Ireland Missions Trip

Vote for Me!

2012-02-10T12:57:00.002-05:00

It's 2012 and I'm back on the Fundraising Trail again!

Campaigning is not so much fun. But the reason for all this campaigning is well worth the effort!

Check out my Support Page to see what fundraisers I have planned and how you can support my 2012 Missions Trip to Ireland.

Thanks much!

Pond Hopping

2012-02-01T13:04:00.000-05:00

Even from across the wide open "pond" I'm still helping my favorite missionaries. Take a look at the flyer I created for a Teacher's Training Seminar that Shawna McFarland was orchestrating.

Holy Ghost Outpouring Services in Dublin

2011-07-02T13:03:00.000-04:00

So excited about the upcoming outreach services in Dublin! This is a UPC GB&I Missions Service that is being held in Dublin for the first time. We will be there from July 8th through the 10th. There will be children's services, youth services and main services each day. Plus tons of people are coming from Scotland to preach, sing, pray and work. Bro. McFarland wants us to have booths set up for signing up Bible Studies with visitors and free materials for them. This is exciting!!!!!

To prepare for this I have been in contact with the news publications in Dublin and found out that the Evening Herald is the most read paper. It is read Monday through Saturday by approx. 250,000 per day! The ad costs $390 USD per day. I calculated that to be $0.00156 cents per person. LESS than 1 cent per soul. That is an amazing investment!

Here is the ad - simple - straight forward - and very easy to read! Should definitely stand out no matter where they place it in the paper.

Right now we have placed it in the Monday paper. I would love to be able to put it in everyday of the week - or at least once more. But, I need donations to cover Monday and any additional days.

Contact me via email or Facebook - or go to the Support page to help out with this outreach opportunity.

Prepping for UPC GB&I Gen Conf Sunday School Services

2011-07-02T11:44:00.000-04:00

WHAT A BLAST WE HAD!!!!!

Shawna McFarland is in charge of all the Sunday School services during the week at General Conference in Wales this year. It's the first week of August and we, her team, are at her beck and call.

First, I created the designs for the backdrops (based on our usual collaborative brainstorming!) Here's the designs - but wait 'til you see the actual product once it's all painted.

Then I designed the flyers (using a graphic from last year and tweaking it a lot - good reuse/recycle/recreate moment!) - they turned out so cute!

And we followed that up with the most fun commercial! I had this idea for a "Beatles Abbey Road Walk meets Charlie Chaplin" and boy did it come to life :) Of course, with a cast of characters like Shawna, Ashley, Caleb, Matthew and myself, you could not possibly expect less.

Watch the video here! I've put it on YouTube and Facebook :)

Enjoy :)

First Day Off

2011-06-29T11:51:00.000-04:00

It's been almost two months since I arrived in Ireland - and yesterday was my first day to go out and relax! Yay! We all packed a lunch and went up to Glenariff Forest. What a day!

It was sunshine on the way. As soon as we parked it got gray and cloudy and cold. We braved the cold and got all set up on the picnic table and it starts to rain. We take everything back to the van while Bro. Mac works on the disposable grill (and broken lighter) that was only making smoke...no fire...in the rain...under an umbrella. LOL!

When it was all said and done...I saved the day ;) Not really...well...actually...it's kinda true. I (with the amazingly heat resistant hands of Ashley) managed to cook all the burgers and sausages with the use of the bum grill, broken lighter and a roll of paper towel. Hilarious :) But Ash and I had fun.

Then the sun broke forth, rain stopped and it was nice again!

We started off on our hike to the waterfalls - gorgeous as expected. It felt so good to feel the cool air filling my lungs. And then it started to rain again ;) Who's surprised? We had fun anyway and it was a much needed break for my brain and my body from the constant work and pressure I've been under. Plus it was a very nice way to celebrate my Holy Ghost birthday!

I love you Ireland :)

Broken Bathroom

2011-06-24T10:37:00.000-04:00

Water is the enemy in Ireland. Seriously.

No, maybe MOLD is the enemy. Yep. That sounds right.

ANOTHER leak has been discovered in the church ladies bathroom. I feel so sorry for Bro. McFarland. This has happened way too often in this building. :( He is having to pull up the entire floor and then find the pesky leak - which is being problematic!

Big Bummer! Please pray.

Wednesday Night Search For Truth

2011-06-18T09:50:00.000-04:00

Our Wednesday night Bible Studies have been AWESOME! Bro. McFarland is teaching Search for Truth and you can practically see light bulbs coming on in the eyes of the church members - and myself! ;)

We meet in the living room - it's cozy and family-like. AND Bro. McFarland gives us memory verses each week. Good thing I was a Bible Quizzer!

I'm really loving it.

Endtime Services

2011-06-18T09:08:00.000-04:00

Bro. Keith Fletcher came and taught a series of lessons/services on Endtime Prophecy. We held some special services throughout the week - both in Gilford and Dublin and ended with a Holy Ghost filled Sunday in each church.

SUPER Sunday School!

2011-06-07T08:34:00.018-04:00

We are in full swing with the Super Sunday School services in both Gilford, NI and Dublin, Ireland. This has been a great outreach tool in both churches! The children get to invite their school friends and neighbors to a day of learning about Jesus in the most fun way possible. The best part? God always moves in these services and the children end up praying sincerely. It's just beautiful!

It was also the day after Shawna McFarland's birthday - she's the mastermind behind Super Sunday School! So the kids gave her a little bday surprise. Sweet :)

GREAT News!

2011-06-06T08:33:00.000-04:00

On June 5th we had a wonderful service in Gilford, Northern Ireland. Two ladies were baptized in Jesus name! One young girl received the Holy Ghost and another church member was healed from a back problem. In the words of Bro. Anthony “this was proper church today” – I agree!

