Encounter 2012

The spirit of God....

On the 7th July 2010 I was in Inverness for a meeting with a mentee (I oversee the mentoring programme for Avanti Ministries). I was looking for a retreat venue my mentee had lived in the Aviemore area for five years and knew all of the possible facilities that could cater for a large number of people. The last venue that she showed me was a resort called the Macdonald Resort. We both thought that it would be too expensive, but went in to look around.

Julie boldly walked to the reception, asked if it was possible to look at the conference rooms, within minutes we found ourselves in the auditorium, which doubled as a cinema, seating 600 people. I felt the Spirit of God ask me to walk to the back and look forward. God revealed the seats were full of women. In fact it would be correct to say that I dismissed the idea.

Prior to going to Inverness I had applied for Job Seekers allowance. On my return I went for the regular two weekly appointment, where I mentioned that I had not received confirmation of my eligibility. It appeared that the form that college had to send had been lost in the post. Due to this Job Seekers said that they would send another that related to my college course, what arrived was a questionnaire referring to my voluntary work for Avanti Ministries. Indignantly, I called the 0845 number that should have put me through to the Job Seekers department in Belfast. Instead I heard this "Welcome to the Macdonald Resort in Aviemore, you have five options". Now some sixteen months later...

In faith I have booked the venue for a woman's conference from 9th-11th November 2012.

Prayer request

God will reveal his will for the event Colossians 1:9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

God will reveal his will for the women of the UK. Mark 9:21 For she said within herself, If only I shall touch His robe, I will be whole.

She Matters 21st December 2011

On the 21st December 2011, myself and Kalbi Massey were guests on She Matters with Birgit Whelan. We were chatting about how as women we can keep Christ at the heart of Christmas. It was so good to spend time with my friends, talking of God's first gift, his son Jesus, of the scriptural setting of the recounts of His birth and how today peace and joy are still found at the heart of christmas when we trust in him.

Evangelist Training Day

If you would like to join us for the evangelist training day please email me on tina@avantiministries.com

Spirit of God

On the 7TH July 2010 I was in Inverness for a meeting with a mentee (I oversee the mentoring programme for Avanti Ministries). I was looking for a retreat venue my mentee had lived in the Aviemore area for five years and knew all of the possible facilities that could cater for a large number of people. The last venue that she showed me was a resort called the Macdonald Resort. We both thought that it would be too expensive, but went in to look around. Julie boldly walked to the reception, asked if it was possible to look at the conference rooms, within minutes we found ourselves in the auditorium, which doubled as a cinema, seating 600 people. I felt the Spirit of God ask me to walk to the back and look forward. God revealed the seats were full of women. In fact it would be correct to say that I dismissed the idea. Prior to going to Inverness I had applied for Job Seekers allowance. On my return I went for the regular two weekly appointment, where I mentioned that I had not received confirmation of my eligibility. It appeared that the form that college had to send had been lost in the post. Due to this Job Seekers said that they would send another that related to my college course, what arrived was a questionnaire referring to my voluntary work for Avanti Ministries. Indignantly, I called the 0845 number that should have put me through to the Job Seekers department in Belfast. Instead I heard this “Welcome to the Macdonald Resort in Aviemore, you have five options”. Now some sixteen months later…

In faith I have booked the venue for 9th-11th November 2012.

For more information contact me through Avanti Ministries

FLOURISH 2011

Avanti Women’s Conference  

Total Dependence on God  

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I shall not be shaken.  My salvation and my honour depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.  Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Psalm 62: 5- 8

Date:- 22^nd  October 2011                                            

Time:- 9.30am – 3pm

Venue:- Crowstone St George's URC
               91 Crowstone Road
               Westcliff-On-Sea
               SS0 8LH

If you would like to attend please email me at tina@avantiministries.com

French Guiana

Women without Limits

CCI-MPE

Cayenne

French Guiana

When we arrive Friday evening we went along to the church and met the team who were also ministering during the ladies conference. Janeth Barrios from Bogotá with her husband Lois and Gisèle Saint-Hilaire. It was important to worship with the team. The worship was great and many of the young people were involved in dance and drama. The conference was for the women at the church with an outreach event on Friday and Saturday evening, hence the dance and drama elements of the meeting. Pastor Annic Roellinger was the host for the weekend. Julie Russell one of my mentees from the Avanti mentoring programme was able to raise the necessary funds to accompany me on the mission. Flora, Pastors Dominique and Annic's daughter translated for us.

