March has proven to become a busy month and one with new connections being made. I was out of town last week so did not get to add to the blog. I will try to bring you up to date with this note.

I met with a gentleman who has moved, with his family, to downtown Dallas to start a new church there. Much of the area is filled with apartments and condos. We met to discuss more ways he might be able to connect and build relationships. He knows his family is right where they need to be. Months ago his wife had torn a page from the Apartment Guide to pray that God would move them there. He got a phone call from Apartment Life the beginning of this year to ask if they would want to move to a community that had just come open in downtown Dallas. They had previously been working with that company but nothing had worked out. When they told him the name of the place, it was the one his wife has been praying over for months before. Exciting!

Not all things work out in a positive manner. I have been working with a church in Irving where two women want to work with kids in apartments there. As I visited properties near their location, one seemed to have a positive outlook. After several attempts, we began to realize that they were afraid of the religious side of our ministry, soooooo we are back to square one. We will keep looking!

I am working with a new company that offers free food boxes for ministering churches to be able to use this means to develop relationships to win people to Christ. This will be a wonderful resource for our missionaries to give more in Jesus Name.

Our monthly Leadership Team Meeting in Dallas, was one of the best I have been to in a long time. The interaction and idea exchanges were helpful to everyone. Our meeting is supposed to end at noon, but everyone was still there at 1pm.

I am leaving this Friday for Des Moines, Iowa for discussion and training for some church groups there. There has been no outreach to apartments in that area at all. I am encouraged and hope this is only the beginning of a long term relationship with believers there to reach many for Christ.

Next Saturday I am going to Houston to work with one church group there. They had been told by another group that you cannot begin churches onsite in apartments. I am going to speak to them and encourage them to keep going. You CAN start churches in these places if you build relationships first. They are definitely on the right track and I want to help them use some practical steps to follow their calling!

I will be back to this site next week to report on Des Moines.

I went to Baldwin County for an On Mission Celebration last weekend. What a time we had. We were VERY close to the Gulf Shores Beaches! Too bad it was cold, rainy, and windy most of the time we were there. Not to worry though – God showed up in some amazing ways. All of the missionaries stayed in host homes. That is always a blessing because we get to spend time up close and personal! We all arrived by Friday evening and were treated to a Southern Cooking Dinner at the Baldwin Baptist Association Camp. After we were full and educated to the weekend events, we went home with our hosts. I arrived earlier in the day so I asked to go pick some cotton to take home to my grandkids.

On Saturday afternoon, each of the missionaries set up a booth to let folks know of our ministries. Everyone who came by was given a pillowcase to have each of us sign. I never signed my name so many times in 3 hours in my life!! I had several great discussions with some interested in ministry in the apartment communities in their area. I even met one woman who had been praying for me every day since the beginning of my ministry 25 years ago. Praise the Lord for faithful intercessors!

Sunday morning I spoke to a church group that had only been meeting three weeks. I explained to them how they could take the same principles I use in the apartments and tailor it to their community. It was a God thing that I was able to be with them. On Sunday evening I spoke to another group who also seemed interested in reaching out to their community.

I trust that the Lord will use the time to further His plan and to give more opportunities for people to reach out to apartments and mobile home parks etc. where they live. I talked with several of the missionaries from other places who are also interested in following up in this area. To God be the Glory!

A couple of weeks ago, I received a call from one of our missionaries who has been at her apartment community for over 13 years. One of her families had moved to another property. They had gone into the office to see if there was a “program” at the new place like the one they had at the old place. The manager said there was not but that she was interested in talking to someone about it. They called the missionary to see what could be done and she called me. We went to visit the property and found that they even had a vacant apartment set up for an “Activity Center”. I called a young man from another church nearby to see if they would be interested in beginning the ministry there. He spoke to some others at the church and all said YES. The owners of this property are Christians and have bought another property just last week. The church group has decided to begin a work there also. Not only have these two opened up but a manager from a property where this church had previously ministered asked them to return. In a matter of 3 weeks, three places have opened their doors so that between 1500 and 2000 persons will be able to hear the gospel! It doesn’t get more exciting then this!

I recently had an experience that showed me once again how important it is to stay close to the Lord and His Word so the Holy Spirit has a chance to tug at me before I open my mouth and say something I wish I hadn’t. I spoke out of turn in a recent meeting. Several weeks later two ladies asked to speak with me. They began to tell me how what I had said had hurt them. They came from a different world view on a topic than I did. As they spoke to me, it cut me to the heart. The last thing I want to do is to offend anyone, especially those I work with in ministry. I thanked them for speaking to me and asked them to forgive me. I have prayed much about this area of my life as I need to think more before I speak and let God season my words. I think the way the ladies handled this was of God and I wish more people would do this rather then gossip or hold it inside so there is a barrier between them and the person they talk about. Thank you ladies for being in tune with the Word and coming to me as a sister in Christ!!!

