3/12/11: Today we had the opportunity to meet our field worker Robert. He told us that the Gallery Church had begun in a pub on the second floor then moved to a wherehouse, then God provided them with a building they are currently in that was large enough since they had been growing. Now that they have about 300 members they are moving to a new facility in May. When I first saw the church I thought it was amazing. I've never seen anything like it. It just goes to show how church can be anywhere. It was a beautiful setting with Christmas lights, candles, cool lighting and other decor. While my team and the other Baltimore team (originals) went to prayer walk, Katelyn and I stayed behind at the church to help prepare for tomorrows service. We helped sweep, mop, decorate, unwrap candles, prepare lighting, move stuff, etc. After we did that we were given prayer cards with the memebers prayer request on them. Several of the prayer cards brought me to tears. The one that made me cry the most was one about a man that had bad anxiety and the doctors weren't to sure what he had but knew he needed medications and that they would be the right ones. This moved me because I could relate to anxiety and having to take medication. All that took place today reminded me that we need to continuously pray for all the saints and intercede for them. Also I learned that the church (with a capital C) is our family as well, and that we are to help our brothers and sisters just as much as those in our home church. I look forward to what else we will be doing next week.
3/13/11 - Sermon Notes (Gallery Church)
Isaiah 40:31
-Sometimes we want the result without the work.
-In order to mount on wings like eagles we must wait on the Lord.
-Who do you worship?
-God has not abandoned me, we do the abandoning.
-God shares His Character with us.
-Col. 1:11
-Keep hope and faith in the Lord
3/15/11: Today as we were cleaning at the school we came across boards with words on them. After rearranging them a few times and them saying things like, "we need help", "we need some help", "we need help sometimes", we arranged them to say, "Sometimes we need to be the help." After we took a picture of us holding up that saying. This last quote was so relevant for what we did for the day. Today we helped with cleaning out a classroom and storage rooms at an elementry school the gallery church used to hold services at. It was so true tha sometimes we just need to be the help for others and not be so self centered. If there was one thing that stood out to me today it was that "sometimes we need to be the help!"
Yesterday, we helped deep clean the church. Once again I was remined of how we are one church with a big "C" and that we need to take care of and help one another. Also, that we are one body of Christ and everyone worked so well together. Church was on Sunday.
Today we also prayerwalked (a vital part of our trip). It was amazing how we never ran out of things to pray for because the Holy Spirit led us. After prayerwalking we helped prepare for an art event the church was having on Sunday. All in all it was an amazing day.
3/16/11 - Growth Groups Notes (Gallery Church)
-Wait for the Lord!
-Hope/wait = hanging on.
-in God.
-In His time
-We are limited.
-Application: Wait for the Lord to heal and make me new. Hope in Him and rest assured everything will be made new and beautiful again. I will soar on wings like eagles, in this life or when i get to heaven.
-There is joy/mountains in the valley.
3/17/11: Yesterday we went to Y.A.N.A. (You are never alone). There we got to pass out a lunch to a prostitute. It just felt so strange knowing I was going out to look for prostitutes. Yet jesus loves them so I love them too! I used to think a prostitute would be a woman with big breast, very pretty and tight short skirts, etc. But, these women were very thin, torn, tatured, unkempt, etc.
When we got back to the shelter after feeding this woman we had a depression 101 session where the women who struggle with mental illness can talk aobut what they are/have gone through. One woman shared that she had been free of prostitution for a year after being raped 27 times and getting pregnant by her father. She shared that she had PTSD (Post traumatic stress disorder) and later been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. One of the workers at Y.A.N.A. said she had schizophrenia but she might have had both, or one or the other. It was so cool because I was able to tell my story and relate to her one on one and just encourage her. She said that her voices tell her to harm people and i told her that its okay and not her fault she hears those voices and that she should be praising God that she does not act on those thoughts. I also told her joy and happiness are two different things. That joy is not an emotion like happiness but a good attitude and outlook on life. It was such a blessing to have someone relate to me because I have never had that. Best of all, one of the workers @ Y.A.N.A. who is an athiest said she had never seen a client relate to a volunteer so well. I was amazed how God used me to impact these women in a mighty way. Now I know for sure why God sent me from Seattle to Baltimore instead. Why He helped me take a step of faith and aply for United States Projects (U.S.P.) in the first place despite my fears and health complications. I pray I can take the things from this experience home with me and use it to serve the Lord wherever I am whether that be in the states, overseas, etc. Enough for now, I'm tired to the max! Bed time.
