Don't Look Down . . . .

Hey Everyone!!! Check out the new post over on my updated blog site - here is the link:"Don't Look Down . . . "

Also, to sign up and link the blog to you fb page, go ahead and click on this link: Crossroads Church God's Special Friends

Trusting God . . .

Just posted a new blog about Trusting God . . . Go and check it out at the Blogs New Location!!!!!

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NEW BLOG LOCATION!!!!!

HEY EVERYONE!!!!! GODS SPECIAL FRIENDS HAS A NEW LOCATION - PLEASE VISIT THE NEW LOCATION AND JOIN IT - ALL MY BLOGS FOR IT ARE BEING PUBLISHED THROUGH THE NEW ADDRESS - HERE IS THE ACTUAL BLOG ADDRESS: CLICK HERE and HERE IS THE LINK TO CONNECT IT THROUGH FACE BOOK: CLICK HERE

FACE BOOK: http://apps.facebook.com/blognetworks/blog/crossroads_church_gods_special_friends/
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BLESSINGS- Jennifer

NEW LOCATION

Hey everyone, my blog has moved over to a new location and so I won't be posting through here any longer - please follow the link below if you are a follower and begin to follow my blog in this new location - and if you are not a current follower of the blog, I would like to personally invite you to join - currently, according to Disable World, Disability and Health News, about 10% of the worlds population, which equates to about 650 million people, live with some form of disability. Furthermore, according to the United States Census Bureau, approximately 1 out of 5 people over the age of 5 are faced some with form of disability. Considering these statistics, most people at some point or another, if not affected by a disability, will know someone who is. Therefore, I would like to encourage you all to take a step of action and follow this blog and begin to see what we here at Crossroads are doing. Crossroads is an amazing church doing amazing things for people within this community and I am so grateful to be able to be a part of it.

blog address:
http://www.crossroadschurch.com/gsf/

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Answered Prayer!!!!!

Yesterday, Pastor Chuck preached on what it means to truly pray. Well, the McGlynn family, who is also a part of our Crossroads family, is a family that prays. And because of various circumstances, they began praying for a new van in order to be able to transport their son Justin at a level that he requires. They had no idea how God would answer this prayer, but God did, and over the course of just a few weeks, the right people were put into the right place, and just yesterday, Walt, Holly, and Justin received the kind of van that suited their needs. Additionally, the person who donated this van to them, was Stephen Murray, a Gold Medalist BMX Rider from the X Games, who as a result of an accident, is now a complete quadriplegic himself. The way this all came about, was that Stephen was provided a new van from his sponsor RockStar, and because of the blessing he received from them, he wanted to keep the blessing going and donate his old van to a family in need, which then turned out to be the McGlynn Family. This special occasion was held at 777 church in Riverside, where church goers, family, and friends all took part. It was truly a God moment, and I was completely blessed to be invited, and be a part of it all coming together!!!!

To Know God is to Know Love

I have often times just been amazed at the level and amount of love that all of the participants have for others. Although they each experience limitations of some sort, they seem to more often times than not, function and move about in this thing called life much more freely than the rest of us. And in the book The Shack, I just read a part that said, "humans are not defined by their limitations, but by the intentions that I have for them; not by what they seem to be, but by everything it means to be created in my image". What a beautiful statement that is. All humans have limitations at some level, and thank God it is not the limitations that define us. What defines us is the reality that we have been created in the image of God, and what is important is what He has planned for us. I guess if we were all to truly recognize that it is not about our will or our might, but about His, we would then truly become like little children in our faith, just as our participants already have, and we would know what it means to love as God loves, for we would truly Know God.

Stepping Up

This past Sunday was an amazing day for the Deaf Ministry. The team stepped out in faith and stepped up to serve in an incredible way. With Jessica stepping up to sign worship, Reyna stepping up to sign the National Anthem, and then Ruth stepping up to sign/interpret the sermon, all with less than a 72 hour notice. The biggest victory though came with Ruth, who for the first time was going to interpret the sermon. The preparation was intense and required an enormous amount of faith and trust in God. Because with every door that I seemed to try and go through in order to secure another answer for the team concerning the interpretation of Sunday's message, each and every one of them continued to shut. And on top of that, Tony was preaching, who by nature is a very high impact passionate speaker. It was almost like the perfect storm. The wonderful thing about it though, was that instead of being consumed by fear, the entire team embraced the unknown, trusting fully in God that he had it all in hand, and stepped up to assure all aspects of the service would be interpreted. It was definitely a wonderful experience to be a part of. Seeing God move and be glorified all the more through the team, and their desire, willingness, and passion to just serve and trust in him and his provision for them, was an absolute joy!!!

