Gayla's Magazine

Crossroads Family Church - Fort Worth Texas

This weekend up in  Forth Worth, was the very special dedication of Pastor James and Carol Ann Merideth's new community center at their church.  And we were the special guest speakers at this celebration. 
Crossroads Family Church has been working on this project for a year and a half, and we are so proud of the completion! It will change their church family life.



Everybody had a great time together - some long time friends and family were there.  Like a family reunion almost!

Alert - please help!!!!

Good morning,

Recently we received a personal visit from long-time old childhood friends from Zimbabwe Africa.  They came to tell us what is happening in Zimbabwe right now. I need to tell you this information – it is very urgent information.  Our friends arrived from various people that bartered  together to get a airline tickets for them in Zimbabwe. They felt like this was their only chance to get the outside world to please please help.

Their money system has collapsed completely – they have no currency in the country.  Only American money or South African Rand can be used as legal tender now.  How are people surviving?  They are bartering.  If someone has anything of worth in their home – it is now being used as money to survive on.  The conditions of society at large is perilously close to complete ruin.   People are now going without normal products and food.  Our friends are using their small yard garden to survive right now, as well as trying to feed the children around them.

Cholera is now in the nation, from the lack of clean water in their water purification systems.  No money to buy the purifying chemicals for cities to have clean water.  This is horrifying.   

The government has declared all humanitarian food shipments to be duty free.  It’s the one humane thing that has happened.  

 

Here is why I am emailing you - I have RIGHT NOW in my possession, a complete shipment of food that is ready to go, but I lack the money to ship it.  It costs about 10,000 US dollars to ship a container from us to Zimbabwe. 

 

Please would you help me – please forward my email to everyone in your address book.  I know we ‘grass root’ people could ship a container –  a small 20 foot one would hold 150,000 meals – a big one 40 foot would hold 250,000 meals .  If everyone just did something – we could help this poor nation who are at the mercy of circumstances beyond their control.   

 

Here is my website that can be seen what these meals consist of.  They are specially designed for starvation populations in the world.  There is a donate button to use on the top left side.  

 

www.momsagainsthunger.org  

 

Thank you and please help me. 

Dr Gayla Holley

 

PS If you are unsure how to send to all on your address book – scroll to the bottom and right click and scroll up – It will highlight everyone – then press send. 

 

Barbara and Darrell Owens

Traveling the west coast means a change in altitude which we have felt the effects of.  Today we are at 7,000 feet and breathless - and it's not just the beauty of the west.
We have been in services with several different ministries and are now headed home.

Spending time with Pastors Darrell and Barbara Owens  and assistants was a highlight! Lots of meaningful conversation for all of us about Gods work in the earth.



Being in service with them was a rewarding day! I guess maybe the whirlwind of many places and churches in different states  also could leave us breathless!! We are headed home now - thank God for every blessing!

The Best Gift for Pastor's Wives.

Pastor Susan and I have been able to have some good quality time together, while our husbands hammer out details to the coming construction job of rebuilding their church. 
All Pastor's wives have  the same type of challenges to face in life.  Our husbands and ourselves lead very public lives, our children must be reared in full view of others, and they must be the best examples for  the 'saints' kids - as if the 'saints' kids are really saints themselves.  Smile here if you are a P.W.
We share the same love and burden for the women of our churches, both the saved and the unsaved type.  And work to education them to be good women, wives and mothers.
Pastor's wives need to be creative and full of confidence (even when we are out of fuel ourselves) Keep smiling, keep pushing keep loving and keep praying. Grin here if you are a PW. You know I'm right girl!
Not to mention being good cooks, happy homemakers, tireless workers at every possible job needed at the church and various ministries.  The expectations of others constantly keep us on our toes, meeting their needs. Chuckle out loud if you are one! 

So it's a good thing for the two of us to get to spend some time together. 

What do Pastor's wives really enjoy getting to do?  Here's a hint the next time your Pastor's wife has a birthday or a special day and you would like to honor her.  It's super easy.
Get her a Gift Certificate. Laughter can be heard by fellow pastor's wives across the world!  Woo Hoo! Yes!!!!

No way.... you say... not that easy.  Yes way-I say -it's that easy.  Get her a gift certificate to a department store - a book store - a spa day - even a gas card (I have received once - and it was greatly appreciated)

So for a real treat we both were treated to a Day Spa - heaven on earth for us both!!!!

 

 

We sipped hot fruit tea, talked long about all kinds of subjects - just for us!

 

It was a place of beauty - restful peace and pampering - where others did all the work!

 

So we relaxed, laughed a lot - shared stuff and had a wonderful time! A great gift for  two PW's! If you are one sigh here - you know you privately would like this. 

Everyone else - I  have told you what to get your Pastor's wife on her next special day.  It's much  appreciated and needed for the stress filled lives that all ministry wives live.

Thank you to our husbands it was wonderful!!

Going West...

After a long day thesun begins to set in the western skies of Spur Texas and we have arrived.... in the  a tiny town of 1,100 people! We have friends with us and it's been a wonderful time of laughter talk and mutual enjoying each others company!

Crossroads Family Church - Fort Worth Texas

Life has swept us onward down the river of planned actions and ministry.  I have posted the details of the recent Role Models of America Tea on its site.  I know you will want to see all of the fun things that happened - plus get ideas for maybe an event of your own someday.   So here is the site to go see! www.rolemodelsofamerica.com Just look under recent posts to see the most recent articles and photos.

