A week of updates - Part 4

More from the lady beside Andrew

I wanted to take a moment and share about a few more of the gals in my prayer groups.  I had the privilege of taking these two ladies to the airport as they headed back to the States for Christmas break.  They are forever engraved in my heart and mind.

Proverbs Prayer Gal – Dionne

Dionne joined us for her first semester and she was in for a bit of surprise.  It was a rough semester for her with a lot of unforeseen turns in the road.  She hung in there and God met her where she was at.  Her heart to serve in the kitchen was profoundly seen and her chalk art was enjoyed day after day at the 4:12 Conference.  This gal has got some artistic talent for sure… Not to mention her doodle art!

At the end of the 4:12 conference she decided to further proclaim her faith by being baptized in the back lake.  The water was cold but her excitement kept her warm and glowing.  Even though struggles were a constant companion, Dionne never gave up!  I pray she knows how special and dearly loved she is!

Dionne about to get baptized.

Friday Ladies Prayer – Jen

Jen is another gal that blesses my socks off by keeping on going no matter what is going on or the hardship she faces.  Jen went to Calvary Chapel Bible College knowingly walking away from everything she grew up knowing.  She had the hard decision of following God and her parents cutting off all contact.  Her faith in God, her obedience no matter the cost, and her joy are signatures of her life.

Jen loves people and absolutely still loves her parents and prays for them every day.  Will you join us in prayer for reconciliation for all those involved?  She is a dear sister that would give you the shirt off your back if you needed it.  She is a woman who serves God with a loyal heart, even when it is uncomfortable.

Jen feeding Shadow, the resident donkey.

When we were starting signups for the upcoming semester, Jen shared that she wanted to sign up but hadn’t felt released to do so.  She felt that she needed to wait until God made it clear to her what she should do.  As our deadline passed, she held tight to God knowing He would show her in due time what He wanted.  Again, I am impressed with how she waited, even though she knew what she wanted.  I am happy to say that Jen is returning to us and graduating next semester.

Slideshow

Here is a little slide show I put together that will give you an idea of what the semester entailed.. just a little bit.

Semester Video

There is so much more...

This semester was full and so much happened.  It is hard to put it all into even a couple of blog entries.  If I summed up the semester into some key take aways, I would say that I have come realize even more that I need to abide in Christ.  

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, 

unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.  

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, 

bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." 

John 15:5-6

What does that mean?  As the gals in the Proverbs class know, I love to look up the meanings of words.  I look at the Hebrew roots and sometimes a dictionary.  Abide means to remain, dwell, continue, tarry, and endure.  Abide in this scripture points to another scripture:

But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? 

You have the words of eternal life.  Also we have come to believe 

and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

John 6:68-69

Stay with Him.  Wait for Him, like Jen did.  Don't give up, hang in there, like Dionne did.  He will meet you where you are at.  He will give you what you need, even if it isn't exactly what you wanted.  He knows what you need.  He knows you by heart!  Abide in Him.

Much love to you!

Dawn McBride

A week of updates - Part 3

Andrew's Thoughts

It is hard to believe that we have been in New Zealand for 8 months.  We just finished our full first semester serving here at Calvary Chapel Bible Institute (CCBI) and I now have a greater understanding of what a whirlwind may be like.  Even though I was only teaching the Gospel of Mark, it seemed that there wasn’t a free moment between the students, staff and communal living.  As I look back at the past months, I am humbled by the ways in which God has worked in and through me.

 In June of this year, the school was on its long break and much of the staff were away on furlough.  Idle time can lead to mind games and the enemy loves idle time.  Over the break I continually dealt with doubt.  Doubt about why I was here, doubt over my abilities, doubt over God using me.  But God used what the enemy set for evil and turned it into good.  God’s word continually washed over me as I read and studied His word.  In Ephesians 1 Paul talks about who we are in Christ.  We are adopted and heirs with Christ, we have been redeemed and forgiven.  Sealed by the Holy Spirit, made alive in Christ and have full access to the Father.  Who am I to doubt the Father and His plans.  I am not alone and He already has it figured out; I need to be obedient to what God has called me to do.

When you first think about being a missionary, you think about the ways that God may use you.  You think about the knowledge that you bring and the ideas you can offer the community and ministry, but we rarely think about how God will grow us during this time.  What does God want us to do?  How is God going to use the community and ministry to challenge and grow us?  What different sides of God’s character are going to be revealed as you minister?  It was a huge growth point for me to remember that just because I am serving God, doesn’t mean God is done growing me.  We can all take that to heart.  We will always be a student of the gospel; we never know it all.  Knowing this helps me be in the right mindset as I minister and am being ministered to by others.

