The office has been quiet today. The silence kills me, mainly because it drives my brain in a million different directions, and I can not focus.

Fall is approaching, and the Fall Festival is right around the corner. I am so excited to see what will happen this year at the festival. We are actually having live music this year, and the band coming out happens to be two of my best friends. I just got off the phone with them- James and Charlie- and my heart is extremely happy. Not only is this a great opportunity for our church, but this is a great opportunity for them. It's exciting for me to watch my friends lives grow and shape into what they are wanting it to be. Giving them an opportunity like this makes my heart happy, and seeing them live up to their dreams makes me proud.

So this post is a tribute to dreamers. A tribute to the rock and roll stars, the actors, film writers, journalists, doctors, teachers, dancers, pastors, and scientists everywhere. Here's to you dreamers, with your wild imaginations, innovation, and incredible motivation. Here's to the hearts that can't be broken, to the dreamers who refuse to give up. Here's to living out your passion, giving everything, holding nothing back. Here's to the wide eyed, child like nature, full of belief. Here's to losing some, here is to gaining many. Here's to the one who wouldn't stand down, who gave everyone the ability to believe in something, no matter the size of the dream . Here's to you dreamers. Keep dreaming, even after your dreams become a reality.

I am so proud of Charlie and James. The fact that they didn't settle with getting by. The fact that they didn't let logic tell them how to live their lives. So many people miss out on their dreams, and what God has for them, simply because they live safely.

They listen to reason, they listen to what everyone around them says... and they miss out. The fact that I can say my friends are not missing out makes me beam. They are risk takers, adventurous, letting passion for music fuel their drive. Some might say this is reckless, worthless, pointless even... how foolish those some are. They have obviously never chased a dream. Not only that, but I know they are trusting God to take them where they want to be.

I am so glad I can be a part of this experience in their lives. So honored to be helping them out.

So here is to you, Charlie and James. Keep living the dream. Stop at nothing. I can't wait to see where this road leads. I love y'all.

Everyone needs to make it a point to make the shows lined up for October 29th and 30th! Help support two very awesome musicians! I promise you don't want to miss out!

Market Place Ministers

Yesterday was my first day on my second job. I finally did what I have been avoiding for months now and got another job. I was wanting to stick to strictly ministry. It's so much easier to pour your heart into something you spend all your time on. But when I found a job that would work around my schedule at the church, and would only work me nights and Saturdays, I had to jump on it.

Disappointed because it was not a job in ministry ( simply because that is my passion), I started praying about my new job. God reminded me that it is still ministry. Market Place ministers is the term my dear Mission director, Patrick Ballington, would have used. So I started praying in advance for God to give me opportunities to share Him and His word with those in my workplace. I mean I covered all the basics, "God anoint my tongue. Anoint my path. Place people in my path. Remind me that every path I cross, I leave my mark..." and so on.

Silly me, I placed God in a box. I didn't expect Him to answer so quickly. I figured I would come to work, and after several, several weeks, one of the co-workers would have a breakdown, need some advice and "DUH-NA-NA-NA!!!!" It's Gabbi to the rescue. But God has a funny sense of humor, and a great way of showing it. First day on the job, and during one of my breaks I started talking with a co-worker trying to get to know her better. I asked her where she was from and what she was doing with life. She opened up immediately, telling me about her 13 year old daughter, her husband, how they had just moved not too long ago, and how she loved the job. She then began to tell me more about her daughter. She mentioned that she wanted to get her connected to a good crowd, and possibly a church. She said that she felt like their old church was judgemental, and hypocritical, and that they had not been in church in well over a year.

My mind was reeling, and just when I thought I might start laughing she says, "So what do you do besides this??" And I laughed. Right out loud, in front of her. I grinned ear to ear and laughed. She said, "What?"

I smiled as I said, "Well ma'am, I'm an Outreach Minister with House of Prayer International. And I am a Student Pastor intern..."

You should have seen her jaw drop. She sat and just blinked at me for a while and then finally managed a, "No Way!" She seemed just as shocked as I was. After I shared some stuff with her and told her about our Student Ministries and how to get her daughter connected, I excused myself back to the front of the store, and started to thank God. Already He had placed someone in my life I could reach, and I felt Him say, "I'm going to start doing this in every area, as long as you seek me on it."

