Jamaica :: Friday Wrap-up

It's amazing what can happen in just one week. Over the past several days, we've seen God begin to do some tremendous things within the lives of the young people who gathered from around the community of Greenvale, just outside the city of Mandeville, Jamaica.

We finished up with about 150 people (not including helpers/leaders) ranging from 2-years-old to seventy-something. While the majority were under 20, there was a group of adults that showed up each day from the community to take part in the activities, as well as join in a class specifically for adults.

Today (Friday), as we wrapped up the week, each age-group came to the stage with a song, skit or summaries of what they have learned this week. This indeed was a special time.

Tonight, tears began to flow out of the eyes of many as we sat around worshiping, praying, reflecting and sharing about this week's experiences. Each of us is extremely grateful and honored to have been able to share the Gospel and our very lives with those we've encountered this week, not to mention getting to know some of the Rio Grand's very best...

Below are a few pictures from the past few days...

Palm Valley Team after ministering at Deaf Fellowship.

Jamaica :: Wednesday

Today was another great day of ministry. More and more chairs are added as children keep coming. The entire tent is now full of chairs - which I have to admit is a beautiful sight. We have two more days in the mornings with the children.

Continue to pray for hearts to open up to the powerful message of the love of Christ and what it means to follow Him.

Thursday night, we minister at Mandeville Deaf Fellowship. This is a gathering of Deaf adults from around the city of Mandeville and beyond. Pray for clarity of communication along with the Strength of God's Spirit to minister...

Here's a few Pict's from today...

Mari is amazing with these little ones...!

Jamaica :: Triple Tuesday

Triple-Tuesday... There were about 55 children and young adults who joined us Monday. Today (Tuesday), we had over 130. Nearly tripled the number of kids in 24-hours. Crazy! What’s so exciting is how many of these are not Christ-followers or even know what that means, much less “go to church.”


Tonight, the team experienced a powerful time worship, prayer and sharing together. We feel that tomorrow is going to be significant, especially for the ten-years and older folks. We are praying that many will experience a “moment” with God. After tomorrow morning’s teaching there is going to space for the older ones to reflect and pray. Pray with us that God will help us communicate clearly and powerful, and that the Holy Spirit will speak ever so specifically to each individual in a life transforming manner.

Sunday morning, Sylvia shared her story of discovering the reality of God in her everyday life after many years of devout religious rituals. She then talked about what walking by faith has looked like in her very recent life transitions. As she shared the remarkable ways God directed her paths for this coming fall, you could sense encouragement and hope being released into the hearts of those currently experiencing challenging and difficult times.

Ministry in Jamaica...

It was just before 8:30 this morning. 

Children begin trekking up dirt paths, crooked roads and step hills toward the site of this weeks Bible Camp in the small township of Greenvale (Jamaica). 

For some, this was their first time stepping foot on the property of where this church gathers. The church meets on a small plot of property under a tent.

 

New Series :: Road Trip :: Mapping out a Healthy Family Culture

Looking forward to the new series at PVC :: Road Trip :: Mapping out a Healthy Family Culture. It launches this Sunday...


Roadtrip PROMO from Palm Valley Church on Vimeo.

Engaging Scripture...

How do you engage Scripture...?

Is it something you try to "read through" is some chronological, systematic, chapter-by-day manner?

Each of these have there place, but often it seems in our fervor to "get through" Scripture, we may not always experience Scripture "getting through" us.

What would it look like for us to read and engage Scripture in light of the following parable?

One traveler to another:

"I have come a great distance to listen to the words of the Teacher, but I find his words quite ordinary."

"Don't listen to his words. Listen to his message."

"How does one do that?"

"Take hold of a sentence that he says. Shake it well till all the words drop off. What is left will set your heart on fire." 

~Anthony deMello

Daily Surrender

"It comes the very moment you wake up each morning. All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists simply in shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in. And so on, all day. Standing back from all your natural fussings and frettings; coming in out of the wind." (C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity)

• What are some practical ways in which we can "shove" all the voices, wishes and hopes that "rush at us like wild animals"?
  
  
• What are some practices that can better posture us to keep in step with the life-flow of the "stronger, quieter life" that comes to us in the Spirit of Christ?