As God's Gates of Grace Continue To Open April 1, 2007

Well, as I shared with you last time, God continues to bring change to my life and to the ministry !! First I want to share about the trip to El Salvador. It truly was a blessed time to see our Heavenly Father working in so many ways, in so many lives, all at the same time.

Little did we know that when we arrived in San Salvador the capitol of El Salvador, they would be hosting the Cup of the Nations. It is a soccer tournament for all of Central America. Every night was a different game with a different country. There were many people everywhere. We were staying close to the stadium where it was held. Every night there would be huge fireworks late into the early morning as they celebrated.

The next morning was Sunday morning. I had been invited to preach the Word at my friend's church, so we got up to a beautiful sunny day, already in the eighties in the middle of February. The whole time it was nineties, sunny and great.

When we arrived the worship began. My friend Hazel plays the keyboard and has translated many songs we sing here. We were all singing, truly in worship, when the young children began coming up front and dancing unto the Lord. It was so beautiful and blessed my heart deeply to see the foundation being built in these children. Their lives truly are being built upon the Rock.

God put a message in my heart that, all that have faith in Christ are one. School teaches you that 1+1=2 and 1+1+1=3 and 1+1+1+1=4. The Bible teaches that 1+1=1 and 1+1+1=1 and 1+1+1+1=1. Jesus plus the Father are one. Jesus plus the Father plus the Holy Spirit are one. Jesus plus the Father plus the Holy Spirit plus the believer are one. We are all one in Christ. Jesus is the same no matter where you go, east, west, north and south. It is the same Holy Spirit in all of us. That's why the Bible says we are all of one Spirit.

It was great being there with them. They really are very loving people. The Pastor said we were welcome back anytime and that they would be praying that it would be pronto.

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I had been asked to come to perform a wedding of my friend Ernesto. I met Ernesto the very first time I went to El Salvador. We really hit it off and have been good friends. He has been a teacher at the orphanages every since I knew him. He met a very nice lady that was the director of one orphanage. They fell deeply in love and wanted to be married on Valentines Day.

Monday I was able to meet the bride for the first time. Jenny is a beautiful lady with a heart filled with the love of God. We were able to sit and talk to really get to know each other. She shared her testimony and I counseled her on marriage. Afterwards I asked her what type of ceremony she would like to have. She told me all she wanted was to have
God there. I later found out she wasn't kidding.

The wedding was a two-hour ride outside of the city, then another hour straight up a mountain to the top. Here we build roads around the mountain so you just keep circling until you reach the top. There this road literally is straight up the mountain.

We all went up the day before to get everything ready. The girls went earlier in the day to decorate. The guys picked up the cake, made programs and picked people up from the airport coming in for the wedding.

The guys ended up getting there ten o'clock in the evening. Dark, pitch black, not a light in sight, in the middle of nowhere, half way up the mountain and the van stops, not going any farther. We had to get out and push with the motor running to get it to move. Then he was leaving us in the middle of nowhere gasping for breath trying to catch him. He stopped, we caught him and opened the door. When the interior light came on we were to find a large hole about fifteen feet deep right beside us that only the Grace of God prevented us from stepping in.

We finally made it up finding beautiful cabins built around the top of the mountain. The fireplace was perfect with the crisp, cool night air. We had about fifteen of us in one cabin with two bedrooms and one bathroom. We had a blast that night carrying on, being silly. After admitting to my snoring, they insisted that I sleep down stairs on the couch. Ahhh, I snuggled up on the couch in front of the crackling fire, perfect!!

In the morning it was Grand Central Station claiming the bathroom, taking showers, getting ready. We had to finish decorating. Eat breakfast and make sure everything was in place. Sarah even got to practice her nursing. Jenny's sister needed some sort of shot in her rear and also Jenny decided Ernesto needed his ear pierced. They had to get ice and push a needle through his ear. Needless to say it was quite an eventful morning.

We were surprised, but there were about one hundred twenty guests at the wedding. I am convinced that it was one of a kind being multi- cultural and bi-lingual completely translated. In opening while greeting everyone I told them that Jenny told me that all she wanted was for God to be at her wedding. I told them I found out that she wasn't kidding. I didn't know that she wanted Him to have a front row seat. We were as close to Heaven as you could physically get in El Salvador on top of that mountain.
It really was a beautiful wedding. Everyone was happy. And we had a great meal to celebrate.

The next day we were able to go to My Fathers House which is the orphanage that the Ackermanns work with. We spent time with the little ones playing and having fun. The next day we went back and built toddler beds for some that were still in cribs.

There is a mother and grandmother that live here in Virginia to run a restaurant to make money to send home. The mother has three little girls in El Salvador with their father. She hasn't seen them in three years. When I told her I was going she asked if I could take something to them. I told her I would be glad to. She gave me Valentine candy for each and a one-time use camera.

The last day we were there, we found them and gave them the candy. They were the sweetest, cutest, most darling little girls. We took pictures of me giving all three a great big hug from their mother. I had them write a letter each and draw pictures to bring back.

After we got home I had the pictures developed and went to see their mom. When I gave them to her she started crying, so I went and gave her a big hug and told her it was from them. I'm praying that God will work in their lives and work something out.

As you can see the entire trip was very eventful as they always are. You never know exactly what God has in store. All he wants is for you to be willing. Sarah and I are always blessed in so many ways. It truly is the great adventure.

Well in the last newsletter I started sharing about what God was laying on my heart, the change that was in store. He was clearly showing me the next step. When I was twelve years old God called me to be a pastor. At that time I was very quiet and shy. It really scared me and I ran. I ran hard into the world.

Eighteen years ago God called me back into the fold. He has been preparing me every since. He has been calling me to start a church. I kept telling Him that I wasn't ordained yet. Well, in January I was ordained leaving me without an excuse. So I am now answering His call.

Two years ago He led me to start GraceHaven Ministry. He gave me the name telling me that He is our GraceHaven. Now we are changing the name to GraceHaven Global Fellowship. It is global because we are already connected around the world. Our services will be simulcast on the Internet so people all over the world will be able to participate.

He has laid it on my heart that we will not be connected to any denomination. He didn't make denominations, man did. Denominations separate. God made all of us and loves all of us and wants us to love each other. All Christians will be together in heaven. This time here is preparing us for eternity. He wants us to come together here now, work together here now as His body reaching out sharing His love.
We will still have the name GraceHaven Ministry. GraceHaven Ministry will be the missions work for GraceHaven Global Fellowship. We are having our first service as a Son Rise Service April 8, 2007 at Buckroe Beach in Hampton at 6:30 am.

Please be praying with us as we seek the Lord's guidance in all of this. We are praying for Him to raise the building in which to meet and a worship leader for music. We know that He already has it worked out and will reveal it to us step by step. To God be the glory!! Amen!!

4 But God who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Eph.2: 4-10