The End of an Unforgettable Season

Well, I just made it home last night from Clearwater, Florida.  Who would've thought that 10 weeks could come to a close so quickly?  It was difficult to say goodbye to some of my closest friends, and it won't be easy not seeing them every day.  But I know God's plans are good and that He is calling me to the next season of my life back here in North Carolina.

The project wrapped up greatly!  We were able to see people grow closer to Christ and some accept Him as their Lord and Savior.  We made sure not to channel our efforts out during the end of the summer and the Lord responded in big ways by using our testimonies to change hearts.  It is crazy to see how He has responded with good things as we have trusted in God this summer.  I will continue to trust the Lord to do great things and share the faith with people in North Carolina.

I am definitely going to tell everyone at school not to miss this wonderful opportunity next summer!  I have no regrets from summer project and know that I can continue to grow closer to the Lord as I continue to follow Him faithfully.  I have a few prayer requests.  Please pray for the people we encountered in Florida.  Pray that our impact is lasting and that they continue to grow closer to God now that we have left.  Please pray for everyone's friendships as we are spread throughout the country.  And lastly, pray for comfort as we are apart,because I can't even begin to tell you how much I miss my brothers and sisters in Christ.

~JKW

Another Great Week Working for the Kingdom

This last week has been awesome!  I've had some good spiritual conversations with my coworkers this week.  One of my coworkers, Anthony, asked me this week where I get my motivation to work so hard everyday and work with a purpose.  This gave me an opportunity to share that I work as if my work was for the Lord and bring him glory through my hard work.  I also told him how I gain my strength from walking in the power of the Holy Spirit.  This was great to see how the Lord has used a lot of hard work this summer to bring yet another spiritual conversation.  I encourage ya'll to depend on the strength of the Lord for all of your works so that you can bring him glory in all that you do. 

This has also been a great week in growing in community with the other students on summer project.  I have had quite a few great deep conversations with other students that are priceless.  I have made lifelong friendship this summer and look forward to growing more and more with them.  This project has  been a great opportunity to see how a true Christian community lives and works.

Please continue to pray for my conversations with coworkers and others I meet here on project and that they continue to glorify the Father and draw people to him.  Also, pray for the students here to stay strong in their missions during the last couple of weeks here in Clearwater and continue to work willfully for the Kingdom.  Thanks!

~JKW

Freedom

Happy 4th of July!!!!  I hope you're all enjoying your fireworks, because I sure am!  This has been a great week so far and I'm really enjoying it.  With the staff members gone, the students have been running the summer project since Friday morning.  Everything is going great and the transition was smooth.  There has been so much growth in the leadership of the students already because they were placed in a position in which their leadership was needed.  I also have seen growth in this area during this last week already and in my own walk with the Lord as well.  When there is a need in the Body of Christ, the Lord equips people to step up and fulfill that need so that He can be glorified here on Earth.  This is definitely being displayed here in Clearwater through the need of the students for leadership and the need of the city for God's Word.

As we've been living here as a community of believers, many of the students have been growing closer and closer with their coworkers, which has been really awesome to see.  There are spiritual conversations in the workplace daily.  It is great to see evangelism as a lifestyle instead of a singular event, which is how I believe it was intended to be.  Being on this project has helped me grow to learn that every relationship that God has blessed me with can be used to help both parties grow closer to God.  I can't wait to apply this concept to more relationships back at school when I return to N.C. State and trust that God will work through me to bring glory to His Kingdom.

I ask that you continue to pray for conversations that lead people to learn more about Jesus here in Clearwater and that the Holy Spirit speaks through the students here.  Pray for the homeless people in the  Pinellas Hope homeless shelter that we've visited twice this summer as well, we've formed many friendships with the men and women there and I truly care about them.  And lastly, please pray for a strong community to be held here in Clearwater among the students as the summer progresses.  Thank you!

~JKW

God's Power

As you may have heard, tropical storm Debby has come through Clearwater and it has made things interesting around here.  There has been a lot of rain and flooding, especially on Sunday.  Me and a group of other students went out to the beach to play in the storm and it was a lot of fun!!!  It also showed me a glimpse of the Lord's power at work work before our very eyes.  It is amazing that the Lord could conjure up this storm at His will and this one was weak in comparison to many other storms.  It is nature like this that leaves me in awe of the Creator and the power He truly possesses.  And best of all, He loves every single one of us!!!

I also got to train Anthony, the new guy, at work yesterday and it was really cool.  I got too learn some of his background and hope to have some awesome spiritual conversations with him in the upcoming weeks.  Please be praying for God to speak through me in these situations and for the students here as we're in our last week with the staff present.

~JKW

Won't You Take the Lead?

Hola, me llamo Jeremy. Hoy es Sabado, el dia mejor de la semana.  Pues, este es todo yo tengo a decir.

Hello, readers.  So, another great week in Clearwater comes to a close.  This week we learned that staff members are leaving and we received our leadership positions for the remainder of project.  This is a great opportunity for students to express their leadership skills and learn how to live as a community of believers with one purpose in mind.  I have been blessed as the prayer and vision team leader, along with Andrew, a friend of mine.  This is going to be awesome!  I truly believe prayer is the backbone to any movement for Christ and hope to both help other students agree with this vision and lead them in prayer.  The staff members leave this Friday, and I can't wait to see how the students respond to their roles and leaders and servants.