3/22/11: I got back from Balitimore on sunday (3/20) and figured out what my next step shall be. I want to apply what I learned on my trip here back home. I plan and spoke to (in e-mail) Brian Zunigha about starting a biblestudy/support group for women on campus that have a mental illness of some sort. I'm just waiting to hear from him or go speak to him in person. I will keep praying.
-Rochelle
3/13/11 - Sermon Notes (Gallery Church)
Isaiah 40:31
-Sometimes we want the result without the work.
-In order to mount on wings like eagles we must wait on the Lord.
-Who do you worship?
-God has not abandoned me, we do the abandoning.
-God shares His Character with us.
-Col. 1:11
-Keep hope and faith in the Lord
3/15/11: Today as we were cleaning at the school we came across boards with words on them. After rearranging them a few times and them saying things like, "we need help", "we need some help", "we need help sometimes", we arranged them to say, "Sometimes we need to be the help." After we took a picture of us holding up that saying. This last quote was so relevant for what we did for the day. Today we helped with cleaning out a classroom and storage rooms at an elementry school the gallery church used to hold services at. It was so true tha sometimes we just need to be the help for others and not be so self centered. If there was one thing that stood out to me today it was that "sometimes we need to be the help!"
Yesterday, we helped deep clean the church. Once again I was remined of how we are one church with a big "C" and that we need to take care of and help one another. Also, that we are one body of Christ and everyone worked so well together. Church was on Sunday.
Today we also prayerwalked (a vital part of our trip). It was amazing how we never ran out of things to pray for because the Holy Spirit led us. After prayerwalking we helped prepare for an art event the church was having on Sunday. All in all it was an amazing day.
3/16/11 - Growth Groups Notes (Gallery Church)
-Wait for the Lord!
-Hope/wait = hanging on.
-in God.
-In His time
-We are limited.
-Application: Wait for the Lord to heal and make me new. Hope in Him and rest assured everything will be made new and beautiful again. I will soar on wings like eagles, in this life or when i get to heaven.
-There is joy/mountains in the valley.
3/17/11: Yesterday we went to Y.A.N.A. (You are never alone). There we got to pass out a lunch to a prostitute. It just felt so strange knowing I was going out to look for prostitutes. Yet jesus loves them so I love them too! I used to think a prostitute would be a woman with big breast, very pretty and tight short skirts, etc. But, these women were very thin, torn, tatured, unkempt, etc.
When we got back to the shelter after feeding this woman we had a depression 101 session where the women who struggle with mental illness can talk aobut what they are/have gone through. One woman shared that she had been free of prostitution for a year after being raped 27 times and getting pregnant by her father. She shared that she had PTSD (Post traumatic stress disorder) and later been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. One of the workers at Y.A.N.A. said she had schizophrenia but she might have had both, or one or the other. It was so cool because I was able to tell my story and relate to her one on one and just encourage her. She said that her voices tell her to harm people and i told her that its okay and not her fault she hears those voices and that she should be praising God that she does not act on those thoughts. I also told her joy and happiness are two different things. That joy is not an emotion like happiness but a good attitude and outlook on life. It was such a blessing to have someone relate to me because I have never had that. Best of all, one of the workers @ Y.A.N.A. who is an athiest said she had never seen a client relate to a volunteer so well. I was amazed how God used me to impact these women in a mighty way. Now I know for sure why God sent me from Seattle to Baltimore instead. Why He helped me take a step of faith and aply for United States Projects (U.S.P.) in the first place despite my fears and health complications. I pray I can take the things from this experience home with me and use it to serve the Lord wherever I am whether that be in the states, overseas, etc. Enough for now, I'm tired to the max! Bed time.
3/22/11: I got back from Balitimore on sunday (3/20) and figured out what my next step shall be. I want to apply what I learned on my trip here back home. I plan and spoke to (in e-mail) Brian Zunigha about starting a biblestudy/support group for women on campus that have a mental illness of some sort. I'm just waiting to hear from him or go speak to him in person. I will keep praying.
-Rochelle
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