Julie, Flora and myself

Saturday was a long day, we started early with Julie giving her testimony followed by myself speaking on Isaiah 62. On Saturday evening I gave my testimony of how Jesus had brought healing and restoration to my life. I was aware of the incest issues as well as sexual abuse that many women in French Guiana have experienced. Pastor Annic had asked that I reveal the extent of the consequences and the spiritual dimension to the abuse that I experienced. I have to say that when I left the stage there was silence... Gisele followed with her testimony of being healed from Aids but then gave an alter call recapping the things that I had said, many women came to the front. It is difficult to say whether or not they were giving their life to Jesus or asking for prayer. The church has an amazing discipleship programme each person will be contacted within 48 hours and be integrated into a cell within a week; someone will follow up with them on a regular basis. 

Worship Band

Amazing how God had put the programme together, there was such a hunger and openness to the gospel message. I had a chance meeting with a radio presenter on the plane on Friday. She has invited me to speak on the radio on Monday between 10 and 11.

Sunday morning gave an opportunity to encourage the church, both men and women to take the blessings that they had received over the weekend (The men met together on Saturday) into their nation. Julie gave testimony of how God had encouraged her with a picture of her garden. I encourage the women to be women without limits. God had lain on my heart to speak about Timothy and his mother and Grandmother, but also how Jesus went into the wilderness filled with the Spirit but came out of the wilderness in the power of the Spirit. Women and men who feel that they are in the wilderness can be assured that their faith will be increased and that they will come out in the power of Jesus.

On Monday morning I had the divine appointment... I was given an opportunity to speak on RMP gospel radio. With a bold vision RMP has been broadcasting for just over one year. Louisa was the presenter and it was she that I met on the aero plane. It was a God inspired meeting, Louisa spoke little English but she had seen me using my bible. There were a few technical problems to begin with, but the interview went really well. I felt the words come from God; the Spirit was certainly in the studio.

It is difficult to feed back to you exactly what God has done in French Guiana over the last weekend due to the difference in language. However, the pastor and his wife were thrilled with the feedback that they had been given. God had touched many people and they were assured that they would see lives changed over the coming months. Pastor Dominique and his wife Annic have employed the G12 discipleship process at their church. This has definitely supported their entire congregation in having an intimate relationship with Jesus, whilst also having a way of encouraging accountability.

Pastor Lois Barrios and his wife Janeth are members of the G12. G12 was first modeled in Bogota, Colombia by Pastor César Castellanos and his wife Claudia. It was good to talk with them and Pastor Lois prayed for me just before I left. Their teaching was amazing; God placed me in a place that would also help with my masters. Awesome! My dissertation is on a strategic proposal for a mentoring programme for Evangelists who work with Avanti...

Uganda 2011

When I was at college, I had a laptop case that was similar to a small suitcase on wheels, I would be asked you off somewhere Tina and I would reply, “It’s prophetic, I’m not today but one day.” Little did I know the plans that God had for me.  Since 2009, I have been to Northern Ireland, Scotland and Uganda speaking of God’s Grace in my life. We saw many people come to know Jesus as saviour and released into a fresh and empowering relationship with God through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Since returning from Uganda I have had time to reflect upon the importance of team work and the need for brothers and sisters around the world to work together in unity in order for the Gospel to be preached to every person. For myself, I was a captive to my God given purpose in the UK, I had let the mundane and trivial take my focus from my passion to see people released into their God given purpose. In Uganda I was released into my calling to heal the broken hearted and expand the Kingdom of God.

The Ugandan people are gentle and humble, with a desperate need of spiritual and financial support. We saw an unbalanced distribution of wealth- some churches were poor others prosperous; yet all had a heart for the Gospel message to be preached to their nation. I was moved by their openness and hunger for the Word of God as well as their desire to learn how to preach the gospel in their communities. I knew that I had been given a chance to see the bigger picture, now I have to walk it out!