WHEN PEACE PASSES UNDERSTANDING

(JAMI:)

This week at Victory Christian Center (our home church), an amazing week-long conference is happening called, "Word Explosion 2012". 

Just wanted to share a quick clip of the worship from tonight's service: 

WHEN PEACE PASSES UNDERSTANDING

Hey everyone, this just came back to my mind and I wanted to share it! We have felt a lot like Sarah & Abraham moving here to Tulsa. When we came to visit Andrew's Bible school back in May, our experience wasn't quite what we has expected. We came praying that God would show us if this what the right decision for our lives to be moving here. 

When we came to visit, it wasn't hype or some wonderful emotion that we experienced that caused us to say, "This is the place! This is it!" right away. We were thinking, "Hmm, it was ok." It just wasn't what we thought it would be. We didn't have the greatest experience to be honest. Don't get me wrong, the classes seemed good, the worship was good and it seemed like a nice place, but we didn't FEEL or SEE anything that convinced us this was IT. 

When we got into our car to leave after the weekend was over, we talked to God and each other about it and we felt this was, in fact, the place where He wanted us! We just couldn't shake it, it was so odd because we didn't FEEL it, but we knew it in our hearts! He was testing us and showing us how to walk by faith and not by sight. See, we didn't want (and God didn't want us) to be led just by our emotions on making a big decision like this. Sometimes we look for some great experience or a hyped up feeling and we let that be the deciding factor in our decision making! We didn't look to our emotions and feelings, we sought the Lord on it!

It was definitely a test of our faith but once we got here, we have loved every minute of this journey so far. God has positioned us at the right church, with the right friends, the right apartment, the right jobs and so on... If we would have judged from our feelings just that ONE day we came to visit the school, we would have missed all of these blessings God wanted to do in our life and the new glory He is taking us to. 

Everything here is amazing! This place is incredible and thank God we didn't go by our feelings in seeking to follow the Lord. 

What things are you trying to figure out in your life right now? Don't be led only by emotion, but be led by the Spirit of God who dwells richly inside of your hearts. Don't seek a feeling only or seek the things that just make you feel good and entertained at the moment... You could miss the greatest journey that God has. I'm so glad we sought God and had that knowing in our hearts. There was a great peace that really did PASS ALL OF OUR UNDERSTANDING. We didn't understand with our minds why this would be the place, but God's peace passed all of that and HE DID DIRECT OUR PATH! 

So here we are, feeling like Abraham and Sarah... going to a new place we really had no idea about, or how things would go until we arrived. Before coming here we had never even went to Victory Church, but we knew God directed us to Victory. How cool, right? We didn't know all what we would do or how it would be, but we came and obeyed God in His leading. He is faithful! 

PROVERBS 3:5&6

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."

Have a great week,

Jami

A REMINDER OF THE "CALL"

(Andrew:)

When I was 12 years old I was at "Youth America" youth camp. It was an amazing time and a powerful moment in my Christian life. During one of the last services  I was up front during worship and had an encounter with Jesus. All of a sudden I felt alone although there were hundreds of people around me I had a sense of loneliness come over me and I started to pray, "God why do I feel so alone, where are you?" In my spirit God responded, "Andrew, I AM here, I promise never to leave you or forsake you." Then I felt a hand on my shoulder and was overtaken by God's love, it was an amazing moment. After this moment, the pastor on stage asked if anyone here felt called to ministry and if so to come to the front for prayer. I immediately I felt a tug on my spirit that I was called and to go get prayed for. There were probably 50 of us lined up ready for prayer. Once he prayed for me and touched my forehead it released a powerful anointing,  and I was taken away for a moment in the Spirit. From that day I knew in my heart that God was going to use me for something great. When I went back to our room for the night, I spoke with my youth pastor and as I told him what had happened he smiled and said, "I knew it from the moment you started coming here that God had a call on your life but I was not going to tell you, I was waiting on God  to tell you first and I would just confirm it to you."