There is a new guy, Anthony, that started working with us on Friday.  I hope to start forming a friendship with him and spread a love for Jesus through that.  I don't yet know where he stands in his walk with the Lord; however, I want to accept him where he is and help him grow.  I ask that you pray for him and for our conversations to be centered on God this coming week.  Also, pray that the Lord speaks through me in my conversations with coworkers and others I talk to this week.  Lastly, pray that the students here depend on God with their leadership roles, are content with their positions, and are confident to do the Lord's will.

~JKW
Spanish added and message typed by Caylen!

The Father's Love

There has been much growth in my relationship with Jesus over this last week and this summer project is really stepping up to be more than I could have imagined.  I have learned a lot about what it means to trust and have faith in the Lord in the face of adversary, even when you might feel distant from God.  Nothing can separate you from the Father's love, although some times we trust in our emotions instead of our faith.  God put me to this test last week to see if I would continue to search for Him and get to know Him despite the emotions I felt.  And between the quiet times I had, the encouraging people I talked to, and an amazing Prayer and Vision Night in which I focused on the Gospel-centered life, I grew to feel the Holy Spirit's strong presence in my heart again.  It's amazing how a community of believers can make such a big impact on how you follow the Lord.

Today, we went to the homeless shelter and prepared dinner and ate with  some of the residents there.  It was a very moving experience and a great way to shine the Gospel here in Clearwater!  The two guys I talked to were Paul and Tom.  Paul is a strong believer and we had a pretty deep conversation about daily faith in the Lord.  Tom believes in God and is spiritual, but he doesn't have his trust in Jesus.  I shared with him many ways that Jesus has impacted my life and how I have trusted Him and seen Him change my life.  Tom gave me a hug when I was about to leave and had also bought me a Coke to drink.  Even though he had little money, he wanted to serve me as well.  This was very moving and I felt a deep passion for this guy and a hope for his future relationship with Jesus.  I ask that you pray for these two guys and their sanctification and salvation.  Also pray that the Lord continues to speak through us here in Florida and that we work well together as brothers and sisters in Christ.

I also want to say happy Father's Day to all the readers.  My Dad has been an inspirational part of my life and has helped me become the man of God that I am today.  Thank you Dad, I love you!  Let us not forget our spiritual Father on this day and how he has adopted believers as his children.

~JKW

His Reign in Clearwater

Another work week was completed here in rainy Clearwater Beach!  I know, the weather isn't so typical, but we aren't letting it stop us here, for He reigns.  This week I have been able to have some awesome, God-centered conversations with my co-workers!!!  We have really grown in our friendships this week.   They know I am a Christian and as a result have asked many spiritual questions and have started some of the conversations.  I can definitely tell that God will make an impact on their lives by the end of the summer!! 

I am also growing a lot in my friendship with some of the guys here, and it is such a blessing.  We have become vulnerable with one another and have been able to connect with one another as children of God.  My conversations with my fellow college students show people in different stages of their walks with Christ and we are all coming together as a community to help each other grow closer to God as well.  These guys are such positive influences on my life and I wouldn't trade them for the world.

Please pray for my co-workers and that they either grow in their walks with Christ or begin a relationship with Him.  Also, could you pray for strength and courage as I continue to be Christ's ambassador here in Florida.  Pray that the Holy Spirit speaks through me when I open my mouth and that I bring Him all of the glory for all good works.  Thank you :)

~JKW

Getting Into A Rhythm

The first week of work was awesome!  I was working in the steel piping section at Piper Fireproofing Inc. and learned some cool stuff while I was there.  I also got to do some stuff that gets assigned to new workers such as cleaning the storage room and taking apart old fire extinguishers.  I'm working 40 hour work weeks while I'm down here for the rest of the summer starting at 7 am, so I'll be up with the beautiful sun.

This past weekend I was in a group that took part in volleyball outreach on the beach.  We played a couple games with a group of five young adults there and were able to share our faith with them through that experience.  It was also a big learning experience for me because I got nervous when I had to transition from talking about sports to talking about Jesus.  I saw the confidence in one of our staff members who was there with me and it was very encouraging.

I'm also a part of the Prayer and Vision team here and I help plan the meetings on Sundays and think of inventive ways to initiate prayer throughout the summer.  This is exciting for me and I love to be a part of this team.  It's helping me to grow in my leadership and in my walk with the Father at the same time.

Last night, we also watched Tangled!  I absolutely love Disney movies and I really enjoyed hanging out with some other students down here and relax to a great movie and enjoy a little time off.

