Thursday already...unbelievable!! We bought our plane tickets this week and will be coming home for Christmas!! We leave Alabama on the 16th and will be in VA until the 27th...we are so excited to see all of our family and friends. My mom is hosting an open house so that we can see as many of you as possible while we are in town. The open house is the 20th from 6-9pm...bring a snack to share if you want and come catch up!! We'd love to see all of you that can make it!
This week has been a busy one...my birthday was last thursday...we had pizzahut, cookies, icecream and a movie. Then we had the Christmas play at the Ramp, that ran thursday night to sunday night. This morning I went to a womens Bible study and heard some awesome testimonies from the community about how the play impacted them. It was so amazing to see so many churches and denominations coming together for the production...and each night it was PACKED!! The play in iteself was extaordinary...the Holy Spirit really wrote it and you can tell when you watch it!!
Winter Ramp begins on the 28th and they have 1,500 people registered to come with 1,600 on a waiting list!!! Unbelievable what God is doing through this tiny town. It just goes to show you that its not about the size you start with, but its about setting your face to be faithful to what God has said. Faithfulness, as hard as it may be at times, in the end is worth it. Reminds me of Galations 6:9 that says, "So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up". Here, they are definately reaping years and years of what has been sown faithfully.
After Winter Ramp, at the beginning of the year, the Ramp is starting to accept applications for an internship they will be starting in August! Everyone here is very excited to see that begin and to have interns here in Hamilton! It is just so good to be here and a small part of what God is doing.
Keep praying for erics job situation--nothing has opened up yet...but we know theres somewhere for him:) In Gods timing! We love all of you! Until next week...
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Revelations from the Revealer
I can hardly believe that it is wednesday again already! This week seems to have flown by. We had our own little Thanksgiving last week. We were STUFFED! We have been job hunting, reading, sewing, and exploring ALABAMA! 20 applications later, eric still hasn't found a job. Prayerfully though, in the next couple weeks we'll hear something.
Tomorrow night the Ramp's Christmas play begins, called "Searching For Christmas". It is the 3rd-6th, so hopefully one night we'll get to go. The community has been practicing and preparing a lot--so we are excited to see what they've put so much time into. The Sunday night service was really powerful. We had a fire tunnel and went through asking for another filling from the Holy Spirit. Damon talked about how vital it is for our Christian lives to stay filled and get refilled by the Holy Spirit. One thing about just being in Gods presence...sometime you don't feel any thing. Sometimes you don't have this great emotional experience. But, when you've been in His presence things change. The Holy Spirit has just been revealing things to us about our hearts and about the Word and about Jesus that we have never known. It is an amazing feeling. I just want my heart to be soft and full of passion for Jesus. Passion that will wake me up in the night. Passion that will bring a song in the middle of the day. Passion that compels me to love.
Please keep praying for us and the community here in Hamilton. Know that you are often on our hearts and in our prayers. Keep seeking first the Kingdom and His righteousness!! May Jesus and what Hes done for us never leave our thoughts.
"God, may we never be so educated, may we never be so mature, may we never be so religious that we see your passion without tears."
-Max Lucado, No Wonder They Call Him Savior
*This week we also put up the tree and our Christmas decorations...I finally finished a quilt I've been working on for Karis. Heres some pics.... Until next week:)
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving
Tomorrow will be our official first holiday away from Virginia. We got to have thanksgiving meals with our families before we moved nevertheless it will still be strange. We decide to have somewhat of a thanksgiving meal for the three of us... chicken, mashed potatoes, greens, stuffing, green beans and dessert:) It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without food!
The past 5 nights have been FULL!! There was a Gathering, starting Friday night til Saturday night. There were probably close to 1,200 people that attended!! It was PACKED!! We saw possibly the most people saved EVER at a Ramp Gathering--from 500-600 people! And then most of those receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is an awesome, wonderful, provoking thing to see people come in that haven't ever met Jesus, but leave with Him.