Busy, Busy, Busy Summer

2011-05-29T08:04:00.013-04:00

We have a full schedule of events here in Northern Ireland and Ireland this summer. Last Sunday we had Super Sunday School in Gilford. This Wednesday and Sunday we are blessed to have Bro. & Sis. Showalter with us. They are such a precious couple! Plus we will have Super Sunday School in Dublin this Sunday. I’m definitely keeping busy here :)

1-5 June Bro. & Sis. Showalter

12 June Bro. Keith Fletcher

19 June Father’s Day

26 June Super Sunday School

8-10 July Dublin Holy Ghost Outreach

1-5 August UPC GB&I General Conference in Llandudno, Wales
12-13 August Children’s Retreat Glasgow, Scotland
14 August Super Sunday School
28 August Bro. & Sis. Linville

Teenagers Anyone?

2011-05-18T08:03:00.000-04:00

I have been in youth ministry since I was 18. Ironic, I know. I truly love and adore teenagers. They have their whole lives before them and are just bursting with promise and possibility. I am SO excited to see teenagers in the Gilford & Dublin churches this year. Youth signify both fertile soil and growth. Equally exciting is the opportunity Bro. & Sis. McFarland have given me. They requested that I train a couple in the Dublin church to teach a teen Sunday School class. I’ve been teaching teens for about five years now in my home church. This is right up my alley. I’m in Ireland, working with teens and training teachers. Thank You Jesus!

Welcome Home!

2011-05-17T07:42:00.013-04:00

It is so wonderful to be home. My heart is full of thankfulness to the Lord for allowing me to come back to Ireland, the land of my burden. The burden He gave me and has instilled in me most of my life.

On the Sunday after my arrival, I was excited to see all the familiar faces in Gilford and in Dublin services. Plus a few new ones as well! They welcomed me home with open arms. Thank the Lord for growth!

At times throughout the day, I felt somewhat bittersweet. In November, one of the pillars of the Gilford church, Bro. Eamon Furphy, passed away. I missed him. Please continue to pray for his family, it was his constant desire to see his family saved.

An additional welcome came from the field across the street...freshly spread manure...and I do mean fresh! phew!

Cupcakes Turned into Brownies!

2011-05-03T13:06:00.000-04:00

My Easter fundraiser was originally suppose to be just cupcakes...but the St. Patrick's Day Brownies were such a hit that people were requesting them for Easter!

Who am I to turn away my public? :)

So, I offered brownies as an option for this fundraiser - and sold a multitude more of the brownies than I did of the cupcakes. I even make a lot of extras to sell Easter morning at church, and they were all sold within 15 minutes. Thank you Jesus!

Fundraisers are completed. I am SO relieved! This also means that baking until 4am or 5am is also completed. HUGE thank you to my Mommy who stuck in there with me through it all. I would have ended up in a crying crumpled heap on the floor at times if it wasn't for her.

Mommy's are the best :)

Friends are great too! Thanks to Jeannette and Heather for supplying the things I needed to make the adorable Easter-y cupcake/brownies picks :)

I am also thankful that all the brownies and cupcakes have left my house! Brownies are my Achilles heel for sure :) It's a yummy love/love relationship!

Fourth & FINAL Fundraiser: Happy Easter Cupcakes (or Brownies!)

2011-04-11T15:48:00.000-04:00

Happy Easter & Merry Spring?

...I've been selling stuff for so many holidays that I'm starting to get confused ;)

Take a look at these adorable cupcakes that I'm selling for Easter weekend. All the info you need is right here on my blog.

Best thing about this fundraiser?
1. It's my final fundraiser
2. There's a SUGAR FREE OPTION for the cupcakes
3. Brownies are back!

BIG MASSIVE Garage Sale MANIA!!!!

2011-04-02T21:07:00.000-04:00

Side note: I felt the need to call it 'mania' since the brownies caused a 'palooza' :)

Whoa! I am just now home from my three day endeavor of garage sale fundraising. Thanks to a brilliant friend (Suzanne!) I actually held my Big Massive Garage Sale on Friday AND Saturday.

Friday morning, I had 20+ people standing outside the back doors of our church - chomping at the bit to get in. Wow! And the traffic did not slow down all day - until I shut it down at 1PM.

I sold so much stuff the first day that I was actually asking people to please bring me more stuff. And they did - thank you so much my fabulous Gainesville peeps :) By the end of the evening Friday it looked like nothing had sold, but I had actually sold over $800 that day. Woot woot - CHA-CHING!!! Thank You JESUS!!!!

Jesus had shown me up the day before and all I could do was wait to see what else was in store. He had definitely tested my trust in Him to provide the things and the people to buy the things. Wednesday night I was worried. Thursday night I was concerned. Friday night I was in awe! God totally had it all in control :)

Friday Night (AFTER selling stuff all day)

A big part of my goal this year has been to raise as many funds as possible from outside the four walls of my church. I wanted to allow more of my 'circle' an opportunity to be a part of my ministry and missions trip. I love that, by supporting me, they can 'be on' the missions trip too :)

Saturday morning. I was excited! I opened the doors...there was ONE person outside in their vehicle. LOL! The Lord has a sense of humor :) Cause I felt this small twinge of disappointment and then I immediately thought - "What?! God's got this! What am I worried about?"

That ONE person was followed all day long by a steady stream of people until 2PM! Absolutely NO down time all day. God is so cool.

So, the total from two days of selling and three days of back breaking work? The total is 1/4 of my budget! Just over $1500. From random, fun-to-talk-to, got-to-be-a-witness-to, happy-go-lucky (minus the one angry guy outside - who apologized later), yard-salers!

I am so truly blessed. Lord bless my Mommy, my friends (Suzanne, Ashley, Annie, Suzanne, Daniel, My Mariah, Cassie, and Holly) and touch the hearts of the hundreds of people who came through the doors today.

And thank you a hundred times over to everyone who donated your unwanted-haven't-used-it-in-forever items. No matter how little, I appreciate it.