Meanwhile on our way to a  little western town named Spur, we stopped to check on Pastor James and Carol Ann Merideth's new Community Center.  Remember this past summer they came to our Foundation and received lots of building materials to help them finish this most valuable building for their church?  Well it's virtually complete now!  

The gym is so very nice!

Many conversations have been had along the way giving guidance, support and prayers about this building project. How to deal with the 'city', how to meet building and zoning issues, legal regulation requirements and also  how to raise funds to build it, how to keep everybody motivated to build, how to.... how to.... The Bishops' experience has been  invaluable to this good Pastor through this whole process.

These sinks and faucets sure look good here in place!

 

And lights in every place brings smiles as we all remember picking them out in the warehouses.

Lots of new spaces to dream up programs and uses for them, makes every pastor happy!

We admire every detail as we can appreciate all the hard work it takes to build!

The 'Walk of Recognition' will be done here in bricks with the names of all those that have supported to build the Community Center.  We will be listed here!

I am so proud for them - and as only preacher's wives can understand the toll it takes on our families to go through a building project from the ground up - I am relieved for Carol Ann and James that it's OVER!  The hundreds of missed meals, sleepless nights, stressful work days, the warring hours of  wrestled opinions of the 'flock' and not to mention the money monsters to be conquered.  HALLELUJAH THANK GOD ALMIGHTY IT'S FINISHED!  

English Cream Tea

Later we hopped aboard a flight to London England to spend some time with Bishop Malcom and Margaret Wilson.  It was good to see them, we have much catching up to do!  They are going to Holland with us tomorrow, but for now they took us for a real English treat!

 

A nice hot cup of tea - so good it seems like I have been cold since we left Texas!

 

And SCONES!  Now if you have never had an Proper English Cream Tea - you have not really lived yet!  This is not a High Tea, but is called a Cream Tea mid afternoon. 

English Scones are warm heavenly bites of buttery pastry with plump raisens dotted inside.

Put a little jam and clotted cream on one and take a bite............ oh so good!  Sip your tea and take another bite................ now it's impossible to just eat one! 

Clotted cream is little bit like whipped cream cheese with butter.  It's very creamy and light tasting and is perfect for a scone.  Oh my goodness, wish you could taste this! 

Pastors Don and Beverly Hoxworth

 

We were ministering in Mexia Texas this past weekend for dear friends - Pastors Don and Beverly Hoxworth.  They pastor Soul's Harbor and my oh my was it a wonderful church service!

 

   

This baby church is on the move and won't stay in this tender stage long - they are growing and developing by leaps and bounds!  We are proud of what God is doing here! God bless Soul's Harbor and Pastors Don and Bev!!

Winfred and Ann's Lakehouse

 

   

Saturday was a real treat getting to go to Winfred and Ann Oliver's lake house for an afternoon of great fellowship.  They have wanted us to come see them for at least 10 years!  And it's taken us this long to get to go there!!!

 

Pastors Don and Beverly Hoxworth went with us and Wayne and Carla drove up too.

   

Lot's of deer, squirrels, ducks and pretty birds are all out here and freely roam around.  We can see why. This place is so relaxing - I think I could fall asleep it was so peaceful. I didn't realize just how tired I was!

 

Good food, good conversation and good friends.... ahhhhh this is the life!

Pastor Robert and Delia Guerra

Sunday was another outstanding day around here. First we started at our home church New Life, then when I finished leading worship we had to slip out quickly and jump in the car to go preach the first service of a brand new church.

 

Pastor Robert and Delia Guerra's church planting.  This precious couple both have served  side by side with us at New Life and now we are so proud of what God is doing through them!

 

This new Hispanic church already has a great praise team, good musicians and a perfect building to get started in.  Pastor Robert has been preaching on Spanish radio for several years and from his ministry has come a church! Go check him out at www.radioaleluya.org.  His program is Monday through Friday from 10:30 to 11:AM daily. 

 

We were able to bless him with chairs and it was good to see the seats filled! Now that we see his building and what he needs, we can certainly do more and we will be looking for detail pieces to bless them with.

 

Look at this gorgeous pulpit that was handmade for him in Mexico.  The carvings are all done by hand and it's a grand addition to this young congregation and church building.

 

I sang in English because my singing is Spanish is rusty. I need to work on it for next time.

 

And the Bishop was in his full role as Pastor Robert's Bishop and the two of them were awesome preaching together.  It was like old times and my memory was flooded with past missionary trips together to Guatemala and the adventures there. There are so many experiences I could tell you about in that country and the three of us working together.  Or the many Mexico missionary trips - too much for this blog.  But let me say Pastor Robert has been with us in crusades, riots, terrible sickness, getting lost on mountain roads, or being stopped by policia!  He is a great body guard as well as prayer warrior!                                                     

 

Pastor Robert and Delia have a heart for hurting people and I could see it clearly upon both of them as they served their congregation in love. Their new church is named

Comino D Santidad and his website is www.robertlguerra.com

San Lucas 6:38 Dad, y se os dara, medida buena apretada, remecida y rebosando, daran en vuestro regazo: porque con la misma medida con que medis, os volveran a medir.

May God bless the Guerra's and their congregation, you have our full support!!!