Please Be In Prayer

[houseparent]

Our VBS was scheduled to begin on Monday, July 21st. It won't happen then or any other time soon in that church.

At the end of our emergency session meeting tonight the pastor, and three session members resigned, including me. Counting our spouses, that wipes out the co-directors, the Bible Story Leader, both craft Leaders, the Snack Leader, the Theme Leader, and one Guide.

8 months of work down the drain, and worst of all the kids are going to miss out on a great time and opportunity to hear the gospel and learn about Christ. Please pray for those of us that resigned that we will find a new church family where we can be servants and pray for our old church that healing will come.

It has been good sharing with everybody, but I am afraid there will be no more pictures or ideas coming. I am not sure when I will be creating again. I may just take some time off from everything and work on my personal relationship with the Lord.

I will stick around for a while to see how everyone else does with their VBSs and maybe share a comment or two, but doubt I will be around much after the summer.

Thanks in advance for your prayers.

[TrinityJen]

Oh Houseparent,
My heart goes out to you. I will defiantly be praying for you and your church family. I pray God shines a bright light on your new path.

[Teresa Peters]

Houseparent,
Prayers from Cananda for you, that you will find the peace you need, and a church where you can connect with and serve God fully. Prayers also for your former church; they are loosing a very talented and gifted man. Thanks so much for what you have brought to this forum and to many, many VBSs around North America, and Australia.

[CEmom]

How sad. But the Lord isan amazing God who know what amazing things he has planned for you and the others who have left. You will be in our prayers!

I wa just coming here to ask you a question. I've not posted much but you have been a source of insperation to me.

Alissa in Canada still waiting for VBS August 18th-22nd.

[faith]

You are most assuredly in our prayers. I know what a difficult "CHOICE" this must have been. May you find peace and may God dispatch angels to keep everyone involved in all their ways. Thanks for all the help you have given me this year and you didn't even know it.

[/CENTER]When I set my love on God
God will deliver me
When I set my love on God
God will set me on high

When I call on God
God will answer me
God will be with me in trouble
In the midst of circumstances and situations I do not understand
God is with me

When I set my love on God
God will honor me
God will satisfy me with long life
God will show me His salvation

When I set my love on God
God’s love will always lift me up[/CENTER]

Continue to walk in love!

faith
New and Living Way Bible Church in Rome GA

[Josh1]

I'll definitely be praying for you and your church. It's sad to see all of the hard work that you put in go to waste. Keep your head up though and God will have something bigger and better for you to do.
God Bless,
Josh:rolleyes:

[Judy N.]

I am so sorry to hear you are going through this trial. You are incredibly talented and you must love ministering to kids. I have not been on the boards much recently (after the floods hit here) so I don't know the details of your story. I have been through a church "split" of sorts and know the pain of that situation. BUT I have also seen God's healing hand at work through it all and have come out on the other side. I know well that wounded feeling and wondering if I would ever be able to minister to children again. But God had other plans and within a few months of moving on I was on part time staff at our present church, under a very caring, shepherding pastor and God had opened up a whole new (although very different) ministry for me. It was in a very short while after that that Gospel Light contacted me about being a contributing writer to the VBS curriculum. He was truly doing a "new thing" for me. This is a time when you can experience God's presence in a very different way. His grace is sufficient. I also had someone describe the "church split" we went through in this way...At that time in that church there were so many deeply committed and gifted Christians there in one place that God turned what looked like a negative into a positive by sending them out into the many smaller churches in the community where they could fill real ministry needs.
I pray that you feel God's healing hand today.
Judy

[jruckman]

Houseparent,
I'm uncharacteristically speechless, but please know that you (and all of us who have been precariously close to quitting when it gets crazy!) are in my thoughts and prayers.

And I wouldn't be me if I didn't try to find a way to make things work out...
... any chance you and all the others, assuming you are of like-mind, could salvage and follow-though with the program you had planned? Judy's VBS in the local mall certainly shows us that the message can be spread anywhere! Try to find a place to put your good planning rather than abandoning it.
Janet

[winnipeg]

You are in our prayers houseparent,
Having spent a couple years in what I would call a continual bleeding/wounded state as our church split and split again I feel the deep agony of the choices you are are making.
Follow the Spirit's lead, stay active, it keeps Satan at bay, and find a new church home soon! We need a collective - Hebrews 10:25 - lets not give up meeting together...we need to encourage one another.
You can know we are all praying for you, your family and the others. It is through trials that we are strengthened and God knows what He is doing even when we can't understand it at the time. It happened for us; we are one the other side, sometimes weary, but healing and stronger in our faith!
Choose to believe, act, forgive, obey, choose Jesus! It amazes me that as directors (and you still are) we have to live our lessons - some more intimately than others!

In the meantime know that everything you have shared on the boards has benefited so many and you have been an inspiration to me and many others. You have a unique and special gift, God will open all the doors for you to use the gifts you have been given.

Blessings,

[houseparent]

Thank You to Everybody!!!!

[Alison from Australia]

Dear Houseparent,

I don't know where to begin. You have been such an encouragement to so many of us. Your ideas have been used around the world. Nothing you have done will be wasted. Although the things you personally have built may not be used, remember all the children around the world who will benefit from your knowledge and talent. Your ideas will continue to be used by many of us and I thank you for being so willing to share the amazing talent that God has given you. Wherever you go to find fellowship with God's people, remember that God is with you and has a special purpose for you. And, of course, if you need to get right away for a while - come to Melbourne. You will be very welcome at Donvale Presbyterian!!!

[risha]

I'm praying for you. I'm not minutely as creative as you. The light of a such a creative spirit as yours cannot be put out! You have been such an inspiration to me. Please listen to the Lord's leading in all your endeavors

[maanki]

Dear Houseparent,
Thankyou for everything.You have inspired ,encouraged & ministered to thousands off and on this forum board. Your ministry to children in your church and those children you blessed through here through all these wonderful VBS's will continue to reach out and reach out and reach out..just like ocean waves going out from the shore..wave after wave after wave.
You are always in our hearts and prayers and we will never forget you.
And especially, God is saying'"Well done , my good & faithful servant."
He will take care of His kids for you :)

[ana]

Houseparent....I have just got back around to reading post and was stunned to see what you have been going thru please know that my prayers are with you and that I can honestly say I know what you are going through...pray, rest, and talk to the Lord..He has great things in store for you. You are a truly talented person and have many gifts to share...all the work you have done for 8 months has no gone unseen for the Lord our God has seen your heart. He has given you many gifts and now it is time to use them elsewhere... He wants you to spread your gifts....
God Bless and may you find peace and joy!!!

[houseparent]

Thank you to everyone. We have started attending a new church that is growing and excited to have us. I also feel a great release to better focus on the ministry God called me to 13 years ago, caring for the children He has placed in my care at the children's home I am at.

I am planning to take a long break from VBS, but will remain open to what God wants from me. Thanks again for everyone's prayers.

[Mari-Jo]

Dear Houseparent-

Thank you so much for sharing your creative talents and ideas to us. I, for one, have benefitted much from your sharing of the talents God has given you. May God's blessing be on all you do.

[Tina]

Thank you, Houseparent,for all your great ideas and help to everyone on this forum. I've been busy with our VBS which just ended, so hadn't seen your original post till today. I made your crayons out of pool noodles and was inspired by countless other ideas you posted!

Hang in there. I'm so sorry for what you are going through. I'm sure it's a huge disappointment after all your hard work and the energy you have poured into this project.