As our group of leaders, both seasoned and new, met for our monthly support meetings last Friday, God did another amazing thing. From the beginning of the meeting, one man continued to ask questions and seemed so intrigued with all that was going on. At one period, during the meeting, he got up and left and then came back. It’s been a long time since I have seen someone so involved with all the discussion that was happening. After the meeting and our lunch together, he came up to me. He said,”I thought I was just volunteering with my church to help kids with homework. Now I see it is much more than that. I had to leave the meeting at one point and go to the restroom and cry.” He had just realized that God was calling him to use his gifts to build relationships to share Christ while he helped with homework. All of his prior training and teaching in school led him to this place at this time. He was so overcome and blessed that he could hardly contain himself. What an amazing thing when someone realizes that he is to share Christ as he goes in life. I pray that his kind will be multiplied!

It is so much fun to be a part of God’s heart and what He is doing. Last Thursday I was to go to DeSoto to meet with an apartment manager and 2 ladies from a nearby church to begin a new work. As I was having breakfast that morning, another lady called me to tell me that her small church was not going to be able to continue their ministry alone. They either needed another church to assist them or one to take over the work altogether. I told her I would get the word out ASAP. I had not clue who would step up but I did know that someone would! I got ready and began the drive from Fort Worth to DeSoto. As I was driving, I called the manager to tell her I would be there soon. I found out that the manager was no longer there and we did not need to meet with anyone. I tried to call the 2 ladies but they were already on their way. They got there before I did so knew the problem as I walked in. We sat in the clubroom talking about what to do next when I decided to mention the call I had gotten earlier. The two ladies were so excited that we called the one who had called earlier and they ladies began to talk on the phone to each other. I talked to The Leasing Agent to see if there was any hope for the future. By the time we both finished our conversations, the three ladies had made an appointment to meet on Monday to set forth a plan. As I drove home that day, I thanked the Lord for His plan and that He always has everything under control!

I met with one of the pastors and a few others from Northwood Church yesterday. The only problem was that the main person who heads up this work – was not there because her grandfather died the day before. They are interested in moving forward but need to talk with Jill first. The couple I am working with there would like to see some apartment ministry work in this area. I am praying that God will do as He chooses with the work there.

I met with one of the pastors of Gateway Church on Monday afternoon.They are slow to move because of their size and requests for partnership. I will keep in touch with Troy as to what I am doing in each situation. I am linked with Meet The Need online and that would be the first step for them. They would add my link to their site to see if people in the church would come forward. Again – God has the paintbrush and I will take one step at a time.

My neighbors are still interested also. I think, at this point, it would be best to hook them up with a group in the area who are already ministering so they could get their feet wet and see if this is really for them. They are interested in going to Dallas with me next week for out Monthly Leadership Team Meeting there.

Tomorrow I will go to DeSoto and finalize plans with an apartment manager and a church in that area. I will also be doing some additional training at the church on the 21st of this month.

I will also travel to Irving tomorrow to seek an apartment community where one local church has a desire to minister. I pray that the manager will be open and a new work can begin there.

Great news for February. This will be a rewarding month as new beginnings are occurring. We have 5 new apartment properties in Dallas to begin outreach for. We have already begun in one of them this week. The second one will begin as soon as the pastor meets with the manager. As soon as we can secure 3 more groups, we will begin in the other 3. We also have an open door in DeSoto. I am seeking an appointment with the manager ASAP so the church can begin there. They are anxious to get started. I will also be meeting with 2 churches in the Fort Worth area to explain the process. One other church will be putting together a Ministry Advisory Team of which I will be a part. They are already doing ministry in a VERY large apartment community. I am also mentoring and encouraging my neighbors as they seek to discover what God has for them. Them desire to serve Him full time. The last weekend of the month, I will be going to Alabama for a Missions Conference where I will have the chance to discuss this work with several churches. Sounds exciting doesn’t it. Please pray for these critical times that many will come to know Christ as a result of our obedience!

With 24 days of the new year gone already, the time has been an amazing start for 2012. I am working with a church and apartment community in DeSoto, TX to begin ministry in the next few weeks. There are also several other opportunities opening in Dallas itself. Now to find churches who are willing to go………..

I have also begun working with two new churches in Fort Worth.

I will also begin some traveling to other states within the next few months. I will go to Alabama the end of February, Iowa the end of March, Alaska for a week in April, and on to Hawaii for 6 weeks in April and May.

I am also continuing to write my book. That has slowed down quite a bit since I spend most of my time in the car from place to place or on the computer working with folks in other places.

Christine, apartment manger, states:
There are so many reasons why the Activity Center here at Brittany Park is important that it would take me pages to describe.

Ms. Audrey has been a blessing to us in the simple fact that we are an affordable housing program, and our children need structure and someone to do things with them.

Almost five years ago I asked the management here at Brittany Park if we could start a program for the children. That is when we found DBA and Ms. Audrey. We donated a small one bedroom apartment and designated it as our Activity Center. Ms. Audrey came aboard and did so many wonderful things to the center. It has been a fun place for the children, not just from Brittany Park, but also other children in the surrounding community.

Without the center the children would not have anything other than the two pools, that we have, for activities. We have children here that have very little and Ms. Audrey helps them where she can. It’s not just about playing, they also learn and she helps them with their school work and other activities. Every time that they are all outside, I look and laugh thinking, “There is Mary Poppins with the children all following her”. It is refreshing to see them happy and enjoying themselves. The trips that the church does with the children is enriching for their eager minds also.