The leftovers? Goin' to Ryan for his Youth on Missions Trip to...Guatemala!

Another side note: People loved my signs :) I made people drive across town practically because they were following my signs. Pat on the back. Graphic design works ;)

Brownie-Palooza!

2011-03-22T12:13:00.001-04:00

Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies

WHOA! Brownies are apparently a favorite treat for many people! I was receiving orders for a few days after St. Patrick's Day due to their popularity. Needless to say, I'm fairly certain I smelled like brownies for a week - which I suppose could have been a great marketing tool - hmmmm....? ;)

Thank you to everyone who ordered - the compliments and feedback were so nice to hear. I always get nervous about food orders because I really want people to love them. Thanks to everyone I raised about $700 with this fundraiser!

Boxed Up and Ready to Deliver

The Inside of Each Box Included a Phrase in English and in Gaelic

Little Baggies of Brownies Were a Hit With Those Who Forgot to Order :)

My next dessert fundraiser will be some very special and delectable Easter Cupcakes - which will include a sugar-free (Splenda!) option for all those who cannot or choose not to eat sugar! Yay! Stay tuned :)

April Showers Your Stuff!

2011-03-09T13:11:00.003-05:00

April 2nd is the date I have set for my "Shawna Loves Ireland" Big Massive Garage Sale - and I need your stuff! Bring anything and everything that you can donate for the sale. I take it all.

Drop offs can begin on Wednesday March 30th and continue through Friday April 1st. Drop off location: The Pentecostals of Gainesville (Google Maps Link Here)
8105 NW 23rd Avenue
Gainesville, FL 32608

If you have large items that you cannot move on your own, let me know and I'll arrange pickup times/dates with some volunteers. (also looking for volunteers)

Last year's garage sale was a huge success - and a HUGE amount of work. Any helpers are more than welcome :)

Call me anytime: 352.328.7837

Ooooey Goooooey Yummy-ness!

2011-02-27T00:10:00.001-05:00

Get a little 'Luck of the Irish' this year to celebrate St. Patrick's Day by ordering a delectable box of Handmade St. Patrick's Brownies. Seriously, could it be any better?

Yes, it can get better. I've got THREE flavors for you to choose from:

Cream Cheese Swirl
Peanut Butter Swirl
Caramel Creme
An Assorted Box with all three flavors included
Simply Plain

All the info, order form and more photos are posted here.

This is definitely a local fundraiser - I will not be able to ship these.

Adopt Shawna For A Day!

2011-02-26T00:41:00.005-05:00

Yep. You can adopt me.

I'm well-behaved, funny, artistic and adventurous. I've never broken a bone and only had stitches once. I believe that makes me a good investment! Will you adopt me as YOUR AIMer?

The best part? You get an Adoption Kit!
See the calendar dates, the specifics and the Adoption Kit items here.

P.S. AIM stands for Associate in Missions.

SOLD OUT!

2011-02-14T13:53:00.002-05:00

My first fund-raising event "Homemade Valentine Cookies" was a HUGE – HUMONGO – MASSIVE – GARGANTUAN-SIZED SUCCESS! I raised 1/6th of my budget – WOW! Thank you Jesus ;)

[One of the cookie shapes]
Baked and ready to decorate!

Decorated and ready to box!

After many hours of baking and decorating (thank you Mommy for being right there with me the whole time) I had 800+ cookies to disperse. Thank you to all my local Gainesvillians for your support. I sold out almost completely. I had only 12 cookies to take home with me at the end of the day :)

[Photo of just a few of the 40 total boxes we packed.]
Boxed and ready to deliver!

Cookies. Cup of milk. Curl up on the sofa.
Just the right ending to a long, tiring, but sweet weekend.

Yum!

Sweet Things Are Happening Around Here!

2011-02-07T15:55:00.000-05:00

HURRY! Only three days left to order cookies!

You can order a box of 18 homemade and handmade sugar cookies for Valentine's Day. My mother has been making this recipe my whole life - and it is yummy! We even get requests each Christmas from people who want them as a gift!

Order and payment deadline is February 9th.

Pick up dates are February 13th and February 14th.

This is definitely a local fundraiser - I will not be able to ship these.

Take a look at the rest of the information and photos I've posted to get an idea of what you'll be receiving in your box of cookies.

Sweets for the Sweet :)

2011-01-16T22:20:00.002-05:00

As the first of many fundraising projects, this one is very special.

You can order a box of 18 homemade and handmade sugar cookies for Valentine's Day. My mother has been making this recipe my whole life - and it is yummy!

Order and payment deadline is February 9th.
Pick up dates are February 13th and February 14th.
This is definitely a local fundraiser - I will not be able to ship these.

Take a look at the rest of the information and photos I've posted to get an idea of what you'll be receiving in your box of cookies.

It's That Time Again

2011-01-15T22:21:00.001-05:00

2011 has arrived and with it comes the daunting task of raising my 2011 Ireland Missions Budget. I'm trying my best to come up with creative, interesting and lucrative ideas. And that is one hard task for sure! If you have any ideas ;) I welcome them!

Every penny helps. Please visit the Support page for a quick and easy way to donate – via PayPal.

So much to do...

2010-08-12T08:36:00.001-04:00

...and so little time - but isn't that the way it always is.

You get near the end of something and realize - OH NO! I have so much more to do before I can leave :)

I took a walk yesterday - with my camera. I absolutely hate the idea of leaving here - my heart is heavy with the burden for this country. So, I walked along and took lots of pictures. Happily, I discovered a sweet little footpath that none of us have ever seen before! So, Shawna and I will have to explore and see where it takes us. (I figured it was probably not wise to explore it on my own - I could hear my mother's voice in my head - lol!)

These last few days have all been spent in much prayer. Much much much prayer. The pangs in my heart are real and painful. My eyes well up with tears unannounced.

Jesus send me back here - post haste - please!