Trusting God

Trusting God in all things can sometimes be challenging, especially when it requires us to let go. It seems as though with each and every day that passes, many of us seek to have or maintain some kind of control, even when in reality, we have none. And that is where I am at right now, completely powerless. With this weekend being a holiday weekend, and many people having Sunday plans with it actually being the 4th of July, there are some holes that need to be filled. The exciting thing though, is that as I am continuing to pray through this, I am also getting excited to see just how God is going to work it all out. Because it is in times like these, that we get to experience His power and glory all the more. He cares about everyone and will care for everyone's needs, as I have continuously seen here within the ministry. Therefore, we just have to remember what Jesus said in Matthew 6:25-27, to not worry and keep trusting in HIm, for He truly does care about all things -

Experiencing Community!!!!

This last Saturday was our annual Pizza and Bowling Event, and there was approximately 60 people in attendance, plus volunteers. I am often times just amazed at the love that they have for one another, the willingness that they all have to assist each other, and the community that they just enjoy experiencing. All of this often times just leaves me in awe, and wondering just how much we could really learn from all of them. Their happiness, their joy, and all of their smiles, I believe just speaks for itself. And truly, I have yet to meet a person who comes to volunteer, who doesn't actually leave feeling more blessed, than they did when they first arrived.

The Launch of R.I.S.E.

What an exciting week this has been for our disAbilities Ministry here at Crossroads. This past Monday was our launch of the Monday Warriors Bible Study Group, who was also able to experience worship with the Generate Junior High Group as well. And now today is the official launch of R.I.S.E. , which is actually happening right now!!!! We have 3 individuals, along with 1 job coach, who arrived promptly at the church this morning at 9:30 to volunteer 2 hours of their time helping with various tasks around campus. They are scheduled to be on church grounds volunteering every Thursday and Friday morning for two hours each. The overall purpose of this is to provide volunteer opportunities for individuals who have varying forms of disabilities, that is centered upon their ability, while also sharing with them the love of Christ. So if you happen to pass by any one of them, please be sure to say hello, and give them a warm Crossroads welcome!!!

A Step of Faith

One area of our ministry that many may not even realize we have is our Deaf Ministry. The Deaf Ministry began its journey about 3 years ago with a beginning ASL Class. Today the growth that the ministry has experienced is a true blessing. One person from the ministry I would like to take a moment and highlight is Reyna. Reyna joined the Deaf Ministry about a year ago through one of the beginning ASL Classes that was being offered. Her commitment to Christ and to the Ministry has been amazing, and to watch her skill level grow with learning ASL has been a privilege, which made today even sweeter. The picture above I believe really truly says it all. Today was Reyna's first time up on stage signing worship, and although her nerves were restless, she trusted God, and took a step of faith in order to be the voice of worship for the deaf. We are so blessed to be here at such a time as this. To not only share with others, but to be able to experience the growth in the lives of others as well is truly a blessing from God.

R.I.S.E.

One of the most exciting things that I just love about the God that we serve, is the many doors that he just seems to continuously open for us. Since I have been involved here, our focus has been based upon the abilities of the people we serve and not their disability. Well, the ministry of R.I.S.E. within the disAbilities Ministry is stepping out in faith and trusting that God will take this to an entirely new level. R.I.S.E. is a Community Outreach Ministry and stands for, Reaching, Inspiring, and Spiritually Embracing those with disAbilities. Its primary purpose is to provide volunteer opportunities for individuals with varying forms of disabilities in order to increase self-esteem, enhance social skills, and share the love Christ. I am really excited about this area of our ministry. For the last month we have already had one person volunteering in the office about three times a week helping with various tasks, and this next week we are officially launching R.I.S.E. and adding 3 more who will be volunteering two days a week for two hours each. WOW!!!!! God is so Good and I just can't wait to see where He takes us from here . . .

