'Encounter' in New England! Tour dates below!

"

"I called, you answered, and you came to my rescue...!"

They shouted at the top of their lungs! The voices of the free!

On Friday the 12th of March we had the great honor of being able to perform 'Encounter' for participants of 'Teen Challenge'; a biblically based live in rehab center for alcohol and drug addicts of all ages. This center was just for males. This meant that only the men of our ministry could minister to them but that left the females free to sit and pray for each person. We did our production and entered worship and they shouted and sung with all their hearts! These were men who understood the true freedom of Jesus! Their boldness in worship released such a spirit of joy that spread throughout the room and that led others to raise their hands also. 

Many of them knew Jesus but 4 of them raised their hands to receive Jesus with us at the end! They humbly came and sweetly surrendered! It was such an honor for John to get to minister to these broken men and speak to them about the God of all hope. 

These last weeks have been crazy! Preparing for our 6 week tour...this is new ground for all of us! Our dates are being booked up and our dream is becoming a reality! If God is for us who can be against us!

This Saturday (20th March) we will be at Abundant Grace Church on Guest Street in Brighton, MA (Next to New Balance Factory) at 7pm! Please come and see us. 
Or you could come the morning of the 21st March to St Cyrs Church in Laconia NH.
Or if you live south of Boston why not check us out at Evangelical Congregational Church of the Atlantic in Quincy, MA at 7pm on Sunday 28th March.
And last but not least, and this may be New Englanders last chance to see this before we tour, we will be at Mount Zion Christian School in Manchester NH on the evening of Monday the 29th March at around 7pm. 


So come and see us if you can, pray for us! We are so excited. Call or email me if you wanna come johnandamandacaton@gmail.com

What if I don't feel it?

To be honest sometimes I don't "feel" God.

I have been thinking a lot these past weeks about what it really means to walk with God and how for so long I have known one thing in my mind but never really cemented it in my heart. I hear the phrase, from my own lips often, "I don't feel like it" or "It doesn't feel right" or "I don't feel God". This got me questioning my emotions and if I am led by them to often.


Beside this text is a artistic impression of Job; covered in sores, grieving and confused. I am sure he did not "feel" at peace, I am sure he did not "feel" God every waking moment but he never questioned the sovereignty of God or that God was near him.


To be totally honest it is the days I do not "feel" God that I get whacked out, I start to act desperate and selfish and obsessively internalize my day to try and find out why I do not have this spiritual feeling. My heart longs to be on that high every day yet my head tells me that our walk with the Lord is more than just that; true love is about choosing to love and seek God whether you "feel" Him or not. The best example I can muster for this is marriage. I (Amanda) love John deeply but I don't wake up each morning with the warm fuzzys! In fact sometimes, like every other couple, we can't stand one another! But it does not make me doubt I love him or that he loves me; it's just part of life and love is not all feeling! I wake each day and sleep each night knowing deep in my heart that I love him and he loves me.


Why can this not be the same with God? When we do not feel Him can't we still trust that He is there and He loves us and He is for us? 

Our feelings are a gift but often we make the mistake of letting them be our guide instead of God. God is firm, unwavering and sure; He is the same yesterday, today and forever. His love for us is deep every day. He is a dependable and trustworthy God. This is truth. So no matter how we feel it does not change who God, what He thinks of us, what His plans are for us and ultimately everything! 


So I want to pray today and to ask God to release me from the chains of being led by my feelings and instead help me to be led by my steady and sure God! I want to be more than a 'feeling' Christian! I want to praise my God even when there is not spiritual high in return; I want this walk to be about God and not me. In the words of John the Baptist, "God more of you and less of me"..
Will you pray with me today...




MORE NEWS ON 'ENCOUNTER' TOUR SOON! SHOWS HAPPENING WEEKLY IN SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES IN NEW ENGLAND! TO GOD BE THE GLORY!