Because of a great interuption of the Holy Spirit during our Sunday night service, it was continued monday night. Damon expounded upon the power of the cross. Oh that we would never leave the simple truth and power of it. " The cross that saves us slays us." -AW Tozer
Last night at The Ramp we had a community Thanksgiving service. Churches from around the area were invited as well as the community. Although karis spent most of the time in the lobby running around with the other toddlers and eating cookies, the service had a great turnout and the words given were definately timely. America is trying to make everything cultually relevant, including by taking the real meaning of thanksgiving out of thanksgiving...according to wikipedia, "Thanksgiving was historically a religious observation to give thanks to God, but is now primarily identified as a secular holiday" The Judge of Marion County actually presented some awesome facts concerning where we started as a nation and where we have ended up. As a lot of churches from around the area were represented, it was also a great opportunity to target chuch unity. Damon spoke a message, using the story about the 10 lepers, showing the great power we would have as the body of Christ if we came as "us" instead "me" (The lepers asked Jesus to "have mercy on us" not "mercy on ME" !) We want God to send revival EVERYWHERE, not just to us personally. Not just to baptsists. Not just to pentecostals. Not just to christians. But we need revival on the whole earth! God send revival to us!!!
As you can tell-- the past week has been full of Gods presence. As expected, to be in a place where you know few people, is different! But we have met some great people and are so happy to be in a community where so many are going after Gods heart. Love you all!
Until next week...
The past 5 nights have been FULL!! There was a Gathering, starting Friday night til Saturday night. There were probably close to 1,200 people that attended!! It was PACKED!! We saw possibly the most people saved EVER at a Ramp Gathering--from 500-600 people! And then most of those receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is an awesome, wonderful, provoking thing to see people come in that haven't ever met Jesus, but leave with Him.
Because of a great interuption of the Holy Spirit during our Sunday night service, it was continued monday night. Damon expounded upon the power of the cross. Oh that we would never leave the simple truth and power of it. " The cross that saves us slays us." -AW Tozer
Last night at The Ramp we had a community Thanksgiving service. Churches from around the area were invited as well as the community. Although karis spent most of the time in the lobby running around with the other toddlers and eating cookies, the service had a great turnout and the words given were definately timely. America is trying to make everything cultually relevant, including by taking the real meaning of thanksgiving out of thanksgiving...according to wikipedia, "Thanksgiving was historically a religious observation to give thanks to God, but is now primarily identified as a secular holiday" The Judge of Marion County actually presented some awesome facts concerning where we started as a nation and where we have ended up. As a lot of churches from around the area were represented, it was also a great opportunity to target chuch unity. Damon spoke a message, using the story about the 10 lepers, showing the great power we would have as the body of Christ if we came as "us" instead "me" (The lepers asked Jesus to "have mercy on us" not "mercy on ME" !) We want God to send revival EVERYWHERE, not just to us personally. Not just to baptsists. Not just to pentecostals. Not just to christians. But we need revival on the whole earth! God send revival to us!!!
As you can tell-- the past week has been full of Gods presence. As expected, to be in a place where you know few people, is different! But we have met some great people and are so happy to be in a community where so many are going after Gods heart. Love you all!
Until next week...
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Our New Home Away From Home
Well- we have finally made it to Hamilton. We have made 4 trips to Wal-Mart, unpacked almost all of our boxes, and ahve rearranged the furniture in Karis' room 3 or 4 times. Its starting to look like home, even though it still only feels like a vacation.
We ventured out last night to Tupelo, MS, which is about 45 minutes away from Hamilton. We were looking for baskets for storage in our closets. Apparently though, in Alababma and Mississippi, noone uses baskets...because there were none to be found in any Wal-Mart around. I guess I'll have to order them online!
Here are some pictures of the apartment--it is still a bit of a mess since we are still unpacking...but take a look.
I'll post up some more next week once we get our internet hooked up...the wireless signal I'm picking up is really faint so the pics are uploading really slow.
Tonight we are going to the Ramp for wednesday night service. It'll be our first time there since we've gotten here. We are looking forward to what God has in store for us over this next year. Keep in touch and come and visit us! We should be back in town for Christmas--dates to come:)
We'll post again next week!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
"There will be a generation who knows who they are..."
Almost 2 weeks out until our move now. We have a few more churches to visit over the next two weeks: Crossroads on the 4th, ROC on the 8th...and I think thats it. All of our support packets have been sent and we aren't as close to our fundraising goal as we had hoped, but God will provide.