Kung Fu Christians

One of the many events that we are so privileged to be able to do is camp. Once a year we have a day camp and once a year we have a three day camp. Well, this last Day Camp was off the hook amazing and based upon the initial preparations for our 3 Day Camp coming up in October, I honestly know and believe in my heart that the 3 Day Camp is going to be off the charts amazing as well. The theme for this years 3 Day Camp is "Kung Fu Christians and the Search for Truth", and the scriptural theme will be from Micah 6:8, which says, "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God". We serve an Awesome God and this years 3 day camp He is going to show up in an Amazing way. We are going to learn not just about his truth, but also about key disciplines that will enable us to put his truth into action within the lives of each person who attends. So be on the look out for flyers with all the info, and registration and consent forms. Spots will be limited!!!!!

Adding a Little Spice

Sometimes adding a little spice to a dish can enhance the whole meal, therefore, taking it to a brand new level that would have otherwise never been possible. That my friends is what is happening within the disABILITY Ministry at Crossroads. First, I hope you all like the new face of my blog. I believe it was definitely in need of a little spicing up. Second, the Tuesday Night Friendship Club has been going on for years, but because of some changes happening around us, it too needed a little bit of spice added to it. Therefore, June 15th will be the last day of Tuesday Night Friendship Club in order to roll out the red carpet for the Monday Warriors Group that will begin on June 21st from 6:30 - 8 pm. This new group will be based upon Ephesians 6:10-18 and putting on the Full Armor of God as we begin each week. I am real excited about these changes and look forward to seeing how God continues to move within the lives of all of those involved within the ministry. This is an exciting time for us!!!!!!

The Melting Pot

For the last couple months it has been requested that we begin a Parent/Guardian/Care-Provider Support group for those who have adolescents and/or adult children with a disability. Well, we all began praying about this and the direction God would have us go with putting it into motion. But one thing was certain, we knew that in general, we can all feel at times as though we are drowning, which is why we chose the name, The Melting Pot. But another thing that we knew, was that we would need to have a person who would be willing to not only facilitate the group, but would also be able to relate to the people coming in a very personal way. Well, I am excited to share with you all, God answered our prayers in a very clear way - He brought a person would has not only the willingness, but an over surmounting amount of experience with all of the different challenges that one faces when not only having a child with a disability, but the challenges that are presented as the child grows up, and eventually lands in the adolescent and adult years of life. We are so blessed and I just know from the bottom of my heart that what the people will receive out of this new group is Love, Support, Fellowship, Community, and Encouragement. It is scheduled to begin the last Friday of July and will continue the last Friday of each month after. So if you or anyone you may know has an adolescent or adult child with any form of disability and are looking for a safe place to be able to share with and learn from others, this is the place. For more information about this group or anything else that the disABILILIES Ministry offers, please feel free to contact me directly at jenniferf@crossroadschurch.com.

Beyond the Eyes and the Ears, God Speaks to the Heart!!!!

God moved in such an amazing way this last weekend - but then again, really, would we expect any less from GOD!!!!! So many times without even realizing it, many us probably take so much for granted. Things like being able to pick up a fork in order to eat, scratch our nose, watch tv, or listen to our favorite song on the radio. But in reality, there are thousands and thousands of people who are faced with these kinds of challenges and many more each and every day. That is why I just thank God for the people that He has equipped and sent in order to display and communicate His love specifically for them. For His LOVE is not any less for them than it is for any one of us. It just needs to be communicated in a different kind of way, and that is what makes the Deaf Ministry here at Crossroads such an amazing ministry. This ministry is filled with signers and interpreters who love God, love Jesus, and desire to communicate HIS Message of Love and Salvation to the people within the Deaf Community, so that they too may hear His Message in their own language and be saved. And what made this last Sunday so special, was as Pastor Chuck was delivering the invitation for people who would like to accept Christ, which he does every week, a woman who was also deaf, went forward and accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior. Seeing this moment was so special. She was crying, the signers were crying, as they all walked forward. In addition to that, as if that wasn't enough, during the evening service, a lady who was also blind made a decision to accept Jesus as her Lord and Savior. I mean really, God is so good, and His Message of Love and Salvation is not one that is only meant to be audible or visual, but so much more, for HIS MESSAGE truly does reach to the core of who we are, and speaks to the heart!!!!!!

