Kidshaper UK ‘08 Update

November 26, 2008 at 3:39 pm (BOOST, Missions, NLI, Updates)

Kidshaper UK ‘08 was a success in every way possible. With 9 speakers from Slough (down by London) to Fraserburgh (north Scotland), and Melbourne, Australia as well – there was a super dynamic team who inspired and encouraged with new vision and practical ideas over 100 delegates over three days. Below, is the official website release on the Next Level International site. Enjoy! (To see the original report on the NLI website click here.)

‘Ignition’ – Kidshaper 08 UK

 

November 6-8

 

The Kidshaper team was spearheaded by John and Christine from NLI, but included experienced and passionate leaders from all over the UK and guest speaker, Rob Bradbury, from Planetshakers in Melbourne, Australia. Over the 2 days, we saw about 110 delegates attend the conference, which was based in Coventry. The theme was ‘Ignition’ – the start of something new!

 

Delegates came from all over the UK – from Plymouth and Torquay (way down south) to Fraserburgh (way up north in Scotland). They were cross denominational, with representatives from Elim, AOG, Anglican, Independent, New Frontiers and Baptist churches. However, each person carried the same spirit, were looking for something different, something new, wanting a progression and a change from the status quo.

 

The aims and goals of Kidshaper UK were achieved – to be inspirational and informational – to facilitate an apostolic network of like-minded people, united by the cause of children – to promote and resource Kids ministry in Europe.

 

Overall, the first Kidshaper UK was a huge success in many ways, and we cannot thank the team enough for their enthusiasm, generosity and hard work in organizing and ministering at the conference. Well done!! Below are comments from some of the delegates:

 

“I feel like I have been injected with 100’s of syringes full of faith and I really can’t wait to see what God has got in store for my town!”

 

 “An excellent opportunity to evaluate, reflect and move on! Excellent teaching, excellent ideas – very thought provoking – definitely ignition!”

 

“Very well organized in a laid back way!”

 

“Great! Different from the norm! Catering was the best!”

 

 “It helped me to see there are certain steps I can take to make this ministry most effective.”

 

“Superb! Really valued all the speakers and I am definitely bringing the whole team next year! Good to have the emphasis on ‘hear what God is saying to you’ rather than ‘copy me’.”

 

“Kidshaper has given me more confidence and enabled dreams/visions I thought were impossible.”

 

 “I feel totally inspired and regenerated to go back to church to continue to lead the children we have now and the ones who will follow.”

 

“Very encouraging and empowering – refreshing as a leader.”

 

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Kid Shaper ‘08

October 9, 2008 at 8:31 am (Uncategorized)

Well I’m finally settled in and down to work. The first item on my agenda is helping to organize and find delegates for a children’s ministry conference called Kid Shaper ‘08. It’s a kid’s conference that originated in Australia, and now is making a move to hold similar conferences here in the UK. Kid Shaper UK is organized by Next Level International Children’s Ministry Development. It’s going to be held in a nearby town called Coventry from Nov. 6-8 and has some well-known children’s ministers from the UK and from Australia – John Santostefano (NLI), Rob Bradbury (children’s pastor at Planetshakers Church in Melbourne Australia), Gillian Saunders (UK) Mark Griffiths (UK), David Ritchie – (UK-Scotland), Rick Otto (UK), and Paul Bristow (UK).

A bit from the poster reads: ” Kidshaper conference started in Australia and has become one of Australia’s leading children’s ministry conferences. Kidshaper UK exists to:

-facilitate an apostolic network of like-minded people, united by the cause of children, not by denomination

-create an environment to bring encouragement and hope that each individual can make a difference

-train and inspire the local church in reaching their children

-train and inspire the local church to train and inspire others

- invest into kids ministry in Europe

 

So it’s going to be a great conference in a few weeks time and we definitely need all the support and prayer that you can give.

Love and blessings to you all - 

JF

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Arrived.

October 2, 2008 at 2:52 pm (Uncategorized)

Just a note to let you all know that I have arrived here in Bedworth safe and sound. It’s an awesome feeling to finally be here – it’s starting to sink in and I’m very much at peace in my heart. Good things are to come (after the jet-leg wears off and a good nap). Love to you all. Will give you all a more detailed update of what’s happening here at the office when I get up to speed myself :)

JF

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London Calling!