I was reading a blog from the Ramp's website last night that definately was another confirmation that we aren't COMPLETELY crazy...or maybe we are crazy. Either way, its where God wants us and thats an awesome feeling...a scary, awesome feeling. The blog was talking about how as christians we all get to a point where we realize or concede to the fact that we don't have to have our lives all figured out. And actually, it would be better if we didn't. We are at a place in our lives where we don't know for sure what the future may hold, but we do know who God is and what He has said for right now.
"Finding peace in the unknown is quite simple and freeing when you accept it. First, you must trust the Lord: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5,6). Second, have confidence in your pursuit: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33)."
"There will be a generation who knows who they are because they know who their God is." Damon Thompson
And so--here in this very place we find ourselves. Not knowing all of the details, but know who He is and that He has said go. It is an ease to know we don't have to figure out the long term details.
I was reading a blog from the Ramp's website last night that definately was another confirmation that we aren't COMPLETELY crazy...or maybe we are crazy. Either way, its where God wants us and thats an awesome feeling...a scary, awesome feeling. The blog was talking about how as christians we all get to a point where we realize or concede to the fact that we don't have to have our lives all figured out. And actually, it would be better if we didn't. We are at a place in our lives where we don't know for sure what the future may hold, but we do know who God is and what He has said for right now.
"Finding peace in the unknown is quite simple and freeing when you accept it. First, you must trust the Lord: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5,6). Second, have confidence in your pursuit: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33)."
"There will be a generation who knows who they are because they know who their God is." Damon Thompson
And so--here in this very place we find ourselves. Not knowing all of the details, but know who He is and that He has said go. It is an ease to know we don't have to figure out the long term details.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
One Month Away
In exactly one month we will be on our way to Hamilton Alabama. One more step on this journey pursuing the heart of Jesus. We have all of our things moved and we are waiting in great expectation of what this next year of of life will hold. We have walked through an array of emotions over the last several months of preparation. We have been very happy and very sad. Very excited and very scared. We have been very trusting of the Lord and then very nervous about stepping out on faith. As the moving day approaches, I'm sure we will feel all of these emotions again, and yet there is a great excitement within us to see what the Lord has in store.
Over the next several weeks we will be traveling to churches around the area sharing our heart for this generation and the american church. Hopefully we will see you, but if not we would love to send you some information about what we're walking through. Also, posted at the top of our blog page, there are 2 links to videos, taken from the Ramp in Hamilton, that show where we're going and do a great job of expressing our hearts. Please watch them. Only 4% of my generation have such a relationship with Jesus, that they share their faith. We want to change that, but revival in America begins in each of us, asking God to revive and awaken our own hearts.
We love you all. Thank you so much for your prayers and support. We will be job hunting and fundraising over these next few weeks. Pray for us and believe that we have a faithful God.
Over the next several weeks we will be traveling to churches around the area sharing our heart for this generation and the american church. Hopefully we will see you, but if not we would love to send you some information about what we're walking through. Also, posted at the top of our blog page, there are 2 links to videos, taken from the Ramp in Hamilton, that show where we're going and do a great job of expressing our hearts. Please watch them. Only 4% of my generation have such a relationship with Jesus, that they share their faith. We want to change that, but revival in America begins in each of us, asking God to revive and awaken our own hearts.
We love you all. Thank you so much for your prayers and support. We will be job hunting and fundraising over these next few weeks. Pray for us and believe that we have a faithful God.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
MOVING TIME
Well- God has definitely been so faithful. We have our whole apartment packed up, prepared to move, and just found out that we were approved to get our apartment in Alabama. We will move our things there next week and will make our big move mid- November. This is such a huge step of faith for us, but God proves himself faithful over and over.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Who We Are
Eric and Andrea McBride have served over the last five years in Redemption Ministries in several areas of ministry: Youth Pastoring, Young Adult Ministry and founding and directing Petersburg Masters Commission, a 9-month internship that discipled young adults. Eric and Andrea have a heart to see America turn back to God, whatever that may cost them. They are presently traveling to churches and youth ministries sharing the vision that God has given them to help awaken this generation, called The Lazarus Project. They have a heart to mother and father this generation who is asleep and to awaken the church to take their place as the bride of Christ. God has marked them to cry out for holiness and for the church to radically pursue Jesus. They live their lives and and make their decisions based on the stirring in their heart that Jesus is coming back soon and we need to get ready. They have an 18 month old daughter, Karis Rayne, and reside in Hopewell, Va.
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