WALES! UPC GB&I General Conference & BOTT

2010-08-10T19:10:00.006-04:00

Never seen before!

And boy did I love it - what a beautiful little town we were in - Llandudno, Wales. All the hotels are along the promenade and we walked everywhere. To the conference center. To eat. To do anything! And in that kind of weather I could walk all day long. Gusts of wind, mists of rain, happy me :)

WOW! It was such an amazing conference and soul-stirring in so many ways! And at least 34 people were filled with the Holy Ghost!

Personally, I have been in such a state of limbo, which is leading to deeper spiritual growth. Bro. Mangun, Bro. Howell, and Bro. Tenney spoke and taught on so many things that pertained to me and my life right now. But more importantly, God has been dealing with me and I spent many hours out by the seaside - just me and Him.

This conference also celebrated the retirement of Bro. & Sis. Rodenbush. I have not had the opportunity to spend time with them, but I do love and appreciate them and their prayers. I did get to speak with Sis. Rodenbush one night and what a beautiful spirit she has! The surprise reception for them was full of love and honor for them as people and for their ministry.

And, unexpectedly, I became the resident Mac/Apple/Design expert for the week! LOL! Helping missionaries is both enjoyable and satisfying. And you know I can talk about Apple forever!

Outdoor Outreach (on my birthday!)

The sunrise on the morning of my birthday

My birthday treat ;)

Everything was in Welsh and English

- and Welsh looks completely different from the Gaelic I'm use to seeing.

Hello Outreach!

2010-07-28T04:54:00.001-04:00

Our new outreach materials have finally arrived!

After many, many weeks of proofing and revising the designs for the business cards and the postcards, AND looking for a good quality and affordable print company - VICTORY!!! [Quick shout out to Kaizen Printing - you rock Connor!]

I love the look of the postcard and the business card - it's like Christmas each time I get to see something I've designed in print. There is nothing else like it - it's a great feeling of accomplishment.

So here they are!

Business Card Front Side

Business Card Reverse Side

Postcard Size Handbill Front Side

Postcard Size Handbill Reverse Side

Ladies Day

2010-07-25T19:09:00.050-04:00

Ladies Day

We had a beautiful Ladies Day in which Sis. McFarland spoke on “Serving Others with Joy”.

The message was broken down into five key points:
1. Show respect and courtesy
2. Listen more than you speak
3. Give genuine praise
4. Keep your promises
5. Practice forgiveness

Sis. McFarland

Sis. McFarland also showed these videos during Ladies Day:

Thanks to some churches from the States, each lady also received a special gift of a cookbook and a handmade apron that had been prayed and anointed over. They loved them! and had some fun at the end :)

Sis. McFarland introducing the gifts from the States

Photo sent from Bro. Riley & Sis. Tara March

- anointing the aprons before they sent them to the ladies here in Ireland.

Sis. Lucille

The ladies with their aprons

Getting silly!

Super Sunday School for July - phew!

2010-07-18T19:05:00.000-04:00

This time Shawna Mac had a "Traveling to Heaven" theme - and the three of us dressed up as Angels for most of the day. Shawna and Ash also had a final illustrated sermon that involved Ashley being the stewardess for Flight 238 (get it?) and Shawna was trying to get on board with all her MANY bags of luggage. This included a pet snake - which was not allowed on the flight due to that whole "Garden of Eden Incident" - LOL!

The main message was that God is our provider for all the things we think we need. If you have Him than all the other stuff is just not important.

It was a fantastic day! And as always, we had a wonderful time getting both the grown-ups and kids involved. At the end of the service, two of the parents were wanting to get baptized! Amen!

Exciting Praise and Worship

Cooking Angel and Nerdy Angel

Balloon Popping Game (there were prizes inside the balloons!)

Me (Gothic Angel) reading the spontaneous melodrama

James acting in the melodrama

Hula Hoop Game

Trying to take too much stuff with her to heaven - tsk tsk

The best part - praying with them

We rock :)

AAAAAAATTACK!!!!!!

2010-07-12T14:59:00.026-04:00

That's what happens when we get new manly muscles to help out over here - we attack any big projects that have just been waiting for young strong helpers :)

Thanks to a couple brothers from the States, Kris & Korey Elkins, Bro. McFarland had a lot of help demo-ing here on the property. The rest of us helped too - but the major brunt of the load was taken on by Kris & Korey!

Their reward? Meals and desserts cooked by Ashley! She is such a good cook and they were more than happy to sit down and eat anything she made. And they got to go sightseeing a couple days - which included walking 5 miles in the rain along the upper edge of the North Coast Trail ;) A real taste of Ireland. But what a great view we had!

Kris & Korey were also a great blessing that Sunday. Kris preached in Gilford and Dublin and Korey and Ashley led worship in both services.

Thanks for working so hard guys!

Bro. McFarland - whom the boys nicknamed "Kevin"

- you'll have to ask them why 'cause I have no idea :)

Korey

Kris

Ash

Rain the entire 5 miles!

Korey & Ashley leading worship service

Kris preaching

Proud to be an American!

2010-07-05T12:49:00.001-04:00

As much as my heart is burdened for Ireland, I wouldn't trade being an American and growing up in the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave for anything! I am very proud to be an American :)

We had a wonderful 4th of July celebration - and what made it extra special was the company we had. James & Mary Catherine Beek came over for the festivities. James is Canadian, so we sang a little "O Canada" for him :)

YUMMY! is all I can say about the food! and.........we found a little shop in Belfast that just started selling American candy and sodas - talk about excited! We each bought drinks - and I saved mine for the 4th party (on the 3rd). Barq's Root Beer - mmmmhmmmmm. I also made cupcakes and the frosting for them and decorated them with a technique I use to watch my Mommy use when I was a kid - striping the bag with food coloring. They turned out - ummm - fine - sort of :) Baking in these fan assisted ovens here is not an easy task for those who are not familiar with them. The frosting covered any baking flaws - and the cupcakes definitely tasted delectable!

