to get though security and check in.
It is 7:01 am, an hour and forty-five minutes left. I might see Julie in thirty minutes she wanted to say goodbye. I will have to go though the security check again. Don’t worry it won’t take two hours to get though. I think I’ll make it in the nick of time with just thirty minutes to an hour to spare. That is when I’ll wipe the sweet from my brow, “Whew! almost didn’t make it!”
yay!
Church was awesome tonight!
I met a new friend, actually a spiritual sister! Her name is Leila (Layla). We ministered and prophesied over each other as soon as we met! It was so cool, I have never been so confident in prophesying before (well it was more of a word of knowledge). God said and I spoke, it just came out! ha ha awesomeness! Praise the Lord!
Tomorrow I Fly! I have to get up at 5 am and it’s almost one! Looks like I'll be sleeping on the plane ;)
Snail mail me:
Jessica Howard
c/o Campus Crusade for Christ
Paradise Resort Inn
516 19th Street
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
Or call me and I’ll try to get back to you!
I met a new friend, actually a spiritual sister! Her name is Leila (Layla). We ministered and prophesied over each other as soon as we met! It was so cool, I have never been so confident in prophesying before (well it was more of a word of knowledge). God said and I spoke, it just came out! ha ha awesomeness! Praise the Lord!
Tomorrow I Fly! I have to get up at 5 am and it’s almost one! Looks like I'll be sleeping on the plane ;)
Snail mail me:
Jessica Howard
c/o Campus Crusade for Christ
Paradise Resort Inn
516 19th Street
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
Or call me and I’ll try to get back to you!
Thursday, June 02, 2005
Disneyland!
Jason, AJ, Rae, Eleanor and I went to Disneyland yesterday! It was fun! We later met up with Doug, Faye, and her Friend. Watched the Fireworks... AMAZING!
Just in these past few college years, whenever I visit Disneyland or talk to someone who works here, it pushes me into a cycle of thought and wonder.
"Should I apply to work here? I could try out for a character, 'so and so' said I would do great! uhh but 'so and so' wants to quit working here. ...But they said they loved it! How come they want to quit? Would I have time if I got a job here? I guess that is were discipline comes in. humm... there are the benefits. I could come any time I want, and sign people in. ooohh and no pressure of getting your money's worth on all the rides and attractions! *sigh… Dad worked there (he keeps hinting that I should work there), I could start some family tradition… it is a blessing to live so close and have this opportunity. … *sigh... Oh! but they kill your weekends! …But if I had a job I’d work on the weekends anyway!"
"Should I get a job?"
Just in these past few college years, whenever I visit Disneyland or talk to someone who works here, it pushes me into a cycle of thought and wonder.
"Should I apply to work here? I could try out for a character, 'so and so' said I would do great! uhh but 'so and so' wants to quit working here. ...But they said they loved it! How come they want to quit? Would I have time if I got a job here? I guess that is were discipline comes in. humm... there are the benefits. I could come any time I want, and sign people in. ooohh and no pressure of getting your money's worth on all the rides and attractions! *sigh… Dad worked there (he keeps hinting that I should work there), I could start some family tradition… it is a blessing to live so close and have this opportunity. … *sigh... Oh! but they kill your weekends! …But if I had a job I’d work on the weekends anyway!"
"Should I get a job?"
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