         From that point on I was super involved while willing to learn and grow. As the years passed I didn't hear God affirming that call that I had felt and I drifted away. At the age of 19  Gof reminded me of the call He had on my life. God said, "Andrew it's time to stop running and start following the call of ministry I have put on your life." Now at the time of this reminder I was on summer vacation from business college and I was chasing my own goals and ambitions. After this reminder from God, I withdrew from business school and transferred to a bible college hoping that was what God wanted me to do. I eventually dropped out of bible college because I lost 1 of the 2 jobs I was working and didn't feel as if I could support myself and continue to go to school full-time.  I then started helping out with the youth group at my church and learning about ministry, preaching, and perseverance. Now I wish everything was perfect during this time and that I was free from all sin but I had issues that I was dealing with. These issues made me feel as if I was not called at all and that my feeling of being called was all just a fantasy. One day at church I was praying and I told God that I was done. I told Him that He probably really didn't call me and it was just a crazy dream that I was chasing and I was full of so much sin how could He really use me? At that moment a man sitting behind me in service put his hand on my shoulder and said, "Andrew God is telling me to tell you that He did indeed call you for His glory and He will use your life for His purpose!" Unable to speak, I just cried and thanked God for His love and affirmation. This same experience of God affirming me happened about 4 or 5 more times within a year and a half.

      As time went on, I went through a dry spell for about 3 years and started getting a little weary. I had bad theology on what a call really was and how it worked. Less than a year ago I went to a leadership conference at "Youth America" where God showed me what a call really meant. You see, I thought a "call" was me putting down my dreams and goals to follow God's dreams and goals. I figured that I would end up with the same results i would have got if i just continued to follow my own dreams. Such as a title, income, reputation, place of authority and stuff like that. God revealed to me what a true "call" was. This is what He told me:

"Andrew, a call is not an encouragement to lift up and chase your fleshly desires for being recognized or lifted high. It is not another dream to chase to replace your old selfish desires. It's an opportunity, a privilege to, while seeking My Heart and chasing after ME, I allow you to see the desires of MY Heart and the secret places I hide away and be a laborer with ME! To allow you to chase what I chase! To desire what I desire for MY CHURCH! To make your heart beat like MY HEART! Son, that is what a "call" is."

                This was a big revelation to me. I had it all wrong but Jesus is faithful to put us on the right track. After this I definitely changed my approach on this "call" and it helped for sure. Later on that year God said it’s time for me to go back to bible school and I am now. But not because I want to be trained to be a pastor or minister but because I know that I would be immersed in God's presence here. Morning, noon and night I would have opportunity to seek Him and be with Him. Through my homework, classes, tests it would all be about Him so I can honestly say I'm not here for an education, but to be away with JESUS... Now this last encounter at the leadership conference was less than a year ago and I have still not been affirmed from God that He called me but it didn't bother me as much anymore until last Tuesday, (August 7th 2012), when my wife and I were at our weekly 3D young adult service at our new church. Pastor Paul spoke a message he felt was prophetic and it was all about, "You're going to make it!" He said that there was someone there that needed to hear that God is telling them "You're going to make it!" At first I was encouraged until the alter call and I asked God, "Dad I know that I’m going to make it and that your faithful but what was I going to make it in exactly? I knew I had a "call" on my life but don't know for what. Youth pastor? to be an adult pastor? to be a missionary? traveling evangelist? couples minister? You see, He was never specific to me about what He would use me for but I chose to follow this path and live a life of strong conviction and to be ready and able to help anyone, anytime, anyplace. So while at the alter I asked this and got no response. I left there feeling discouraged, frustrated, and even confused.. I started to say selfish things like, "Well God I'm not chasing my dreams anymore, I’m chasing yours" and " I’m not here because I want to be here but because You sent me here". It was not a good place to be in but I have to be honest that's where I was. So yesterday morning after taking Jami to work I was driving around listening to worship music and broke the silence between me and Jesus with a prayer of repentance. I had to ask Him to forgive me for saying those dumb things and that I was honored that He would give me a burden for the lost and chose me to live out this amazing journey of trust and excitement. I love the will of God and I look forward to these next 2+ years in building my relationship with Jesus and continuing to share in His sufferings.This IS my dream, and I WANT TO BE A PART OF GOD'S PLAN! I want to be able to live out His dream for His Church. God is Faithful and most of all GOD IS WORTHY!!!