I also put together a video of firework shows for us to enjoy the night of the 4th. Silly - but fun :)

James & Mary Catherine also ministered in the service on Sunday - and what a blessing! Mary testified and every word she spoke went straight to my heart - it was right on target. James preached and God moved - it was beautiful.

Plus, I got to know Mary better and meet James and their little baby - sweet adorable baby!

You've got a friend in me!

American sodas - ahhhh what a beautiful sight for sore eyes

Cupcakes - yummmmm

The Beeks

The grill masters

James & Mary Catherine Beek

Emergency! Call 911!

2010-07-01T12:21:00.001-04:00

On June 28 a terrible thing happened...my video card in my Apple MacBook Pro quit working! I was in a panic to say the absolute least!

Thankfully - God had it all under control :) There was an Apple store in Belfast (45 mins away). So I made a reservation at the Genius Bar and we went up there the next day to run several errands and for me to visit Apple - which I was kind of excited to do except for the fact that I needed EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE!

Thank the Lord for Apple Geniuses and for a FREE replacement of a part that would have cost me over 700 pounds ($1200). Jesus is good to me :) even in my technological needs.

Oh - and I was able to get the computer back in a day instead of a week - I do believe flirting with the Apple Geniuses in a Southern American accent was a plus ;)

Our eyes meet :)

Small moment of panic while they diagnose the problem - then - exhilaration!

Going to pick her up - my beautiful little machine - she's right up there!

Super Sunday School

2010-06-26T19:39:00.000-04:00

This month's Super Sunday School was spectacular to say the absolute least!

The theme was "Your Missing Piece" and it was all about how only God can fill the void that is in each of us. Shawna and Ashley McFarland did all the skits and puppetry. I helped out with audio/visual as usual - BUT also got to be a part of a skit, organized two of the games and dressed up in a crazy-fun outfit.

One of the games was a HUGE hit - the balloon game. We split the congregation in two - and they had to try and get all the balloons to stay on their competitors side by the time the music ended. You can see from the photos that EVERYONE - grownups and kids - really enjoyed this game :)

The best part was the move of God at the end of the final lesson/story Shawna wrote. An amazing day!

Ooops!

2010-06-14T16:56:00.003-04:00

I was doing such a good job of keeping my blog up to date - until this month - oops!
Why the delay in postings? I've been BUSY! :)

We went to Belfast one day - and just standing in the middle of the city centre is inspiring. I love the "everyday" architecture that you could only see in a country that is really old.

We then planned our first "Family Adventure Night" - and worked so hard at preparing for it - but unfortunately we didn't have any visitors. But we won't lose hope - we will advertise harder and try again!

Oh - and that Poultry and Boot Sale thing - definitely included chickens! and some geese - little baby geese - soooo cute - made me think of the Ugly Duckling :) And thankfully, not a one got loose!

But again, the most important reason for the boot sale...the people...and the connections we made. There were several people who came into the church to find out what Greater Life was all about. And lots of witnessing conversation around the Boot Sale too.

I enjoyed connecting particularly with a lady named Myra. She was so obivously hungry and tired of the “traditional” churches here. She mentioned how church should be full of joy but most of them are not. I talked with her for a long while and Bro. McFarland gave her some material to take home and read.

I pray she allows God to open her eyes to the true joy that is found in a real relationship with Jesus. Can’t wait to see her at the next Boot Sale!

An Awesome Week!

2010-06-08T09:48:00.000-04:00

So much to tell about! and where to begin? I think I'll just dive in and hopefully you can keep up :)

We had great services on Sunday - WOW! Bro. & Sis. Beek (missionaries to Scotland) were visiting the McFarland's and preached while they were here as well. Sis. Susan Beek preached in Gilford Sunday morning - and what a word from the Lord she had! She had no idea how dead on it was - such a confirmation for this church. After church she said as soon as she stepped up to the pulpit she was overcome with a tremendous migraine headache - I chuckled (not at her pain!) and said "Welcome to the spiritual attacks of Northern Ireland." It is so true! As soon as she finished preaching the headache went away - the fight was over and God won :)

Sis. Susan Beek preaching in Gilford Sunday morning

Love having visitors!

We had four visitors that morning and a first time visitor was asking about this "baptism in Jesus name" and "talking in tongues" thing, so Bro. McFarland propped his Search for Truth bible study up on the pulpit and explained it all to her right then and there. Her response, "Well, I don't have that now do I." She's already planning on coming back next Sunday - she really enjoyed the presence of God she felt in this place. Amen!

Bro. McFarland explaining baptism of the water and of the spirit

That afternoon/evening Bro. John Beek preached in the Dublin service - but it was more of a leading of God for worship and he was the instrument God used to push the church. What a wonderful and beautiful move of God we had in that service. People on their faces, people dancing, people worship with their whole being - it was revitalizing. I felt like I was in my home church then - my home church in Florida is almost always pushing for more of God and it was such a familiar moment for me.

While the Beek's were here we really enjoyed a great time of fellowship and camaraderie - some sightseeing, making dinners together, chatting, roasting marshmallows over a fire, sharing stories and burdens - I believe it was an uplifting few days for everyone.

On the stepping stones of Tolleymore Forest

Just having a moment :)

Let's not forget that it was Shawna McFarland's birthday this past Friday as well! What fun we had! With a butterfly/fairy/storybook/garden kind of theme it was a lot of fun to decorate and get ready for.

And finally, a rainbow followed us home on Sunday evening. We could see the entire rainbow - beginning to end and at times we could see a double rainbow - AMAZING!!!! It was a sweet reminder of God's promises in a serious moment of need - God always has our back :)

Poultry & Boot Sale?

2010-06-08T06:33:00.000-04:00

Not sure what this means but I've made the flyers for it :)

I have visions of chickens getting loose and being chased all over the church property. That would be funny!

