Homecoming in Eastern Europe

Someone once said that you could not go home again. Nevertheless, I feel as if I just returned home from our home away from home. Over the past two weeks, my dad and I ministered in Bucharest, Romania and Warsaw, Poland. Having traveled to Bucharest three years ago, it was a wonderful homecoming as we greeted our precious brothers and sisters in Christ. The dear friends we met in both of these countries have become family to me. This is why I am convinced, no matter where life may take you, you may be able to return home.

Home is not simply a building comprised of four walls. Rather, it is a place where you feel completely comfortable, compassionately cared for, and so very loved. This summer, I found myself at home, more than 5,600 miles from my hometown. As we were invited into the homes of such loving friends in Eastern Europe, it became clear to me that God had orchestrated this opportunity to share the Gospel and to encourage these kindhearted people. I am humbled that God would choose my dad and me for this incredible journey.

 

Our gratefulness to God began before we even left home. Due to pandemic restrictions and civil unrest in Eastern Europe, our original travel plans were cancelled. After much prayer, we were led to find some other way to reach Bucharest and Warsaw. Romania had opened to U.S. citizens. Poland was still closed; however, we booked the travel arrangements in faith that Poland would open. Revelation 3:7-8 says when we obey His command, God will open doors that no one can close. One week before our departure, God opened the door to Poland.

 

Our entire trip was filled with memories that will remain in our hearts forever. We will always cherish the sweet fellowship with dear friends. One pastor invited us to their home more than once for a delightful meal with his family. On one occasion, they even invited one of my close friends from the church to join us for dinner in their home. What a wonderful gesture, one for which I am very grateful.

Many of the church members shared delicious meals with us. We enjoyed scrumptious food, not only Romanian and Polish cuisine, but also delectable dishes from Myanmar, India, Lebanon, Italy, Thailand, and Moldova. The meals were some of the best we have ever encountered. The combination of spices and fresh ingredients truly made my taste buds sing. Yet, the number one ingredient was love.

 

Sitting in the apartment of one of the families in Romania, we listened and watched as one of their children played worship songs on the keyboard as some of their siblings sang along. Afterward, we all sang together, giving all of the glory and honor to the Lord. Our praise transitioned to prayer as we all bowed our heads. Everyone, including these precious boys and girls, prayed aloud to Jesus Christ. As I prayed over this family, I could not hold back the tears. My heart was literally overflowing with joy as I sat there, feeling the presence of God in the room. As Jesus said, “‘For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them’” (Matt. 18:20 NLT).

 

Throughout our time in these two countries, God opened the door for us to encourage others. Simultaneously, we were encouraged ourselves. The people God placed in our path took First Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV) to heart: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up.” They continually encouraged us through their friendship and their prayers. How special it was when one of the pastors, his wife, my dad, and I all shared in praying for one another aloud!

 

Words could never express the magnitude of the love shown to us by our friends in Eastern Europe. The term unconditional love does not suffice. They shined forth the love of Jesus Christ to us in so many ways. In addition to their love, they gave us a priceless gift: their time. Even after each church service, these caring friends desired not to hurry home, but to fellowship with us, giving us the opportunity to know them better. Setting aside entire days to join us in ministry, I never once heard someone say, “I’m too busy.” They knew God had arranged a divine appointment for us to fellowship together and to proclaim the Gospel in their city.

 

Several times, some of these devoted Christians joined us for evangelism in local parks and market squares. I will never forget the people we met along the way, such as the woman in the park in Bucharest who told me she felt like an orphan, having lost both of her parents. The fact that God would provide me the opportunity to share the love of Jesus Christ with her, as she stood there in tears, was truly humbling. Then there was the woman and her daughter in Warsaw whose family had made bird whistles by hand for multiple generations, as well as the man and woman who we witnessed to on two separate occasions. My dad and I sang on city streets, handed out Gospel tracts, and told people why we had traveled so far. We came to share the Gospel, just as Mark 16:15 tells us to do. God ordered our steps all along the way.

 

While I have memories that will last forever, my greatest desire is that someone will water the seeds we have sown. As the apostle Paul said, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow” (1 Cor. 3:6-7 NIV). My dad and I planted seeds and watered others. Now, we pray God will speak to the hearts and lives of the men, women, and children with whom we were blessed to share the Gospel.

 

The number one reason we travel is not to see the sights, but to set our sights on Jesus Christ. He is the truth, the life, and the only way to salvation (John 14:6). May we all make the most of every opportunity we have to tell someone about Jesus before His soon return! Like our treasured friends in Bucharest and Warsaw, we pray that every soul we encountered on this journey will one day be our friend in Heaven, our eternal home (Luke 16:9).

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!

Life Is A Mission Field: Reflections On The NYC Worship Project

I have so many memories from the Florida Worship Choir and Orchestra NYC Worship Project...  God did some incredible things through our ministry in New York.  Lives were changed, both our own lives as well as the lives we touched during our time there. This is just one of many stories I hope to have the privilege of sharing with you. May it encourage you to step out in faith as you realize that life is a mission field in itself.