Finally, and definitely not lastly, is the power of prayer.  I am sure you have heard that statement time and time again; it’s almost a cliché.  Seeing firsthand the war that wages on in the hearts and minds of these students and staff… I don’t care if it is a cliché, please be in prayer every day.  Pray for your pastors and leaders, lift them up.  You don’t know the amount and level of arrows that are flung at them by the enemy on a daily basis.  I am convinced more and more that if we do not go to God in prayer constantly and consistently it won’t matter how well you teach, preach, play or write.  It will be powerless and futile.  It will be in your own effort and you will be building your house on the sand.  Soon a storm will come and it will tear down your house.  Please, pray for one another and lift each other up daily.

The Annual CCBI Thanksgiving Meal with students, staff, and elders
of the churches we support on a weekly basis.

I’m sure I could go on for pages and pages but I wanted to keep this somewhat brief.  I would be remiss for not saying “Thank You” for all of your support.  Your prayers are appreciated and your emails and texts are encouraging.  I am truly grateful for the body of Christ, that we are all a part of one hope, one faith and one love.

Andrew B. McBride

A week of updates - Part 2

Dawn’s first semester

Learning the ropes is always a time of stretching, an exercise of flexibility, and a journey with God.  This was my first full semester at CCBI as registrar and pastoral assistant.  Students arrived in late August and the last ones left mid-December.  It was full-on just walking with them, encouraging them, praying with them, loving on them, and being with them.  The blog posts were few and far between and I hope to adjust that next semester.

I would love to share with you more about this semester.  Some key highlights for me:

• Our church family at Shoreline
• Living with and loving on 25 students and 5 interns
• Praying with my Proverbs gals 
• Praying with my Friday ladies 
• The 4:12 Conference
• Three students getting baptized in the back lake
• Ladies Leadership Retreat
• Andrew speaking at Calvary Wellington’s family camp

Our Church Family at Shoreline

When we arrived in April, we knew we needed to find a church home.  Having attended Shoreline in 2014, we wanted to see if our hearts were still drawn there.  When we attended our first Sunday this year it was like home.  We quickly filled in where needed and easily made friends.  So many things have happened in this precious church family since we arrived which draws our heart there even more.

• A new pastor and his family arrived from Uganda.  That sounds funny, but they are Americans that were serving in Uganda and God through His mysterious ways drew them here to Shoreline specifically.  
• A family in the church had a major loss and we rallied around them with prayer.
• A dear friend is dealing with blood cancer.  We love this couple dearly.
• We have made awesome friendships with some of the families.

Now that we have moved even further away, a Sunday service will be an almost two hour drive each way.  Our hearts yearn to stay connected with this church family.  Pray with us that God will make it clear what He wants us to do.  We are willing to go where ever He wants us to go.

Living with 25 students and 5 interns

We shared a flat (apartment) with Cami, the pastoral assistant that was showing me the ropes.  Next door was Tecla and her family and then below all of us were the guy students.  It quickly became apparent that sounds carried extremely easily.  We could hear the guys laughing, playing musical instruments, and even sneezing.  The gals lived in a house that was a stone’s throw away.  Together, we all would have lunch and dinner at the GAP.  Living in community, we get to know each other fairly easily.. the good, the quirks, and the rough edges.  Living amongst these students has helped me to grow and love them even more.  I wouldn’t trade it for all the kiwi fruit in New Zealand.

We will be living even more closely with the students in the lodge.  We are situated in what will become the gals hall and I can already see how close we will become with those students next semester.

Praying with my Proverbs ladies 

After the teaching portion of the Proverbs class which was a ladies only class, we broke up into our prayer groups.  My group had 4 other gals in it and it was a hoot getting together with such a diverse group.

One of the gals is Noelean who joined CCBI this semester.  She is a married mom of three kids.  How she can go to Bible school, be a wife, a mother, and English is not her first language… Amazing!!!  It has been a pleasure hanging out with her and her family this semester.  They are like extended family.  I can’t wait to see what the Lord has for Noelean in the coming months.

Another gal was Micah.. one of our Canadian students.  She was such a dear gal to get to know.  This semester was one of heartache and growth.  I saw Micah become more bold in her prayer life and more confident in who she is in Christ.  She continues to bless my heart!

The two other gals were such a treasure to walk with, pray with, and love on.  They have returned home for their next big adventures.  Please pray with us that they all would remember what God has showed them this semester.  He loves them so very much!

Praying with my Friday ladies

After guest lectures, we split into guys and gals and then into small prayer groups.  This little prayer group was a great time to check in with each other and see how we could pray and support each other.

We had an amazing answer to prayer with JoAnna and her ability to return next semester.  We prayed that God would make it clear and even make it okay with all those involved.  God went above and beyond what we asked and made the path clear, straight, and easy.  I love seeing what He does when we seek Him!

Denali was a gem to get to know.  Over this semester I have seen her grow and blossom.  Please join us in prayer as she is looking at returning next semester but she is still uncertain.  God knows what He has for her and I pray that He makes it clear to her what her next steps are.  I love her and am blessed to have known her this semester.