My heart has been smiling since then. I don't normally pray for God to put someone in my path at church, because that's why people are there, to learn, or hear God's word, or be ministered to, but God has changed that view of mine so much lately, and I started praying for that as well. And tonight God placed me in a room with a few of my students at just the right time. The conversations that came up were amazing, and to watch God speak, not just through me, but also through some of the students was amazing.

I am excited to see what new things God will do next. I'm not sure what lives I may touch with my new job, or how God is going to do it. But I am praying it is greatly.

"God, use me, all of me, Greatly."

Let this always be our prayer.

Bitter-Sweet Symphony

Life has been full of adventure and joy lately. Everything seems to be falling into the right places. My health has gradually become better as my cholesterol goes down, my thyroid balances out and my blood sugar steadily decreases.

The student ministries, (Transformers, 412, and Fusion), is slowly but gradually growing, and the fire and passion in our core students has increased incredibly. My heart is overwhelmed as I look around and watch our students, from Junior high to College age, lose themselves in worship and God's word. We have talked a lot about unity and working as a team lately. We have driven home the need to love one another and live in a community together, before God will allow our ministry to grow.

I was really doubtful at first when God laid this on my heart to share with our students, because I felt our group was very set in their "Cliques" and would not want the change. But God always knows better, and it was amazing to watch our group mesh and become a real family. Our group is so unique. The ages range so wide, from 12 to 26. We have so many "individuals" with their own style and ways of thinking, yet they all seem to get along and work as if they were the same.

This simple fact, that a group so diverse, can work so well together really makes my heart happy. Because of this, no one ever does the same thing, their jobs are all different, but they all work to help each other to accomplish the same goal. It has made me ecstatic to hear different students come to me and say they love how amazing our group is, and how much it means to them to have a family to come to.

This past week has been spring break for many of our students and almost every day I have had more than 2 students in our offices or over at my house, just because they want to be at the church or with the group. We had 12 students over last night just to eat and hang out with their "Family". I can not explain the feeling I get knowing that God is working in our group, but not just that, but also that He is using me to help in this process. Of all people He called me to this group at this time. This alone keeps me smiling everyday.

But along with all of this joy my heart has been hit with much sorrow lately as well. God has been placing on my heart a burden for those who do not know Him personally. My heart has literally been breaking over the knowledge that people everyday are dying without knowing Him. They can not change their belief anymore, they can not turn and ask for help. They are eternally separated from God, from redemption, from love, and from a savior. I feel like God has been showing me His heart, and allowing it to break as His breaks. This sorrow and pain is not just for people outside of our church, but in our church. My heart mourns over kids and students in our group.

Their is this one particular kid that God has placed on my heart lately. His brother is in Fusion, our college group, and is the main reason he started coming to church. He has grown so much since he started coming over a year ago. But his heart is still so far from where it needs to be. Though he has realized how incredible Jesus is, and how significant His sacrifice and life was, he is not willing to give up many of the things that separate him from God. He keeps saying "I believe everything. It's OK, and I know I have to keep believing." But he does not want to put the faith into action. It taste good on his tongue, but doesn't jive with his step, and it breaks me.

He walked into my house tonight with a cigarette tucked behind his ear. It took me a minute to catch what it was. I pulled it out while asking, "What is this?" He didn't even hesitate to answer, "It's my cigarette" and snatch it back quickly and put it back behind his ear.

"Dude. Why?" is all I could get out. He tried to explain how he doesn't smoke often, only socially, but I could tell he had a hard time getting out a good excuse. It was like he is searching for anything to fill up some void he has. He gets into so much trouble as it is.

And so with my joy, comes sorrow. It's been a bitter sweet symphony for me. As things fall into place, and things begin to change, I want to just celebrate in what is happening, but it seems like no matter how much progress we make, there is always the few things that seem to bring me back down to earth.

My heart is crying for God to radically speak to these students, to these people in our church. God when? God how? Use me God. How will you use me?

But I am met with silence.

It's a bitter sweet symphony.

A tribute to my Drug.- THIRST

I have come to the conclusion that I may be addicted-yes, addicted- to Diet Coke. Not just Diet Coke really, but any form of diet drink that is made. I love the way it tastes, the way that the bubbly carbonated beverage tickles my throat as I swallow it, and yes, even the little bit of caffeine that I get when I drink it. I have always been a heavy drinker, (by this I mean I am always have a drink in my hand. Usually diet drinks, if not, water.), and I have always gulped drinks down with my meals.

