don’t keep going over old history.
Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new.
It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?
Isaiah 43:18-19 MSG
New things are God’s specialty. It’s amazing to me how He can weave together willing people’s lives and interests to create an incredible new thing – beyond anything we could ever dream up – to bring hearts together for His glory. The Master Weaver has been mighty busy over the last year, weaving my life together with another through the wonder that is the Internet, to start a new thing in 2010. It’s my over-the-top joy to introduce you to her and to what God is doing!
Meet Mary Snyder. Many of you know her as “Mary R. Snyder”. Or Mary R. Or Mary. It’s been my experience that she answers to all of the above! Mary and I met through blogging, began to email some, then through some “God-maneuvers,” ended up rooming together in Atlanta last January at Travis Cottrell‘s live recording. It was one of those wonderful, instant “heart connections,” allowing us to discover that we both had a love of women’s ministry, friendships and the role that social media can play in both.
God began weaving in us both, separately, threads of thought for a new ministry. Months later, Mary was looking for a ministry partner, while in the meantime, I’d been considering a partnership to bring some of my thoughts to fruition. The Lord brought us both to the other’s mind, leading us to talk and discover that our ministry ideas were almost exactly the same!
So, it is my joy to present to you our “new thing”:
meeting God together on the other side of the screen
This will be a ministry that brings the friendships that we forge through blogging, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media, from one side of the screen to the other…not just for a quick lunch or a quick “meet-up” after a conference, but for extended time together with God. We believe that God is calling us to deeper relationships founded on our relationship with Him, and that He is using social media to bring people together all over the world to achieve just that. We’re excited and humbled that He would be using us for this purpose!
We are in the process, now, of preparing for our first strategy meeting with possible ministry partners, where we will share our vision for gIRL. To our delight, God recently provided our first partner, Karen Barrows – through social media, no less! She has provided a wonderful location for the strategy meeting and is working with us toward launching the first full-fledged gIRL event, hopefully later this year.
We’d love it if you would put us on your ministry prayer list for 2010, that God would continue to reveal to us how He wants this ministry to look and function, and that, above all, it would bring women to Him and glory to His name!
“A new thing…it’s bursting out, don’t you see it?”
It’s God’s specialty…we’re so blessed to be along for the ride!!
Whoo Hoo!! I can't wait to see what God will do.
Count me IN on the prayer team!!
xoxo,
p
This is ROCK YOUR WORLD ecxiting! I will help in any way I can – being in the frozen North, I do not know what that will look like, but I am here!
Love ya!
OH. HOW. FUN!! I will absolutely be praying for gIRL. I'd love to be involved somehow.
Also, would love to have you or any of your reader join us for Challenge 2010 over at The Point. A new Scripture memory challenge patterned after the one we did last year with Beth.
Hope Emmie is feeling better. Praying for ya'll still.
Leah
That is great!! Love it! Praying girl. So excited at what this new ministry has in store. LOVE those verses.
Much love,
Angela
How exciting Melinda!!! That is awesome!! I am on the prayer team! Will be praying this through with all of you!!
Love you!
I am soo stinkin' excited I can't hardly stand it!! You two are so great and two of my most favorite people ever! I can't wait to see how God uses this!! And you added in Karen! Love LOVE her! I am praying for you all as you go forward with this and I am ready, willing and excited to do anything, if you should need it!
Love you lots!
Nikki
LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!!!
Oh I can not wait to hear more! PRAYING hard that God will bless this and make each and every step clear. 🙂
Hugs and love!
steph.
Very neat…and may those who gather in His Name with gIRLs be spurred on to life-giving, water-pouring ministry in their own little neck of the woods, as well!
What a fabulous collaboration! I'm sure we'll be the recipients of some fantastic gIRL stuff, and you'll be blessed in the building of this new thing.
Looking forward to the first installment!
Kathleen
Wow – how exciting, Melinda! I love your heart to help women. I can't wait to see what God has in store for this ministry!!
Already praying,
Joanne
yeah, yeah, YEAH!!!!
I love you all so much and pray God's deepest blessing as you plan!
a gIRL too!
love,
rachel
Dear Melinda, I know I haven't been reading your blog "faithfully" for long now, but I just have to say from one sister in the Lord, to another, I'm so in awe of what the Lord is doing! What a testament to God's faithfulness and His sovereignty to His beloved children. Here you are, saying how you've felt "derailed", and the next moment, sharing how a ministry is being born…and you, sweet one, are shining so brightly with His love! Oh, what a blessing you are to so many women! It just shows how God is ALWAYS in our lives. What an encouragement for any of God's girls to see His faithfulness in and through your life! You, again, are being a vessel that He is using to reach others and shower them with His love! I will definitely be praying for gIRL…and so excited to see what the Lord is going to do!
What a gift…I DO see the new things the Lord is doing!!
Blessings Always,
Kelly
Of course I am beside myself. Love all 3 of you to pieces. I'll be in constant prayer and I know God has magnificent things in store for everybody!!!
So much love!
Fran
Well, it's about time someone took the initiative to get us together. So excited for you both; keep me posted!
peace~elaine
Oh, and can we meet somewhere closer than Texas? For what it's worth…
I don't think my van would make it.
:)~elaine
Exciting stuff, Melinda! You go, gIRL! 🙂
So thrilled to hear this!!!! Let's pray our socks off and see where God takes us gIRLS!!
Love you!