One lady stopped me in Times Square after the flash mob to ask if I was a Christian.  I immediately told her I loved Jesus Christ with all of my heart.  She asked me to sing for her.  While I love to sing, I don't typically randomly break out in song in public places!  :-)  This time, I did.  I sang the chorus from a song I wrote years ago titled, "There's Sunshine Awaiting You."  After I finish singing, she got very serious and thanked me, saying she needed to hear that.  We talked for about 30 minutes.  We exchanged contact info and I invited her to the concert at Carnegie Hall the next night.  She called me after the concert to let me know she came and she was blessed by our ministry.

Sometimes, our ministry is at church.  Other times, our ministry is right in front of us, if we only take time to look.  It may be at a ball game, a restaurant, on a subway, at work, or even in the midst of the hustle and bustle of Times Square.  She was one of 100,000 people within earshot that night.  If I had rushed off to dinner, I wouldn't have met her.  God knew where I needed to be.  He knew that I had another ministry opportunity, if only I would wait for the exact moment to walk by her table.  I truly believe the Lord guides our steps.  Follow His direction.  Don't miss out on an opportunity to share the love of Jesus Christ with someone.  As one Filipino brother in Christ told me at Christian Bible Church, "It's what we're born to do."

In Christ's Love,
Jennifer

#LifeIsAMissionField #FollowJesus #FWCO #NYCWorshipProject

Outside of Your Comfort Zone

When was the last time you stepped outside of your comfort zone?  Was it something simple, like trying a new hairstyle or going to the mall without wearing any makeup?  Or was it something more profound, such as taking a trip into the mission field or witnessing to a homeless person on the street?  Sometimes, the things that make us the most uneasy can be the most memorable.  God often uses these uncomfortable experiences to serve as defining moments in our lives.  Sometimes, all it takes is a step outside of your comfort zone to find that you have an even great purpose on this earth than you could have ever imagined.  So don’t stand there stagnant, get on the move and jump out of your comfort zone!

When I think of being outside of one’s comfort zone, I am immediately reminded of Jonah.  God called Jonah to preach to the Ninevites.  But one of the last things Jonah wanted to do was to go to Ninevah and speak to them.  Instead of stepping outside of his comfort zone, he attempted to hide from God.  Jonah ran away, thinking that he could avoid this uncomfortable situation entirely.  He didn’t want anything to do with these people and he was not going to obey the Lord’s command.  Jonah wanted to do what Jonah wanted to do.  So, he did what people commonly do in uneasy circumstances.  He fled the scene.

But God had placed a calling on his life.  It wasn’t a feeling or an emotion either.  God literally spoke to Jonah.  Jonah 1:2-3 (NIV) says, “The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: “‘Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.’”  The Bible says that “the word of the Lord came to Jonah.”  It doesn’t say that someone prophesied and said that this is what he ought to do.  It doesn’t say that he had a dream or saw a great flash of light.  It says that the Lord Himself called Jonah to this ministry.  Jonah was called to be a preacher, a missionary to the city of Ninevah.

Jonah has this amazing calling on his life.  Yet the next words in the book of Jonah read, “But Jonah ran away from the Lord” (Jonah 1:3).  Isn’t that just the way we often react to unsettling situations?  God may call us to do something, but we are often afraid to walk through the door that He has opened.  Instead of walking through this door, Jonah attempts to run away.  Still, God knew where Jonah was headed before he even took his first step toward the ship in Joppa.  And God knew that He was going to have to take some drastic measures in order to get Jonah out of his comfort zone.

Shortly after he had been on the ship, the Lord sends a violent storm upon them.  Jonah tells the sailors that he is running from the Lord.  He also knows that this is no ordinary storm and that it is meant to get his attention.  He tells the men to throw him into the sea, so that the seas will become calm and spare their lives.  He says, “‘I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you’” (Jonah 1:12 NIV).  You see, Jonah knew that God had called him to do something important and instead of embracing this challenge, he tries to avoid God.  When you try to get away from God, though, He is still standing right beside you, every step of the way.  Jonah began to realize the error of his ways right here, which is why he told them to cast his body into the sea.  Of course, Jonah likely thought that this would result in his death, meaning that he could still find a way out of this call on His life.

Nevertheless, God had other plans.  God sends a huge fish to swallow Jonah.  Jonah spends three days and three nights in the belly of a whale.  Jonah didn’t want to go preach to other human beings, so God puts him inside of a sea creature instead.  Talk about being outside of your comfort zone!  God knew that Jonah needed a wakeup call.  He knew that it would take drastic measures to get through to this individual who was supposed to be traveling to Ninevah, instead of sailing on a ship toward Tarshish.  During the time inside the whale, Jonah realized his mistake.  He called out to the Lord.  He said, “‘What I have vowed I will make good.  I will say, Salvation comes from the Lord’” (Jonah 2:9 NIV).