A FRESH START/ A NEW ADVENTURE

 Welcome to our Blog! 

  (Andrew:) A lot has been going on the past 2 years and we wanted to catch everyone up and touch base with you. July 24^th of this year, we had our 2 year anniversary and it was great. God has surely been with us these 2 years. We have both been involved with ministry in our church. My wife worked at the church we went to in Pauls Valley, OK for about 2 years as well as led the youth worship team, helped lead worship for Sunday morning service, all while doing online classes for a worship leadership program through Mid-America Christian University. I was involved with an amazing Pre-teen ministry in Pauls Valley as well. I ministered to ages 9-11 and also was the Sunday school teacher for this age group. It was such a blessing to work with the Pre-teens. It was interesting to see how "un-cultured" they were and how responsive their hearts are to the gospel. We started with about 15 Pre-teens and within 2 months we had over 45 kids packing out our room. I was a part of that ministry for 2 years and it was probably the most growth I’ve experienced in my life. As for my job, I have been an Aflac agent for around 3 years and it’s been a blast. I have been able to help people who are in very tough financial situations get the income they needed to make it through.

    Lately we have gone through some huge changes: On July 7^th, God moved us to Tulsa, Oklahoma which is 3 hours North from where we lived! While I was in prayer several months back, I asked God what the next step in our lives should be and He said that it was time for me to go back to school. So here we are now in Tulsa, OK. August 27^th I will be starting school at Victory Bible Institute for practical ministry. Since we have been here God has really opened doors and connected us with some amazing people. We are attending Victory Christian Center (the church my school was birthed from), with Pastor Sharon Daugherty as our Sr. Pastor. It is a HUGE church with over 17,000 members but they have found a way to keep the small town church feel. We are involved with some small groups, and the young adult ministry called “3D”. Victory has services about 5 times a week. It’s been quite a journey and God has been good to us. Their vision was easy to submit under. This church has such a heart for the lost and the broken; it is unlike any church I have been a part of.

    

    Recently my wife, Jami, got a job as a part time nanny which she really enjoys. I am in the process of getting my Aflac business going here as well. Although I built a nice client base where we used to live, it has been like starting over again here in Tulsa. We know that God is faithful and the business will come in the right time. Once I start school I’m not really sure how things will go because I will be a full-time student. I will do what I have to do to Glorify God in my school work and my home. My wife and I have been heavily involved with youth ministry the last 3 years or so and now that we are at a new church we have been praying and asking if God wants us to continue that or serve in a new area of ministry. There are so many different places to connect here it’s great.

   We are so happy to connect with you and catch you up on our lives and the adventure God has us on. Please email me and let me know how ya'll have been doing as it would be great to hear from you. Please keep us in your prayers as we seek God's will and follow His call.

We recently set up a PayPal account and if you feel God is leading you to sow into our lives you can easily go to our PayPal page to join us in support by clicking: https://www.paypal.com/webapps/mpp/send-money-online. 
Our e-mail is youth4jesusthetruth@yahoo.com.

 If you would rather keep in touch through letters/cards, feel free to keep in touch with us however you can and we can give you our home address.  We would love to hear from you.

All for Jesus,

Andrew & Jami Acevedo

P.S. Hey everyone this is Jami! I just wanted to put my own personal message here to you. I am so excited about all God is doing and yes, we are absolutely loving Tulsa! Can't wait to start putting up some current pics of things we are experiencing. Love you all and we'll connect with you real soon.