The 4:12 Conference

The 4:12 conference was a full-on conference where we also offered housing through the ranch facilities to the speakers, their families, as well as attendees that wanted to stay close.  It was a week-long conference of empowering, equipping, and encouraging believers in their walk.  It was a bit crazy and labor intensive but so worth it as many were encouraged in the Lord.

When we are alone in the ministry, we tend to think no one else is going through the same things and feelings.  God used this week to bridge that gap and let His kids know that they are not alone.  It was a privilege to be a part of that outreach!

Three students getting baptized in the back lake

At the end of the 4:12 conference three of our Bible students got baptized at the back lake.  It was a precious time to witness their further proclamation of faith.  I can’t wait to see most of them next semester and how God will continue to grow and stretch them.

Ladies Leadership Retreat

During a long weekend, Gwyn, Cami and I, on behalf of CCBI, hosted a retreat for women in leadership at Calvary Chapels around New Zealand.  Funny enough, we hosted it at River Lodge, our new home.  It was a lovely time of catching up, encouraging one another, and decompressing from the crazy schedules we all have.  The worship time led by Cami was intimate and the time together was much needed.  We stayed by the fire place the entire weekend.  The topic of focus was walking worthy of our God.

“For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, 

and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will 

in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, 

fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work 

and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, 

according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 

giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us 

to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.“  

Colossians 1:9-12

Gwyn, Destiny, and Becky did a great job of sharing how those scriptures were applied in their lives and how we can apply and walk in them ourselves.  

Andrew speaking at Calvary Wellington’s family camp

It was such an honor to serve at Calvary Wellington’s family camp this November.  We took a team of four students plus Andrew and myself.  I served in the crèche (nursery) for two sessions and then was able to join the congregation for two teachings.  Our students served in the crèche, children’s ministry, and youth ministry.  They did a really great job ministering to the kids!

Andrew was invited to be the keynote speaker and was given all sessions to teach at.  I love watching how God takes Andrew out of the box we all put ourselves in and stretches him beyond where he thought he would go.  As I sat in the sessions, I loved hearing how he taught authentically from where he was at.  He used his musical humor to draw out points.  Laughter and chuckles were heard many times that weekend.

It was such an awesome opportunity to love on the women, those mums that were exhausted, the gals that were weary, and the church family as they came to unwind.  I loved praying with those ladies and hugging on them.  Pray for Calvary Wellington to be strengthen by His might and encouraged to continue walking the walk!

It must be a pastor thing.. that is Pastor David jumping to be in the photo.

End of the Year

Now we are at the end of the year decompression.  We are settling into our room and finding creative storage solutions.  We are reminded that life is but a vapor.  What are you holding on to or what is holding on to you that is hindering you, slowing you down?  We are exhorted to:

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, 

let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, 

and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us..”   

Hebrews 12:1

We love you and are extremely grateful for what God is doing in you, through you, and for you!  May you continue to seek Him this next year and as He has promised.. when you seek Him with all of your heart, you will find Him.

Much love and lots of hugs,
Dawn McBride

A week of updates - Part 1

Hello all!!
It has been an amazing semester and we can't wait to share with you all that God did!  I think one of the biggest things for us and the school was God calling the school to move out of the ranch location to a place He would show us.  It really reminded me of Abraham being called out of his homeland not knowing where God would take him.

Now the LORD had said to Abram:

“Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house,

To a land that I will show you."

Genesis 12:1

So the school notified the ranch that we would be leaving at the end of the semester.  Mind you, we didn't know where we were going next semester, or if there was going to be a semester in February.  We took this massive step of faith and God met us where we were at!  May I introduce you to our new location: River Lodge.  Click on the link to watch a video of our new home.

CCBI's New Home - River Lodge: VIDEO

Andrew and I have just moved into one of the rooms as we will be onsite for next semester.  We are excited to see all that the Lord has for CCBI here.  It is a beautiful location with lots of room for students to enjoy the outdoors.  I must say the wifi is pretty fantastic and they have a little coffee bar here.  I love their yummy lattes.  

The next semester is quickly approaching as interns arrive on January 16th and students start arriving on January 25th.  Pray with us for things to come together quickly and nicely as we set up for a new semester and what life will look like in a new location.  We are humbled and blessed to be serving alongside the leadership team here at CCBI and look forward to all that God has for us next semester.

Our praise reports:
- God provided an amazing place for CCBI
- Part one of the move is done! (Move the school into storage)
- An amazing semester with students' lives impacted by God
- We have an amazing leadership team that seek the Lord!!

Our prayer requests:

- Acclimation to our new location

- Ease of adjustment and flexibility

- Students to get the funding they need

- Teachers to rest over the break as well as prepare for their classes

- Part two of the move (from storage into River Lodge)

We will post again.. and soon!  Much love to you!!

Blessings,

Dawn and Andrew McBride