My friends are always making fun of me. They call diet coke "my drug" and it didn't help when at certain restaurants they began to recognize us, and the waiter/waitresses would bring a pitcher of diet coke with them to our table and simply leave it there.

It is really hard for me to go a few days without some sort of diet soda. I almost get headaches from the fact that I have not had some sort of carbonation slide down my throat. It's worse than my coffee addiction. And today at lunch, I decided I needed some help.

The waitress had brought our drinks to the table and by the time we had placed our orders, I had finished my , rather large, diet coke. She looked at my glass rather quizzically, then to me, then to my glass, and scratching her head, mumbled, "I will be back with another drink."

My family stared at me with their mouths open and said, "You already drank that?"

I stared at my glass and then said, "... well... I was thirsty"

Throughout the rest of the lunch I had 6 refills. 6.

I can not explain the thirst I have constantly. The need to have a drink with me at all times can get so annoying! And as I came to the conclusion that, I really, really need help with my "problem" ( ha ). I started thinking. (I do this a lot. Is it healthy? I don't know. But my mind is constantly moving.)

What if we had the same "unquenchable" thirst for a relationship with God? I know, I know. Everyone has heard something along these lines before. But the reality of what that thirst would be like if it were anything close to my thirst for drinks, hit me like a ton of bricks.

That is some thirst. And if we tried just as hard to quench it? I think our lives would be completely rocked out of this world. If we tried to keep our relationship with him on our top priority. If we carried that desire with us wherever we went. What if we had God with us like I kept a drink with me? Would that desire grow more? Would we try harder to build that relationship? Would we ever find that thirst quenched? What possibilities! What goals could be accomplished? What doors would open? What new levels of our destiny would we reach? Who would we touch? What lives would we reach, if we thirsted, like a diet coke addict thirsted for her Drink, for God.

Stubbed toes

I hate when I wake up in the middle of the night and have to use the bathroom or really need a drink of water. I did this the other night. It always seems to happen right in the middle of a good dream, or while I am actually getting some good rest. I am oblivious to the world, lost in the enchantment of my dreams, drooling usually, when its like a slap to my face. BAM- I am awake, and man do I have to go.

What I hate even more about waking up in the middle of the night, is having to get out of my nice warm bed where my sheets are hugging me nice and tight, and my pillow is gently carressing my head. I have to throw off my sheets, feel my fan that is on high hit me full blast, and proceed to feel my way towards the bathroom.
That is another thing I hate. Fumbling around in the dark trying to find my way to a room I didnt even want to go to in the first place. I would much rather be back in my bed, comfortable and dreaming of my prince charming, houses made of cupcakes, or having the power to fly. Common sense would tell you to turn a light on. But does this ever happen when you are up in the middle of the night. No. I just continue to grope in the dark until I run into something. Yes. Toe-to-edge of furniture senario. And it hurts. My hand goes racing to my toe, as if this will make it all better. By placing my hand over my toes and shouting "Crap, crap, CRAP!!!" I feel I have accomplished... well.. nothing. I actually just work myself up more. Now am I not only out of my warm bed, not dreaming about prince charming, my toe is also throbbing to no end and I am flustered.

And in the middle of all this I began to think, "This is exactly what my spiritual life is like sometimes."

I am completely in my comfort zone. I am used to the comfort of a situation or a place, and I am warm, and cozy and in no mood to move. I am dreaming. I feel good. Out of no where God says to me, "Gabrielle, move. Get up, get out of your comfort zone. Do something new. Do something different. Grow. Get up. Move." And I dont want to. "But God I am comfortable, I feel fine. Things are going smooth. I dont want to move"
It's so funny how being in our comfort zone is like being in a state of sleep. It is just like being oblivious to the world, and laying down in our nice bed. Asleep. It's just like God too, waking us up, telling us to move. He strips the covers away from us, and that breeze from our fan that is on high hits us with a stinging wake up call. "MOVE."