After spending three days and three nights far outside of his comfort zone, Jonah tells the Lord that he will make things right.  The Lord commands the fish to spit Jonah out onto dry land and then He calls Jonah to Ninevah a second time.  This time, Jonah obeyed the Lord, despite his apprehension.  I’m sure he realized that God could place him in more anxiety-ridden places than he had ever dreamed, so he knew the best course of action was to do what he should have done in the beginning: obey the Lord’s command.

What about you?  Has God called you to step outside your comfort zone?  If He has, have you responded with a resounding “yes,” or have you tried to hide from God?  Often times, we may try to run from God because we feel inadequate.  While our first inclination may be to insert a “But” after God asks us to do something, we need to trust Him to work out all of the details.  We all have doubts and fears.  But we cannot let these shortcomings prevent us from living in the perfect will of God.  God doesn’t tell us that we have to be everything and have everything.  He just calls us to be willing vessels.  Whatever we need, He will provide.  Even if it means providing a fish to swallow us first in order to convince us that we need to step outside of our comfort zone!

God can use us to change lives, if we are only willing to follow the path that He has set before us.  Jonah’s ministry saved the city of Ninevah from complete and utter destruction.  If Jonah had said no a second time, thousands of people would possibly have perished without knowing the saving grace of Jesus Christ.  When God calls you to tell someone about Jesus, don’t run away.  Follow His leading and answer the call.  You may be the willing vessel He needs to share the love of Jesus with someone who is broken, hurting, or lost.  Don’t wait for the whale to swallow you whole.  Step outside your comfort zone today and stand amazed as God uses you in ways beyond your imagination!

In Christ’s Love,

Jennifer

From Impossible To Possible!

Have you ever wanted to tell God no? Has there ever been a time when He was leading you to do something, but you simply had no confidence in your ability to pull it off? Perhaps He wanted you to face your fears and speak in front of a large crowd. Or it could be that He asked you to volunteer your time to help those in need, time you didn’t have to spare. And He may have asked you to minister to someone while you were simultaneously going through a trial of your own. Although it may not always be easy, we need to follow God’s guidance in every aspect of our lives. We need to be willing vessels. As the song sung by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir says, “If you can use anything Lord, you can use me.” God can use us, right where we are, if we are willing to give our lives to Him. By trusting Him fully, we will experience the abundant life that He has promised us, assertively living our lives with the knowledge that all things are possible with God.

If you have ever had the desire to tell God no, don’t be downhearted. You’re in good company. We read in God’s Word of how Moses essentially told God no. God came to him one day and told him to speak to a large group of Egyptians. Moses immediately responded by telling God to “‘send someone else’” (Exodus 4:13 NIV). He makes a lot of excuses, saying that he has never been an eloquent speaker and that he is “‘slow of speech and tongue’” (Exodus 4:10 NIV). In the end, Moses’ brother Aaron traveled with him and did most of his talking for him. While things went okay at first, Aaron caused Moses quite a bit of trouble, even fashioning a golden idol in the image of a calf when Moses was up on the mountain (see Exodus 32:1-6 NIV). Surely this was not good publicity for Moses’ ministry, having his brother put up an idol that the people began to worship, instead of worshiping the one true God whom Moses and Aaron were there to preach to them about. But many of the problems associated with the partnership of Aaron and Moses could possibly have been avoided if Moses had not said no to God.

Think about it. What if Moses had said yes to God? What if he had put aside his fears concerning public speaking and being in front of a large group of people? What if he had fully trusted the God who created him? Moses was afraid and felt ill-prepared and inadequate. But God said, “‘I will help you speak and will teach you what to say’” (Exodus 4:12 NIV). God was on his side, but Moses let his fears get in the way. While we will never know what might have happened if Moses had said yes, it is a good opportunity for us to examine our own lives.

Let’s take a look at Newton’s third law of motion: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. While we are not talking about forces emitted on particular objects, the same theory applies. Everything we do impacts our future. Every decision we make can have a negative or a positive outcome. Saying no to God or saying yes to God can have a negative or positive impact on our lives. He knows the outcome no matter our decision, but He gives us the freedom to choose the direction our lives will go.

What about you? Has God called you to do something, yet you have repeatedly told him no? Has He placed a burden on your heart to minister to others who are sick, help collect food for the less fortunate, or travel to a foreign mission field? Maybe He has simply called you to help out in your local church, visit the home-bound and hospitalized members of your church, or call someone to encourage them during a difficult time in their life. Or has He called you to fervently pray every day for your family, your friends, your church, your community, your nation, or even the world? Whatever your calling is, don’t tell God no. He knows that you can handle the task. Just as He helped Moses, God will give you the tools you need to be successful. He is more than enough! As the Bible clearly states, “‘with God all things are possible’” (Matthew 19:26 NIV). So the next time God asks you to do something, go forth boldly and say, “Yes, Lord!” Then reap the blessings you encounter as God makes the impossible possible!

In Christ’s Love,
Jennifer