I'm definitely looking forward to giving you an update on what will be present at the Poultry and Boot Sale this coming Saturday. Should be an adventure - and I do love adventures :)

Websites are Up and Running :)

2010-05-27T06:25:00.001-04:00

Yay!

Both websites (made with blogs) for each of the churches are up and running as of yesterday. There is still plenty of content to be added - but the bare bones are officially there.

Greater Life Pentecostals

Pentecostals of Dublin

Enjoy :)

Pentecost Sunday

2010-05-25T12:38:00.002-04:00

After much preparation...we had a fantastic Pentecost Sunday in both services on Sunday!

I compiled several video clips from YouTube into one presentation. Sis. McFarland and I had scoured the internet for several day looking for just the right ones. Bro. McFarland prefaced the video with an article from Christianity Today. After the presentation he preached on "The Spirit of Pentecost".

And then we showed this amazing song from the 2007 UPCI North American General Conference!

We had a wonderful move of God in both services and fantastic fellowship afterwards. A beautiful Pentecost Sunday.

Marketing Marketing Marketing ;)

2010-05-25T07:00:00.034-04:00

Everything is in production all at one time - as usual!

I've been working on the McFarland's website, creating sites/blogs for the church in Gilford and the church in Dublin. Designing logos for both, promotional cards for each and business cards to boot! In addition, there are many more marketing pieces on the to-do-list that are still needing my attention. But I can only eat an elephant one bite at a time - and my mouth is FULL - LOL!

Here's a few of the things I've been busy making:

Logo for Gilford church

Logo for Dublin church
(one of the members said - jokingly - the little "p" must mean they are humble)

Postcard Design #1 (front side)

Postcard Design #2 (front side)

I'm thoroughly enjoying the work of designing marketing materials for the McFarland's. Sis. McFarland and I have similar taste in marketing - which makes the process much more fun - I get to design things with my instinct and personal taste. Yay!

Oh, and don't forget to take a look at the sites - they are not done yet but should be done within a week - phew!

www.irelandupc.com
www.mygreaterlife.com
www.pentecostalsofdublin.com

The End - for now :)

Other Stuff I Do

2010-05-25T06:40:00.000-04:00

Besides all the marketing and designing that I do for the missionaries and churches here - I also enjoy some other odds and ends of projects.

- Cleaned the church sanctuary, foyer and bathrooms yesterday
- Run the songs & scriptures for each service
- Fix miscellaneous things around that need fixin' - I do love power tools (thanks Mommy & Matthew!) and problem solving. Bro. Mac said I could take his place as the maintenance man - ha! I think not! I'm just happy to assist.
- Administrative duties ie: find things, fix things, resolve things, make things happen :)

Just an FYI :)

A Marvel-ous Birthday

2010-05-13T08:58:00.000-04:00

The McFarland's son, Caleb, turned 15 yesterday. We had an amazing Marvel Comic themed birthday - and since it is so expensive (and most of the time impossible) to find birthday decor like we are use to in the States…we made our own!

I painted a large mural of Marvel Comic Superheros (which after the party will be hung in Caleb's bedroom as decor). I only had five colors to work with but thankfully created the multitude of colors needed - it must be the designer in me :)

Caleb was really surprised and I think maybe a little awe-struck that we had done such a great job decorating for his birthday. We had audio of old Marvel Comic theme songs, lots of newspaper (because Peter Parker worked for a newspaper!), sharpies, balloons, coloring books and ingenuity.

When Shawna and Shawna get together we're kind of unstoppable!

Each napkin had Marvel Comic trivia or Superhero quotes

Add to it the cooking abilities of Sis. McFarland, her mother Nannan and her daughter Ashley - plus the building abilities of Bro. McFarland - and the gift of having his grandparents here in Ireland for his birthday - it all adds up to a very special birthday for Caleb.

Superhero Family :)

Mother's Day in Ireland

2010-05-13T07:13:00.000-04:00

After the morning service in Gilford we head south to Dublin for service there. This past Sunday was Mother's Day (in the USA and in the Phillipines) so the mother's were honored in both services.

(UK Mother's Day is sometime in March)

Sis. McFarland's children each spoke about her - but then a member of the church reminder Sis. McFarland that her mother is here so she should get up and speak too! LOL! And she did - it is the first time her mother has been in Ireland at all - and for it to be on Mother's Day was quite special to them both.

The Dublin church has many Filipino's so it was nice to honor them on that day too. Ashley took lots of cupcakes she had made for the after service fellowship. And it wasn't long before the kids wanted to play "Fruitbasket!"

This time I managed to get a few of the adults to join in as well. We had a blast! It is so important to spend this time in fellowship with them - they have a tough time adjusting to Ireland and don't get to laugh and play much.

Amongst all this, not a moment went by that day that I didn't think of my own Mommy. For years I have refused to have the word "mother" on my cards to her - she is My Mommy :) So, I wrote quite a verbose card to her (you'd never guess I liked words would you - lol!) and told her just how wonderful she is. I was a bit disappointed that the card didn't get to her until a couple days later - but she loved it when she got it!

I did talk to her before she went to church that morning and her present from all of us kids was awaiting her that afternoon at my sister's house.

I am so very blessed to have such a wonderful Mommy - I love you Mommy!
(reread the card if you need clarification as to why) ;)

Boot Sale Success

2010-05-13T06:56:00.000-04:00

The Boot Sale was a huge success! There were a lot of people selling their stuff (like have a garage sale out of the trunk "boot" of your car). And at £5 ($7.50) per car that was a blessing! Plus Ashley's tea, coffee and cakes table made a boo-coo of moolah (they like tea, coffee and cakes here - a lot!)

Yummy Tea, Coffee and Cakes!

The next Boot Sale should be even better than this one - yay!