Around the World in 40 Days Day Camp!!!!!

WOW!!!!! What an AMAZING day our Day Camp was this year. The level of volunteers we had, their heart to serve, and the level of excellence that was sought after, just speaks so much into who Crossroads is as a church family. I often feel privileged, blessed, and humbled by what God has allowed me to be a part of over these last several years. But on this particular day, various ministries stepped up in a very special way in order to show and pour out the love of Christ onto all of our participants. These ministries include, Impact (the 5th and 6th grade ministry), Mens, Community, Global Outreach, Generate Interns, and people such as Charlotte Chambers, who is Pastor of Involvement, to do our Bible Lesson, David Robbins who is a key volunteer on our church Worship Team, to lead Worship, Pat Barnes, who works in Tender Care, who oversaw the craft area for us, as well as the Puppet Team, who made an incredible appearance for us. Then, not to forget, the absolutely incredible tethered hot air balloon ride that everyone who had consent was able to experience. I mean really, the entire day was just off the charts incredible. Many of the volunteers arrived at 5 am on Saturday Morning, and yes, that is early, but being as committed as they all are, wanted to join together to make sure this day was a day for our participants in the disABILITIES Ministry to remember. Other people who shared their talents with us include, 3 nurses, Carol Reddy, Jaymie, and Terrissa, and then some avid scrap bookers, such as Pam Booher, Terise Seits, Leann Noaba, and Crystal Simiolie, who stepped up to make 75 scrapbooks by the end of the day - not to mention, one very pregnant Tina Hawkins who oversaw the printing of all of the photos for the scrapbooks - I mean really, WOW!!! This was truly incredible. And this is only a few of the ministries and people who devoted their time and energy into making this day a huge success. So from the bottom of my heart, I am truly blessed and feel it is with great privilege that God has allowed me to be here for such a time as this, and to see how Christ's love is radiated in such an amazing way and poured out onto the lives of all of our participants. So it is with great honor, that I would personally like to say, "Thank You" so much for everyone who volunteered on this day, at all levels - for without each and every one of you, this day could not have been anywhere close to where it was -

Down to the Wire

Well everyone, we are just a couple days away from one of our biggest events of the year. This Saturday is our Around the World in 40 Days Day Camp and I couldn't be more excited to see how God is going to move through out the day. We have had months of planning and preparation, and it is really hard to believe that the day is now really just right around the corner. But with not wanting to give too much away, my request for the week is that everyone pray for everyone who is involved, as we are in these final days, and pray God's protection, and Blessing upon each and every participant who attends, along with all the volunteers. Currently, we have about 75 participants, and about 30-40 volunteers, not including Impact, Mens, and Community Ministries who will be serving through out various portions of the day - I am getting so excited I can hardly contain myself - there will be so much to share next week - :))

An Incredible Moment in Time

In Mark 2:3-5 a paralytic man was being carried by four men in order to meet Jesus. The crowd however, being so large, made his experience even more of a challenge. The men carrying him however, being committed in an extra ordinary way so that this man could have his encounter with the Messiah, did the unthinkable, and made an opening in the roof above Jesus, and after digging through it, lowered the mat that the paralyzed man was laying on in order to overcome that obstacle and meet Jesus. This past Sunday, which was Palm Sunday, served to be a similar moment, in that not only were there hundreds of people coming forward, accepting Jesus, and immediately being baptized, 3 of the people that came forward were in wheel chairs. This was an incredible moment at Crossroads, where some of the men, seeing the challenge, but committed in an extra ordinary way, so that these individuals could have and experience this special moment, lifted each of them into the air, lowered their bodies down into the water, and baptized them in the same way as any other person would desire, upon making a decision to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of their life. Now do I believe that Jesus loved them anyways, absolutely without a shadow of a doubt, yes. But for them to not be able to experience baptism because of their physical limitation, is something that our church family does not accept or embrace. Therefore, as I stood and watched as each of these individual's were baptized, with tears running down my face, I looked up and praised our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for being so privileged as to witness such a moment as this. This experience gave me a much deeper perspective of just how much our church family here at Crossroads, is committed to one another, and committed to changing the world for Christ.