When we do finally accept this call from God, it is alot like fumbling around in the dark, searching for our destination. I hate that. I hate not being able to see where I am going. I hate not knowing what I am doing. I want to see the end to this very long, very dark tunnel. It's uncomfortable. But God seems to offer us an option. "Take my hand."
It's simple really. He just says, "Take my hand"
My response or excuse for not doing so usually goes like this, "But God... it's dark. And I can't see. And I am uncomfortable."
I can almost hear God laughing at me as he says, "So. You dont need any of that to take my hand silly"
He never said he would turn the light on. He never said we would see. But he did promise that if we took His hand and let us lead, that we would be less likely to stubb our toes. Because he can see where we are going, and He will lead us around the obsticales.

But just like stubborn me, in the middle of the night, not wanting to turn the light on, I refuse to take His hand. Somehow, I know better than he does. And Obviously I can see in this pitch balck darkness.

So I stumble around in the dark. And I stubb my toe. And as I grab at the hurt, and scream at the pain, God cradles me, soothes it, and then simply says to me, "Will you take my hand now?"

Somebody has to say it...

Abortion is an issue that evokes on all sides. Every type of emotion comes out when the issue is brought up. The issue is always going from one extreme to another. It is usually avoided at all costs because of these reasons. Christians are the worst at taking it to the extreme. Half of us are seen standing outside abortion clinics with signs that state the mother is a "baby hater" and screaming that they are murderers, or we remain silent. Afraid to face the issue and see it for what it really is because we might "offend somebody" or "step on some toes". Our goal is to remain a peace keeper, rather than become a peace maker. But the absence of conflict is not peace. And it is proven when we sit at the feet of this issue and do nothing, and we say we are keeping peace, but all the while we are in turmoil inside. Our heart is not at peace.
So this is the purpose of this post. Somebody has to say it. Somebody has to face this issue, and state the hard facts and the truth from both sides.
Somebody has to say it.
Obviously abortion is wrong. It is murder. I am not afraid to simply state the fact that this is what I believe. It is hard for me to accept abortion as something that is ok, when in my eyes you are killing a child. But I also know that more than likely, a woman going into a clinic to have an abortion is not going in with the thought of killing a baby in her mind. Before my heart becomes angry at this issue, it first breaks. Not at the fact that there are 1.37 million babies are being aborted yearly, or 37 hundred are being aborted daily. My heart breaks for the woman. What last resort must she be at. What must she be feeling? What must she be thinking? What if for once, instead of someone yelling at her that she is a murderer, someone tried talking with her, sitting in her shoes, tried understanding her story and showed some compassion? What has happened to our compassion? Why have we lost our since of truth so deeply that we no longer do anything anymore. And we think we are helping someone by standing down, not stating what we believe, not getting involved. But we are actually hurting more than we are helping. I believe that if we began to stand more for issues like these, our compassion would rise more. I am tired of standing on the sidelines of these issues, watching lives become lost, and hearts remain broken and unmended, when we could be doing something to solve the issue. When we could be hands and feet, if we would only begin to let the truth speak for itself. It needs no introduction. It needs no explaining. Truth is simply truth. The truth is, Abortion is wrong. IT IS WRONG. It harms not only the life inside of a woman, it hurts the woman. It effects everything in her life. It effects those that touch her life and the issue. The truth is, THE WOMAN ARE HURTING. They need someone to be there, no matter the decision they make. To love them irregardless. And to stop yelling at them for a minute and just listen.

What are your thoughts on this subject. I would love to hear your opinions.
And one more question- What are you going to do about it?

Just to inform you

I am a morning, mid-day and night time person. I look a mess in the mornings. I can not function without some form of coffee when I get up. I like to have atleast another cup midway through the day. I can get cranky when I haven't gotten much sleep. I am not organized in the least. I am creative. I am loud. I talk ALOT. I am flawed. I have many weaknesses. I have learned to overcome. I am not afraid to be myself. Though there have been times when that fear overwhelmed me. I have a hard time keeping a consistant schedule, mainly because I am always looking for something new and inventive to do. I am a hands on person. Give me a job, I promise to get it done. I hate studying, but I love learning. I am clingy. I am optimistic. I can not spell. My grammer can be messed up at times. But ironicly I love writing. I am emotional. I am enthusiastic. I am not hard to read. I will let you know how I feel without hesitation. When I know, I know. Don't question me. I am broken. I have issues. I am still learning to manage them. I think I always will be. I love people. I am passionate. Push my passion buttons, I may never be quiet. I want to share my heart. I want to share it with you.