October 1, 2008 at 2:49 pm (Uncategorized)

The day has arrived, and what better place to post than at the airport lounge – all that time waiting to board. Only about a half hour now before I’m on my way to Toronto where I have a 4.5 hr stop over which will be alleviated by two of my dearest friends in the world coming up to Pearson Airport to entertain me for the afternoon/early evening. 

Must jet. Battery dying. Need power outlet….

JF

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Finally packing!

September 29, 2008 at 3:56 am (BOOST, Links, Missions, NLI, Short Term Missions, Updates)

I must admit that these last few days, as I’ve begun to pack to make my move to England, have been a bit surreal. I think it’s finally starting to ‘hit me’ per se, that I’m moving on Wednesday.  In a conversation with a friend this evening, I was able to again share the vision of NLI and the great ministry that Next Level International is doing in Europe, I was really honoured to be able to say that I am affiliated with such an excellent organization.

I hope to see amazing things in my future – things that are centred on God’s vision and plan for my life, and not just the expectations that I have for myself. I am excited to be moving forward in to the great unknown again, resting very assured that I’m in the palm of my Great God. I can’t wait to get started on my work with the BOOST ‘09 Tour and with the related Short Term Missions work.

It’s going to be an amazing year of ministry, so keep visiting back to the site for updates, which I hope to be posting at least once every 1-2 weeks. I also want to welcome my Lewisporte readers, as there are now a few of you all who have expressed interest in keeping up-to-date on my travels and ministry in Europe. Thank you for all of your kindness while living here in Lewisporte – and you all will be missed!

Now, if I could just decide what shoes to leave… :)

JF

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Our Deepest Fear – Willamson

August 12, 2008 at 2:08 am (Thoughts)

For all of you who enjoy some great writing – here’s Marianne Williamson’s “Our Deepest Fear”. I hope that you read these words below and are inspired to realize the integral part we all have to play in seeing the the Kingdom of God come about on earth. Be inspired to be great for God in your God-given calling.

 

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” – Marianne Williamson

 

JF

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Much to say…

August 5, 2008 at 3:26 am (Links, Missions, NLI, Updates)

Time is flying by. My last post was May 3rd, I believe, and I haven’t posted for a while simply because there hasn’t been much happening – that is until lately.

In recent weeks, things have been ‘moving’ again (so to speak). I have recently finished my TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) Certificate; and let me take a moment here to thank all of you who prayed for me constantly in this area, because it was quite a task and a challenge at points – but I have finished, and with top marks! God really is faithful to see things in our hearts to completion, even if it’s not for the immediate point in time.  I’m still working to complete the specialization courses; one teaching business English, a graduate TESOL course (which works to create courses, syllabi, etc. for a class), teaching adults, teaching TOEFL preparation (or courses that help foreign language students prepare for English entrance exams for English-speaking universities), and a grammar specialization course; and I will have one more completed by the time I leave for the UK, and have four to work on in the evenings from overseas.

That is good news, but the really GREAT news is that I AM FINALLY LEAVING FOR THE UK! I’m officially leaving for England on October 1st, 2008. My ticket’s booked, and I have received my UK Visa this past week which was an AMAZING answer to prayer in this past month. It was quite a process, but God simply worked everything out – and this past Friday I received my entry clearance in the mail. Which means that I’ve 9 weeks left to work at Lewisporte Esso, and then I’m off.  

I’m really excited to ‘hit the ground running’ so to speak with Next Level International – most of you know by this point in time that it’s been a long time coming and it’s truly only by God’s grace that I’m here and on my way.

I will be posting more regularly once I begin my 10 month internship with NLI in October. I know that there will be many stories to share – moments when God has moved in the hearts of people in Europe that I will come into contact with; times when He’s showing up in my life.  As this journey continues – I want to share these things with you all; not to testify to a great cities visited, or people met, or things gained in the natural – but to witness to the greatness of God in those cities, the magnificent things that are done in people’s lives by the power of the Holy Spirit, and the movement and victories made in the supernatural.

 

So please – keep praying, keep interceeding. Not just for me, but for the nations of Europe. God is moving. God is doing great things there, and if YOU want to be involved – drop me a line @ janelle.fowlow@gmail.com, or visit the Next Level International website at www.nlieurope.com – God wants you to be involved in His mission!

 

Rgds. JF

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My current status…

May 3, 2008 at 5:07 am (NLI, Updates)

Hello!

Well Since it’s been almost a month since I last posted, I figured it high-time to post again!