I do have some prayer requests for our Project while we are here if you would like to help support us through prayer.  Ask that the Lord continues to gives us more confidence and strength in talking to others about Christ and to be bold initiating conversations about our faith.  I also ask that you pray for our walks with Jesus while we're here and that we can continue to grow in our faith.  Pray that the Lord speaks through us in our conversations and our actions so we can bring more people to the family of Christ this week.  Thanks so much :)

~JKW

Spreading the Gospel

On Saturday we had our first evangelism outreach as a whole project, and it was amazing!!!  We went out to the beach in pairs and encountered in spiritual conversations with the people out there.  There were many positive responses from the beach-goers and it was very encouraging to share stories with everyone when we returned to the hotel.  People were brought to Christ, people learned about how to grow in their relationship with Christ, and many were simply reminded of the Lord's wonderful grace while we were out there.  The Holy Spirit was definitely with us and gave us the courage and words to speak to the people out there to make an impact on their lives.  It was inspiring to see God at work through His people because we asked for His presence and simply followed His command to spread His name among the nations.

I also had a great opportunity to walk to the pier and talk to a couple of guys today about their faith and help them to reflect on their lives to see if they are assured of their salvation.  It was a great experience and we exchanged information so that hopefully we can help them in their walk some more this summer.  We also invited them to dinner and our weekly worship and service tonight.  Their names were Alex and Victor.

Please pray that Alex, Victor, and all or the other guys and girls we've talked to since we've been here will be changed by these conversations and grow to know the Lord more.  Also, could you please pray that this week, as we all begin jobs and a few are still looking for some, that we are able to establish good relationships with people and be intentional about sharing the Gospel with them.  I start working tomorrow morning at 8 at Piper Fireproofing Inc.  Thank you for supporting our mission!!!

~JKW

Connections and Co-workers

It's crazy how the Lord's plan for your life comes together.  Today I had an opportunity to get a glimpse at the Lord's wonderful plan He has in store for me.  Here in Clearwater, we are in small group Bible studies called Life Groups.  My Life Group leader, Drew, has already been such an influence on my walk with God because it seems that everything I learn about his walk with God either is happening or has happened already in my own walk.  It has been great getting to know him better these last couple of days.  And I say better because I had already met him: he's a staff member at N.C. State and also was with me on my spring break missions trip to New York.  It is crazy how God planned for him to be there for me and to help me with my relationship with Jesus as someone who knows where I am and what I need to hear.  This is yet another answer to God's promise in Romans 8:28: "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them" (NLT). 

Today, I got a job at Piper's Fire Proofing Inc., which will be a great ministry opportunity this summer.  In the workplace, we will be able to represent the Lord to the community through interactions, our attitude, and overall work ethic.  I'm very excited to start working there next week and know it will be wonderful.  Employers in the past have seen that there is something different about the workers that are on summer project.  Something they see in us that they don't see in others.  Something good.  And that difference is the Holy Spirit working in and through our lives!  If you look at the story of Joseph, you see how God has blessed him in his works as a slave and in prison.  This was all part of God's plan for him to save his family and others from the upcoming famine (Genesis 39:1-6 ).

Please pray that we are able to glorify God through our work here and that we are blessed in our work such as Joseph was.  Also, please pray for the spiritual growth of the students and staff members here on the trip and that we grow closer together through the process.  And lastly, pray for the souls of the lost here in Clearwater so that we might encounter them and lead them to Christ.

~JKW

Day 1 in Clearwater

Today, I safely arrived in Clearwater, Florida, about 14 hours after leaving my front doorstep in Durham!  The trip down here was fun and my friend, Sean, kept me entertained me along the way.  We got all our stuff situated in our rooms and shared dinner with the rest of the students and staff members who are also here to serve the Lord.  I met a lot of great people here today and can't wait to grow together with them as we grow closer to the Lord.

I looked through the schedule for the summer and it looks intense.  This week we will be getting to know the others on the project and learning about the summer project.  I can already tell I'm gonna bond well with the others here, what a great group of people who have gathered here with the same purpose: to glorify God.  I have to admit that I'm a little nervous about our work down here and taking my faith to the next level.  Please pray for courage through Joshua 1:9, Also, please pray for my conversations this week while I am getting to know others on this trip and meeting people whom I will have an influence on this summer.  Now the journey begins, let's see what the Lord does through His people!!!

One Week!!!

         It is exactly one week until I leave from Durham and drive down to Clearwater, Florida for this mission trip!  I am so excited to see the Lord's work on this trip and know the results will be unimaginable.  I couldn't have progressed this far with the trip without the support of others, and I am very grateful.  I am only a couple hundred dollars short of obtaining my financial need, and with one week left I am confident the Lord will provide me with what I need for the trip.  
         If you will help me in asking the Lord for guidance on this trip, we can truly see the power of His work this Summer.  Please pray that I, and the others joining me on this trip, will gain the support we need this week, that the Lord will prepare our hearts to spread the Gospel down there, and that He will work on the hearts of the people in Florida so that they will be receptive to our teaching and grow closer to the Lord.  We just want to give God all the honor and praise.  Also, thank the Lord that we have been given this great opportunity.  Thank you for your support in prayer.

Preparing for this summer

Hey everyone!  I just made this blog to use a way to relay information about my summer project with Campus Crusade to friends and family.  I am currently in the process of raising support for the project and the Lord has blessed me thus far.  I'll post weekly updates about how God is using me on this trip to spread his great name in Clearwater, Florida.  Thank you for your support!