Our Shield

Yesterday, while walking through the grocery store, my cell phone began playing the song sung by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, “Thou, Oh Lord.”  The phone was in my purse with the lock screen in place.  No one touched it.  Yet somehow, some way, the phone began to play this song loud enough that I could hear it, even in the midst of the crowded supermarket.  I picked up the phone to see what was going on, since I have a different song set as my ringtone.  When I pressed the button to stop the music, it kept playing.  Finally, I turned the sound completely off.  The music stopped, but I am still perplexed as to how this occurred.  While I cannot explain how it happened, I am fairly certain that I know why.  I believe God was reminding me that He has everything under control.

Sometimes in life, it seems like everything is going according to our plans.  Our job provides a stress-free environment and steady income, our family is healthy, nothing rains on our parade, so to speak.  All too soon, a storm comes through like a tornado, perhaps causing turbulence in the workplace, illnesses among our family members, or other negative circumstances we must endure.  It is during these times that we need to have the calm assurance that Jesus Christ is standing alongside us, providing a shield from the calamity that threatens to overwhelm us.

Psalm 3:3 says, “But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head” (ESV).  The Lord never sleeps nor slumbers.  He is always awake, watching over us, interceding on our behalf.  When you are having a wonderful day, Jesus is there, keeping you safe from harm.  When you are having a miserable day, Jesus is there, keeping you safe from harm.  It doesn’t matter where you are or where you are going, Jesus Christ will always be a Shield surrounding you, helping you along the way.

A couple of weeks ago, my dad and I were out working with our cattle.  As I opened one of the gates, a swarm of wasps came out after me.  Because I had never been stung before, I was extremely concerned as I felt a wasp sting my leg.  I prayed that no others would sting me.  At that moment, I know that the Lord placed a shield around me, keeping me from getting stung multiple times or getting stung on the face.  I am grateful for His protection and His healing, as the sting did not cause an allergic reaction.  On the same day, my dad was charged by one of our cows more than once.  This particular cow had horns, which could have caused a serious injury.  I prayed that my dad would not be harmed in any way.  Once again, the Lord proved faithful and true, placing a shield around my dad, protecting him from the potential danger.

Sometimes, we get so busy with our daily activities that we do not even notice the hand of God working in our midst.  A traffic delay could be saving you from an accident down the road.  An unexpected phone call could keep you from slipping and falling on a piece of ice in your kitchen.  Having to go back inside your house for a forgotten item could serve as a reminder to turn off the stove or unplug the curling iron before it causes fire damage to your home.  You see, there are so many scenarios where God sees the possible outcomes before we could ever begin to process them all.  He knows our future.  That’s why we need to trust in His timing, because He knows what lies ahead.

As human beings, none of us are perfect.  Our natural tendency is to call on the Lord more when we are in distress than when everything is going well.  When we are sitting on cloud nine, we tend to believe we are doing great on our own, like a captain of a ship enjoying smooth sailing on a sunny day.  But just like the captain should be thanking God for the calm seas, we need to remember to thank Him for His blessings every day.  In the good times and the bad times, we need to praise Him for His endless love and mercy.  We need to trust that He will work everything out for our good, no matter what is going on around us (see Romans 8:28).

God’s Word says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).  The Bible doesn’t say to acknowledge the Lord on Sunday and don’t worry about it the rest of the week.  It says “in ALL your ways acknowledge him” (emphasis added).  We need to completely depend on Jesus Christ, making sure that everything we say and do revolves around His plan for our life.

Jesus Christ is our Shield.  He is the glory and the lifter of our head.  Jesus wants us to live an abundant life.  He wants us to be happy.  He wants us to lean on Him.  By doing so, we can ensure that our focus is not on the trials and tribulations of this world, but on the One who loves us more than we could ever imagine.  If we keep our eyes on Jesus, we’ll find that the difficult times are more bearable and the joyful times are even more delightful.  Let us praise the King of Kings and Lord of Lords for all that He has done in our lives!  From dawn until dusk and all through the night, the Lord is watching over you, keeping you safe.  Jesus Christ is our constant Friend, our Lord and Savior, and our Shield.

In Christ’s Love,

Jennifer

NYC Worship Project: My First Multi-Day Mission Trip

A few months ago, a friend called me to tell me about a remarkable choir and orchestra. She continued to tell me how the Florida Worship Choir and Orchestra would be traveling to New York City to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ through song. When I heard words like Central Park, Times Square, Carnegie Hall and Brooklyn Tabernacle, I was in awe of the doors that God had opened for ministry. Little did I know that I would have the opportunity to not only join the choir, but that I would also be able to participate in this life-changing mission trip. It was evident that God walked ahead of us every step of the way. I also began to realize that this was not truly my first multi-day mission trip, even though it technically was. Through this trip, I began to more fully understand that we are a reflection of Jesus Christ to everyone around us. People look at us to see if we are smiling or if we look angry, if we are kind or rude to others, if we love our neighbor as ourselves. We don’t have to be on a mission trip to witness to others. We are living testimonies of God’s saving grace. Life itself is a mission field.