The current rumblings from this end of things are still much the same as before, I’m still preparing for the internship with Next Level International, and waiting semi-patiently for that departure date to arrive :) (Semi-patiently is the most honest way to put it! – ‘Tis a virtue to be gained…)

So, I’m spending time preparing inwardly and outwardly; working on my own skills, as well as part-time at a local gas-bar here in Lewisporte. My TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) course is progressing, but I really need your prayers, as it is a HUGE amount of information to intake, and I’m having to create most worksheets, lesson plans, etc, out of no experience in the area! Talk about a stretching experience. All in all, I’m glad to be doing it. I surely see it as another avenue by which to reach out into the world, especially with the demand for the English language only ever increasing. It’s a great skill to have, and I even hope that it will help me in my work with Next Level International – although I’m still plugging away at my Spanish-learning efforts, since NLI works in Spain now. I also need to get cracking on my Romanian soon. So many languages to learn – never enough time! :)

Well that’s my blurb/blog for now…

Cheers folks!

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Another Update!

April 7, 2008 at 3:38 pm (Missions, NLI, PAOC, Updates)

Hi Folks,

Another update for you all.  As the journey continues, there are twists and turns along the way!  Yet, all is well.

I’ve decided to pause the missions process with the PAOC for the moment. Thus I am pushing forward with Next Level International proper.

The exciting news is that I’m going to be going for another 10 months first, as an intern of sorts between two of the different departments.  It’s a great opportunity to really gain some skill and learn the ‘ropes’ as it is.  It’s still being worked out it detail, but it’s great to know that NLI is a quality organization who is willing to invest this time and skill into my life!

It all means that my start date will be most likely this SEPTEMBER!! PRAISE THE LORD! I’m so excited to be finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel in some respects! This ten months is a pre-cursor to the next term with them, and I’m honored to be a part of such a great and Godly organization

Thanks to all of you who have been supporting me thus far. It’s a long process, but God is in everything. He is the reason why we love enough to give and also to go. Thank you for your support in the past, in the present and in the future

Blessings.

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The Truth About Grace.

February 25, 2008 at 1:58 am (Missions, Thoughts)

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me…

I’m sitting here listening to Chris Tomlin’s popular rendition of the old hymn ‘Amazing Grace’. For all the times I’ve heard and sung that song I never knew what a wretch was; never even journeyed over to the Oxford University Press Dictionary to figure it out either.

Interestingly enough, a wretch, Oxford’s Dictionary defines as, “an unhappy or unfortunate person.” Further down, it gives the origin of the word. It’s actually from the Old English ‘wrecca’ – meaning ‘banished one’. Looking back to it’s Old English origin – I understood a little better the reality of being a wretch (at least in this context) – it meant to be a ‘banished one’.

This well known hymn was written by John Newton. Newton was a captain on a slave-trade vessel in the mid 1700’s. In his reflections on his past work, and now a pastor, Newton wrote in 1772, the words of Amazing Grace. For Newton, being a banished one was both the feeling of selling people who were banished to foreign lands against their will, and his own feelings of guilt for what he was a part of.

In part catharsis, part personal confession to his role that he played in the slave trade, Newton was preparing a sermon entitled, “Faith’s Review and Expectation”. He used these lyrics to exemplify his sermon.

The truth is simply that we were all banished ones. We were all banished because of sin. We were made slaves to sin. We surely are the wretch saved by this amazing grace that Scripture speaks of so frequently, and that Newton confessed himself in this song of confession, witness and devotion to a God who gave him back his life.

How honored are we; how humbled are we made – to realize that this same God saw it fit to take us, a wretch – a banished one, and to bring us near in His grace. It’s the unmerited favor of God that promises us the best God has. It secures us our eternity and truly gives hope for the present time.

This grace has to be our motivator for missions. It’s the beauty of the Gospel. There are real people, in real places, who have not been brought near; whom are still banished. Yet, through this grace they can be brought near – brought back into the arms of a loving Father. It’s our job for us, those whom have been redeemed by this grace, to go and tell them that they can come back home – to our place of dwelling in the Holy Spirit, in the presence of God.

God graciously invites us all home. We must let people know that they have a Father in Heaven who is waiting for us to come home; a Father who is running towards them with arms wide open, ready to welcome them back into His family and fellowship like the father running towards the lost son in Luke 15:11-32.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.‘ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.” (NIV)

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