But much more importantly…the parking lot and field were full of people to connect with! I thoroughly enjoyed making everyone feel welcomed. And with that many people there is bound to be a hungry soul or two ready to hear MORE about Jesus.

View of the Boot Sale from the corner of the property

One man and his nephew asked Bro. McFarland if they could see in the church. They spent 45 minutes in the sanctuary discussing baptism of water and Spirit - he had never seen a baptistery before! The man said, "What is this I feel? Every time you speak there is a lift in me." Bro. McFarland told him "Man, that's the Holy Ghost!"

Is there MORE than just tradition? Is there MORE than just religion? Yes – so much MORE! That is the theme behind all the promotional materials I'm creating for the church here. Do you want MORE? If so, you belong here.

I love these two sites - and thought I'd share them with y'all - enjoy!
More of Jesus Christ: www.moreofjesuschrist.com
Into His Marvelous Light: http://gainesvilleupc.net/images/IHML_InteractivePDF.pdf (this is a downloadable PDF)

It was also a lot of fun yelling and screaming "BOOT SALE" out by the side of the road with balloons and signs. I don't think they're use to seeing that kind of excitement over a Boot Sale over here :) What can I say? I'm an uninhibited American. ;)

Super Sunday School

2010-05-03T10:04:00.001-04:00

Yesterday's services were Super Sunday School services - where they have a Sunday school program for everyone - as the entire service! It was a lot of fun - both in Gilford and in Dublin.

The first Sunday service is held in Gilford and then we travel south (1.5 hours) to Dublin for the second service. We had a visitor in Gilford who just happened to have taught Sunday School for many years and truly enjoyed the service and the creativity. Shawna McFarland was the main mastermind behind all the creativity and storyline but had lots of input from both Ashley and Caleb while developing it. Shawna, Ashley and Caleb played all the parts and were FANTASTIC to watch. I'm planning on uploading a YouTube video this week so you can get a taste of what they worked so hard on. For now a couple photos will have to suffice.

This was the first time I met the church in Dublin - and they were precious. The church there is made of mostly Filipino's and their nature is friendly and sweet. They were incredibly welcoming to myself and to Sis. Mac's parents who are also here for a few weeks. This is her parents first time visiting Ireland. The children and adults all had a blast joining in on all the songs - hand/body motions and all. I created slides and was the audio/visual person for all the performances but I did get to engage the kids while leading a shoe matching game where all the adults gave up one shoe and the two teams of children had to compete to get the shoes back on the grownups. It was fun!

After both services we have a time of fellowship. The Dublin church actually brings a lot of food because it's well past lunch time when church is over. I enjoyed meeting and talking with many of the members. Shawna and Ashley also started some games with the little ones - and I of course joined in on that as well - games are fun!

We have a huge boot sale planned for this Saturday - so I know we'll be exceptionally busy getting ready for that this week. Shawna and I have brainstormed on a way to include outreach in that day - we'll see how it pans out :)

Acting out the motions to a kids worship song

Game time with Shawna (me)

"Melon Man & Cherry" aka Caleb & Ashley

They surprise Madam Choker! aka Shawna

Story Time with Shawna "Bad Fruit Must Die"

My First Jobs of the Summer :)

2010-05-01T08:19:00.000-04:00

I've already made Boot Sale flyers (went from my huge garage sale at home to another huge one here! lol!). Though a Boot Sale (boot/trunk of a car) is completely different. You actually sell spaces for people who come in with their 'boot' full of stuff to sell that day. So it's like having a bunch of mini garage sales all in one place.

And I've redesigned the Mac's Newsletter that they send out every three months. We've renamed it "Irish Craic" - Craic is a term used here. Someone will ask you "what's the craic?" or "how's the craic?" and if things are going well you answer "the craic is good". We put a definition at the end of the newsletter that would help explain it :)

Feet on the Ground

2010-04-30T07:04:00.001-04:00

I arrived in Ireland on Tuesday morning. It was a cool/cold gray misty morning - made me happy :)

After getting to the church property, Bro. & Sis. McFarland told me that my usual room (a small flat on the property) was black mold infested. Obviously I wouldn't be able to stay there - sad. I loved that little place.

So where was I to sleep? They emptied out the little office ON THE CHURCH PLATFORM and that is now my room - lol! My brother told me I should come home very spiritual :) ha! Nice thought - wish it was that easy :)

The best part is that there are no windows in the room - so the 4AM sunrise no longer wakes me up - yay! It is a VERY cozy (teeny) room but I'm comfortable and I'm already working on filling it with my personality.

Since there isn't room for a dresser, I've come up with a solution for the lack of drawers! I've made 'drawers' for some of my shelves :)

Made out of a Tide box and a Ziploc box (I do love typography!) and covered with tissue paper and doodles by me.

Love it :) One day I'll get to the walls as well - but have been too busy for that!

A 'Lucky' Find

2010-04-13T18:50:00.000-04:00

I was taking a walk today - because the wind was blowing and the air was freshly washed from rain - and it felt fantastic. I took along my sketch book, cell phone, house key (important!) and camera. Ready for anything or nothing.

I found a sweet little patch of clover - sun hitting it just right and had to take a pic. And I thought "Lord, it would be so cool if I found a four-leaf clover." I haven't found one since I was a kid.

Next patch over...and there it was!!!!! A perfect four-leaf clover just waiting for me :) How sweet of the Lord to give me that little gift.

Just had to share!

It's happening this Saturday :)

2010-04-13T11:56:00.000-04:00

The Garage Sale is coming together - I already have a few items donated and several more on their way - but hey - the more the merrier! :)

Drop off your donated items to the church THIS WEEK.

Call Shawna for pick up of LARGE items: 352.328.7837

Garage sale will take place
at the church Saturday morning
April 17th. 7AM to Noon.

See the post below for more info >>

Garage Sale Talent Needed

2010-04-06T07:52:00.000-04:00

Talent? Yep! Talent.