L-R: Jennifer Campbell, Earlene Williams,
& Terry Williams (FWCO Choir Director)

The moment I arrived at the airport, the excitement began to grow. New York City is one of my favorite cities to visit. Even though my hometown is a small rural area in Florida, I love the hustle and bustle of this metro area. This time, though, I began to look at people more closely. I saw the hurt in their eyes, the brokenness of their spirits, and the longing for something more. I talked to perfect strangers about the love of Jesus Christ. I prayed that God would use me to encourage everyone around me, whether I knew them or not. I wanted this trip to be more than a fun trip to the Big Apple. I wanted this to be a life-changing experience. But while I was praying that God would change lives, I didn’t even realize that He was working in my own life as well. I came home with a newfound boldness in my faith. I feel that He has rejuvenated my spirit and strengthened the desire in my heart to tell others about the saving love of Jesus Christ. This is what I was born to do.

Singing at Naumberg Bandshell in Central Park

We took the bus directly from the airport to Central Park. Along with rehearsals and lunch, we also had the opportunity to hand out ticket vouchers for the concert at Carnegie Hall. Attached to each voucher was a card with John 3:16 on it. Walking up to people strolling through the Park, I prayed that they would not toss it aside, but read it and carefully consider the message. During the concert in the Naumberg Bandshell, I saw people from nearly every tribe and tongue represented. As I looked out and saw people from varying socioeconomic and religious backgrounds, I couldn’t hold back the tears as I sang the song, “This Blood.” The lyrics state, “I come to tell you He's alive. To tell you that He dries every tear that falls. So I come to tell you that He saves. To shout and to proclaim that He's coming back for you.” To see people who looked so desperate for answers and to know that we were presenting the Answer to all of life’s problems: Jesus Christ. It was overwhelming. I knew then and there that this was not going to be an ordinary choir and orchestra tour.

L-R: Jennifer Campbell, Pastor Todd Brandt & Family,
& Justin McLaughlin (FWCO Team Leader)

On Sunday, we had the opportunity to minister to 12 churches in the NYC metro area. I had the privilege of meeting the congregation at Christian Bible Church in Yonkers. Pastor Todd Brandt and his family began pastoring this church nearly three years ago. The people were so gracious and it was a joy to worship with them. One of my favorite parts of the day was the Prayer Walk through downtown Yonkers. Stopping to pray along the Hudson River, inside the Train Station, and other locations, was a very special experience. What a privilege to help them hand out VBS fliers to children we encountered during our walk. I pray that God will encourage them in their ministry and I hope to see them again one day, Lord willing.

Interview After the Flash Mob in Times Square

One of the most incredible moments I experienced was the flash mob in Times Square. Imagine 350 choir and orchestra members gathering together in the midst of the Crossroads of the World to sing praises to Jesus Christ! What a blessing to know that we had an estimated 100,000 people within earshot of us that evening. After the flash mob, one lady asked if I was a Christian. I promptly told her that I loved Jesus Christ with all of my heart. She asked me to sing for her. I sang the chorus to a song I wrote years ago titled, “There’s Sunshine Awaiting You.” This lady who had been so excited about the flash mob turned quite serious and said my song had touched her heart. She was one of 100,000 people. God knew I was supposed to meet her. He knew she needed encouragement. I am so grateful to know that God could use me, even in the midst of tens of thousands of people.

On Stage at Carnegie Hall

Ever since I was a little girl, God has used me to minister to others through song. I sang my first song in public when I was three years old in Atlanta, Georgia. The song I sang was “He’s Still Workin’ on Me.” Every year, He continues working in my life and it amazes me to know that the little girl who sang at in Atlanta so long ago would end up standing on stage at Carnegie Hall. The Florida Worship Choir and Orchestra had the opportunity to sing on this prestigious stage, debuting our newest recording, “Almighty God.” What an honor to worship Jesus Christ in this historic building. I believe all of the members of the choir and orchestra would agree that we did not just put on a performance, but we had church at Carnegie Hall!

The Florida Worship Choir & Orchestra Singing
at Brooklyn Tabernacle on June 3, 2014

One of my favorite places in New York City is Brooklyn Tabernacle. The Holy Spirit permeates the walls and spills out onto the sidewalks. Through the power of prayer, this church is filled with the presence of God in such a mighty way. We had the privilege of singing at the Tuesday evening prayer service during our time in New York. What a joy to minister to the congregation and to worship Jesus Christ with them! The entire service was so anointed and my heart was overflowing with joy after spending quality time in the presence of the Lord. We went there to minister and in turn, we received a tremendous blessing ourselves.

As I look back on our mission to New York, I am amazed at all of the unexpected blessings God bestowed upon us. I wondered if I would even be able to participate in this mission. I stepped out on faith and requested donations online to cover the cost of the trip. Three days later, God provided funds that exceeded my original goal. I knew at that very moment that God had called me to participate in this mission trip. Just like He called me, He is calling you to the mission field as well. Everywhere around us, there are people who need to know that it is going to be okay. They need a smile, a hug, a word of encouragement. They need to be reminded that they are loved by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. You don’t have to be on a mission trip to tell someone that Jesus loves them. You could be at the grocery store, riding the subway, or sitting at work. Every person in this world needs hope. Your mission field is waiting. Tell someone today that there is hope in Jesus Christ!

In Christ’s Love,
Jennifer

Click here for more photos from my mission trip!
Click here for videos from the NYC Worship Project!