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Pray for Peace "Proclaim
liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants."
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Rev.
Stephen D. Shields |
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Curwensville Alliance Church |
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Church of The Christian and Missionary Alliance |
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I would like to thank everyone who contributed through gifts and prayers to my trip. When I initially asked for donations I never expected the money to pour in quite like it did; God did something amazing and all the money that I needed and wanted came right to my doorstep. Right before I left I began to feel anxious: I wondered if I had made the right choice, wondered if I’d misread the road signs, wondered if I was mature enough mentally and emotionally to go to another continent with people I didn’t know. I prayed and prayed for God’s peace. Want to know what’s weird? As soon as I stepped foot out of the bus and into the Pittsburgh airport I knew that I was in the right place at the right time. I could feel, almost hear, the prayers of those who love me. Throughout the trip I felt so reassured of three things: God was there with me, leading me, guiding me and protecting me; God was working in my heart, changing me into the person He wants me to be; God was making this trip into something I would never forget. I am a dramatic person by nature, and one of my favorite lines is: “That’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me!” Of course, when this statement is made merely in connection to a funny joke told at the lunch table or a gift given to me by a friend, it is completely ridiculous. But when the line is said in connection to this trip, it is 100% true. I cannot think of something the corny line applies to better than this. It was truly the most fun I’ve ever had, the most educational experience I’ve ever had, and the most life changing experience I’ve ever had. I wish I could sit down with each of you and tell you all my stories... enjoy the photos anyway! Thank you so much for all of your prayers—they mean the world to me! ~Esther If you have broadband (or a miraculous dose of patience on dial-up), you can enjoy Esther Shields' Sunday Morning Presentation, right-click to download both the audio and the PowerPoint Presentation. Save each to your desktop and run the presentation. If you do not have PowerPoint or some acceptable alternative, you may need to download the PowerPoint Viewer. The slides run in time with the audio presentation. The first slide has a couple minutes of audio with it, so don't get impatient. If you have trouble, please let me know. If you would rather simply have it on CD, we can make that available for you. Thank you. ~Pastor Steve |
