A look back: Center for Global Actions. (first semester)

A look back: Center for Global Actions. 

(first semester)

It’s seven days until Christmas. Tomorrow morning, I hop on a plane to take me nine hundred miles north. Today, I finish up on my work projects, say countless goodbyes, and praise the Lord for all of the amazing things that have taken place over the past four months here. Today wraps up my first semester at Center for Global Action (CGA).

My time here has flown by! It’s been rewarding, hard, painful, and some of the best times of my life. I’ve grown in more ways then I can count. I am pressed with new challenges daily to help me grow, and I welcome them, gladly. I live in a community of like minded believers, who are on fire for the Kingdom. As iron sharpens iron, we sharpen each other.

I was honored to be a part of  Worship Track. We dove into the heart of worship, and what a lifestyle of worship looks like. I had four amazing leaders, who are full of inspiring wisdom, knowledge and freedom. Through this course, I gained deep insight to the power worship brings, and the ways it’s able to literally change atmospheres, cities and nations.

They caught wind of my singing, and ran with it. They took the time to pour into me, and challenge me in such loving and honoring ways.  I’ve had the honor of helping lead worship down at our cities square, in local churches, in Pennsylvania, for our all staff Monday morning worships, and lead two hour sets, at our twelve hour burns. Then I had the incredible privilege of leading at the first ever     Beauty for Ashes Retreat, for teen girls. 

 I completed my two classes of  “Dangerous Jesus” and “Calling”.  

With these, I had my mind blown weekly. The knowledge, wisdom, and power of the Holy Sprit that was present was insane. 

In Dangerous Jesus, I learned of the radical way Jesus calls us to live, and what that looks like for me. I was challenged, pushed out of my comfort zone, and poured into. I learned what biblical discipleship looks like, and how to go out and disciple others myself, among so many other things. In Calling, I was given the tools to look back and dive into what the Lord has already put in place for my calling, that I was totally unaware of. I was coached and encouraged, and at the end of it all, I can confidently say that I know what the Lord’s calling on my life is.

I have worked in the department of “Short Term Missions” (STM) at Adventures in Missions. I have learned first hand all of the work that go into sending thousands of missionaries onto the field. I’ve gained real life skills, and grown in networking with other missionaries, and I get to influence thousands of people (literally) through my work with our social media marketing.

This season has been the start of my life in full time ministry, and I am so overjoyed that the Lord chooses to use me. My relationship with the Lord these past four months has been incredible. He’s leading me into a deeper intimacy with him, teaching me obedience, and showing me that no matter whats going on around me, all I need is to keep my eyes on Him. 

It’s a humbling thing to be 100% support raised. It’s humbling knowing that I’m paying for groceries with money that the Lord has provided for me, through my amazing supporters. It brings about full dependence on Jesus, and a deeper faith then I could have ever imagined. But I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without those who support me, from what the Lord chooses to do through you. So, thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for your investments in eternal things. Because of you, the Kingdom of the living God is advancing. I truly think of you all as a part of this ministry team, and together, we are claiming souls, and taking territory for the Kingdom.

His Kingdom come, His will be done.

On earth as it is in heaven.

Merry Christmas, and an abundance of blessings to you and your families!

Much love,

-Brookie

I am only $3,200 dollars away from being fully funded! If you would like to donate to Adventures in Missions, on my behalf, check out all the ways you can give here: http://brookgelinas.blogspot.com/p/support-me.html

Why getting married isn’t enough for me.

Why getting married isn’t enough for me.

I grew up with the dream of getting married, having babies and being a mom. I mean, my mom and my grandma married young, so I just assumed the same would happen for me. I thought that my calling in life was to be a wife and a mother. 

But when high school graduation rolled around, no perspective husbands were lurking about, and I failed to find any college majors in “mommy hood”.  

Since then, and I’ve grown in more ways then I could ever count, and I've learned a few things about myself. 

 It’s not enough for me in life to just be married.

Let me explain.

I believe that marriage and motherhood is the most beautiful and precious thing. I believe that it’s the Lords design, and it’s something I still want and desire. 

But thats not my life calling. 

This is my life calling:

“Inspiring and leading others into a life of intimacy

   with the Father where they will discover their 

         full potential, freedom, and adventure”.

My life’s calling is so much bigger then what I had deemed it to be. It’s about bringing His kingdom to earth, its about proclaiming His love, His freedom, His life, and who He says that we are! It is this calling that covers every aspect of my life. In singleness, in marriage, in motherhood. 

Marriage is such a temporary thing for here in this life.  As John Piper says

“Marriage is meant (marriage exists) to display the covenant between Christ and his church”. 

Yes, I still dream of being married. But I have bigger dreams for my life then to be married, just for the sake of being married. I dream of being a husband and wife team, on fire for the Lord together. Being as one mind and soul, doing crazy, radical things for His Kingdom here on earth.

But there are ways I can better display this convent as a single woman now, then a married woman ever could. for example;

“She will bear witness that relationships in Christ are more permanent and precious then relationships in families. If she can leave her family without bitterness and regret, and build into the family of  God and build into His kingdom, then she will find treasures better then she ever dreamed of and flower her womanhood in such amazing and unique ways beyond anything you've ever imagined. She also bears witness to the truth that marriage is temporary, and finally gives way in the end to the relationship that it was pointing to all along.” (My notes taken from the podcast “the ultimate meaning of true womanhood -John Piper).

 Marriage is not the main thing.

 It's momentary. 

Jesus Christ is forever.