A Need for Change!!!!!

Thinking about the last few years, it is quit amazing to see where all God has taken the disABILITY Ministry. We have so much going on and I am always filled with so much joy every time I get to be around our participants within the ministry. Reflecting upon this, I began considering how our Friday Night Live Bible Study has truly evolved. It started off with about five volunteers and maybe two or three participants who would come regularly, and when there were more, we were all so excited. Each week, we would serve dinner for a small donation to offset the cost of the pizza, then do a light Bible Study, that would go from 6:30 - 8:30. Well, just last night, as I was standing back watching the dynamics of the evening flow, I just felt the presence of God ever so clearly within our room. God has taken us from a room of maybe 3 participants each week to now over 20, and about five to six volunteers who each week give of their time and poor into the lives our guys. But more amazingly, is that because of the level of growth, and the fact that a couple years ago we were burned out on pizza and began doing the cooking ourselves, time has become our greatest challenge. By the time we worship with Impact and get everyone back into the room and fed, the time left for Bible Study is definitely left wanting. Therefore, we have decided because learning God's Word should not be something that just gets squeezed in, starting in April, we are going to extend our study and go until 9 pm. I am so excited for this change and can't wait to see how God continues to move within our midst each week. And of course, I am definitely praying for a cooking team to be put together soon - LOL

The Planning of Events

This is a picture of most all of our volunteers from last years Pirates for Praise Day Camp for the disABILITIES Ministry. What an amazing day that day was. Many of us dressed up and interacted with the participants in such a fun way as they moved about the campus doing crafts, singing praise songs, and learning about Jesus. But one of the things that just gets me so excited is the planning of the day. And this year is no different. I am just so excited about the new level that God is taking us to in order to provide amazing events for such an amazing group of people. With each day that goes by, God reveals more and more of what we are able to do in order to shower His love upon each and every one of the participants that come. And not only that, the volunteer team for this event has grown so much, that it is hard to believe that I now have to have a waiting list for the volunteers. I mean really . . . what a great problem to have. That rather than running from an area that the world would typically have us do, here at Crossroads, people are flocking to it in order to serve. The hearts that people have here is amazing and I just stand in awe as they each continue to serve at such a level, in order shine God's Light, God's Hand, and God's Love, upon the ministry as a whole, and the events that we are so privileged to be a part of. So when we hear how much better it is to give than it is to receive, coming into this ministry truly reveals the fine truth to just how real that statement is.

Dance Dance Dance

What an amazing day this last Saturday was for our Matinee Dance. The day began with an out pouring of volunteers arriving early in order to assure a good time be had by all. To start it off, Rudy and Don arrived at the church at about 9 am to begin making approximately 140 ham and turkey hoagie sandwiches, along with a boat load of mac n cheese and baked beans, along with the other items being served. Other volunteers then began arriving at about 11 am to begin the set up and decoration process, with Wendy bringing the lovely assortment of table decor, and Barry and Diane overseeing the photography area, which the final pictures for it are soon to come. Veda, just loving to see our guys dance, came to serve although just having a recent surgery - and as she printed pictures during the dance, the participants anxiously waited. But the the highlight of the day, was watching them all dance, and WOW!!!! can they dance. The enjoyment that they each have is enormous and what a true blessing it is to be able to serve in such a way that would provide a safe environment for them to be able to do that which they all love doing - DANCE DANCE DANCE . . .