The following talent is needed to help make my garage sale/fundraiser a total success:

1. Sign makers - it's an old but prestigious art form of making cardboard into money :) A good sign gets people with moolah to the garage sale so they can spend it. Definitely need a few good sign makers!

2. Donators - stuff stuff stuff. You know you've got it - let go and let it raise some money. All you have to do is drop it off - we'll do the rest :)

3. Organizers aka OCD peeps - Ahhhhhh. Your obsessive behavior is welcome here! I want people to actually be able to see what is for sale so they will buy it. You lovely OCD peeps know how to make that happen :)

4. Movers and Shakers - also known as people with trucks/vans and muscles. I know, if you have a truck you get asked to move stuff all the time. But...you do have a truck...and I don't even have a car :) So any help on your part would be REALLY appreciated. I already have a couple people with things that need to be transported to the church for the garage sale. You would be an absolute blessing - and I certainly don't mind lifting and moving along side you :)

Here's a link to the church address for reference.

Thanks EVERYONE - I really can't thank you enough - but maybe pizza and donuts will help :)

Blog Looks Funny

2010-04-02T17:05:00.002-04:00

Something has happened to my template - I'm fixing it now - my apologies for the ugly looking page - yikes!

Three Weeks!!!

2010-04-02T16:03:00.000-04:00

Only three more weeks and three days to go - wowsers! (Inspector Gadget reference - love it!)

I've sent out the only "Shawna's-asking-for-donations" email I'll be sending this year. Phew! I'm hoping everyone will come to the blog to get their FAQ's answered and possibly (hopefully & prayerfully) donate to the missions trip this summer.

A lot is going on in everyone's lives. Maybe they (yep you!) can take a small - itsy - bitsy break and come visit me in blog world :)

A Momentous Day for Me

2010-03-30T14:40:00.001-04:00

After the heartache of last year (my missions trip being canceled at the very last moment) I have been more than a little apprehensive about the one coming up. It's not like me to be like that.

But after praying about it, and talking it through with my sister, AND hearing my friend Tasha's encouraging testimony on Sunday (I will recover all!), I realized that I was holding on to my fear from last year and not letting it go and looking to the future. I was trying to protect my heart by not letting myself get excited about going back to Ireland. Even now I find myself holding back a bit. But it's like getting what you want for Christmas but not showing how happy you are that you got it - that doesn't make any sense!

Guess what I did today? I took a step of faith and trust. I am pushing aside (maybe I should say 'off') the fear and apprehension. I called Delta and bought my plane ticket. It was soooooo smooth of a transaction. It could not have been easier.

Now? I will focus on the joy of the Lord - cause He is my strength. The burden I have is stronger than ever and I will not let the enemy take my joy away!

Tears of relief and surrender stream down my face. I am so very happy. I know the Lord has plans for me that I cannot even fathom. I'm just going to have to trust and walk - trust and walk - trust and walk.

The Garage Sale is Set!

2010-03-28T15:52:00.000-04:00

I'm officially announcing my garage sale/missions trip fundraiser to be held on April 17th. Yippeeee!

The garage sale will be held at The Pentecostals of Gainesville in the Family Life Center. So, anything you have to donate for this fundraiser should definitely be able to fit in this area :)

You can drop off donations beginning Wednesday, April 14th. If you have to drop things off earlier - well - give me a ring and we'll figure it out :)

Do you like to organize? I'll definitely need help organizing all the donations. I really want it to be orderly and easy for people to shop. The faster they find what they want/need/like the sooner it will sell!

Quite Simply Blessed

2010-03-14T23:37:00.000-04:00

This morning was the dessert auction at the church...oh and there was one little lasagna too :) The sweetheart that she is, Sis. Wells, donated a really fantastic lasagna from a great caterer in town. I said - bring it on - I'm sure somebody will love lasagna as much as dessert!

With a grand total of 21 desserts, Willie as auctioneer with a big sparkly green bow-tie, myself with a little leprechaun hat and a group of drooling auction attendees - it was time to start the bidding. It started off slow, but picked up speed as soon as we hit the bigger, bolder desserts. The bantering of bids was so much fun to watch when two or three people were bidding on the same item - and they were all determined to win.

Once the tally is tallied - and entered into my handy dandy Excel spreadsheet - the budget will look good!
Thank you all!

A Sweet Reminder

2010-03-12T15:58:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited! The dessert auction is happening on Sunday (morning after the service) and there are going to be so many wonderful yummy desserts for people to bid on - yippeee!

Oh, and, I have a fantastic auctioneer! Willie Rogers - yep - he rocks! It's going to be a lot of fun. I have some St. Patrick's day decor items to decorate the tables with - and will be hunting for plastic little shamrocks to put on the desserts so everyone can remember why they came :)

I am so thankful for the church family members who are making these delectable desserts. We have so many talented bakers that I actually had to stop asking for desserts - if I hadn't I would have ended up with an entire bakeshop! Good problem to have :)

YUM!

2010-03-07T23:11:00.000-05:00

I'm having a dessert auction next Sunday (March 14) at The Pentecostals of Gainesville. It's gonna be yummy stuff - cakes, pies, candies, rolls - mm mmm good!

The auction will be held in the Family Life Center after the Sunday morning service. Everyone is welcome - come and get your goodies :)

The beginning...

2010-03-07T00:31:00.000-05:00

I love this template that I found for my Ireland 2010 Missions Trip blog - it's so beautiful!

So, today is the day. I officially started to raise my budget this week and now I've started the blog. Today I'll be adding information to each of the pages you see tabbed above.

There are already photos available for viewing via the Flickr app at the bottom of this page. Just click on a thumbnail and you'll be transported over to my Flickr page. These photos range from my first missions trip to my last.

The FAQ page will cover both frequently and infrequently asked questions. And, of course, I've already added the PayPal link on the Support page.

This page of the blog will hold my thoughts and insights while raising my budget and while on the mission field.