A Brand New Journey

The Word of God is just so dynamic, and no matter how long or how much one studies it, the wealth of information that it provides for us is endless, and I am just so excited about this brand new journey that the Tuesday Night Friendship Club has just begun. But even before this, they actually amazed me when they completed a study on the entire book of Acts. I mean WOW!!!! What an accomplishment. And now, because we don't believe in letting too much grass grow underneath our feet, we are on an even greater adventure now. We have just begun to study the missionary journeys of Paul, and my hope is that as we travel with Paul and study where he went, we are also going to study the epistles in a very unique way. That is, when Paul wrote an epistle, we are going to stop where Paul stopped, and study the epistle that he wrote. This will include not only just reading it, but seeking to understand why he wrote it, where he was when he wrote it, and how the challenges that he was addressing apply to us even today. Then, once we are done with the epistle, we will pick back up with Paul, and continue traveling with him. This study has me so excited that in order to keep it interactive for our participants, I am creating passports for each of them, so that as we travel, their passport will be stamped each week. We are also hanging up an entire world map, along with a then and now map, that charts out Paul's travels. Overall, I think I might be so excited about this study that I just might have to create a passport for myself. I love learning, and even more so, I love seeing our participants learn. The only thing, is that learning can and ought to be a dynamic experiences that touches on all of our five senses, which helps for every one to learn in the way that God created them to best learn. I am thinking though, that this study may just take us over a year to complete . . . But I know our Tuesday Night Group is up for the challenge, and we are going to have an amazing time through out the entire process - :))

A Servant's Heart!!!!

One of the greatest joys within the disABILITIES Ministry is being able to see how God moves within the lives of each and every one of our participants. One person in particular that I would like to take a moment and high light on is Judah. When I first met met Judah, not only was it difficult to understand him because of his limitations with speech, he was the "class clown" who through humor, would down play his disability. He never made mention of it, but I am certain that because of his limitation with speech, his self-esteem and confidence level were compromised as well. He wouldn't raise his hand in class and participate, he wouldn't want to read, and often times he would just sit there. Today however, that is not Judah. God has done amazing things within his life, and because of the patience and love that all of our volunteers have poured into him, he has grown immeasurably in all areas. He is often times now the first person to raise his hand and want to pray, he finds it absolute joy now to read, although limited, it is no longer a barrier, but a well received challenge. Other areas that Judah has grown in is in his heart. He has a servant's heart that often times just blows my mind. On Sunday mornings he is in charge of making and cleaning up coffee for everyone. He also assists on Friday night's with what ever task needs to be done. Whether it is in the setting up or cleaning up, Judah is always right there willing to assist. But the one thing that really tugged on my heart string was this last Sunday. After Judah had already made coffee, gotten his cup, and sat down, he immediately got up when Frank, who is in a wheel chair, came in, in order to poor Frank a cup a coffee. And then, without any mention, about fifteen minutes later, noticing that Frank had finished his coffee, Judah got up and poured him another cup. I was just amazed and humbled by the amount of willingness that Judah had to serve another person in such a simple way. Because of that, and through speaking with other volunteers, Judah is going to begin receiving some help with his speech each week with a volunteer who is also a professional speech therapist. We have also decided, that because of his heart, willingness to serve, and abilities that God has placed within him, Judah is now not only going to be considered a "participant," but he is now going to be considered a "assistant volunteer." Judah is truly an amazing person, a blessing to be around, and an absolute asset to the disABILITIES Ministry.

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

It really is hard to believe that it has been ten years since the y2k dilemma, and even more so, that another year has past. The one thing however that truly hit me over this Christmas Season was how much I truly missed seeing and being around our Special Friends. That is because Christmas and New Years landed on a Friday Night, we didn't meet. And then because the church office was closed between Christmas and New Years, our Tuesday Night group didn't meet either. The nail that then drove it really in, was that because I had a wedding to attend in Vegas on the Sunday after Christmas, I missed the Sunday Morning Study as well. Now, the volunteer team we have is amazing and everything last Sunday was covered. I also did have the chance to visit another church, but really, when I consider that there is no place like home, being away from my church family at Crossroads and away from our Special Friends within the ministry, my heart ached and longed for when I would return. I think it was about Tuesday or Wednesday then when I really began counting down the days until I would see them. Two weeks doesn't seem to be that long of a time span until you realize just how important the people and the relationships that God has truly allowed you to have are. I am blessed beyond measure within the ministry and am so thankful that today was the day that I was able to be back home and around these wonderful people. My only longing now, is to see all the beautiful faces on Tuesday Night and then on Friday Night. A vacation is sometimes nice and necessary, but being connected is really what keeps me grounded and keeps me going. And so in this time away, experiencing the absence of all of our participants has truly caused my heart to grow even fonder and miss everything about who they are . . . their innocence, their smiles, and the amount of unconditional love that they each have and unconditionally share with those around them-:))