By: Hayley de Ridder

The power of prayer absolutely overwhelms me! I still find it difficult to comprehend that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords wants and desires to hear every cry of my heart. That sort of love is incomprehensible.
Recently I have had the opportunity to witness that power in the prayer room after Frontline on Sunday nights. I can not even begin to describe how honored I have felt to have a crippled fellow believer sit before me, pour out their heart, and ask for my prayers. One night in particular stands out vividly.

 
Todd Phillips had just preached his sermon on Suicide and, in all honesty, I was fairly convinced that I was not cut out to be in that room after such a serious topic. However, God is supremely faithful and His grace is sufficient in our times of weakness. A woman walked in and I immediately felt the sadness and saw the utter depravity on her face. She slumped into the chair beside me and tears began to stream down her face. In a matter of moments she began to reveal that she was contemplating her worth, struggling with severe depression and utter hopelessness. My heart felt heavy, and honestly, I had no idea what to do or say. Again, in our weakness, He is strong – so I began to pray. I prayed for a good 10 minutes for that precious woman before me. I prayed for her spirit and for the spiritual warfare that was raging within her. I prayed for her heart and for a new courage that could not be imagined. And I just kept praying…

 
I wish I could describe to you the way that woman walked out of the prayer room that night. She had arrived utterly broken yet she left with her head held high and a new determination within her. She left with strength. THAT is the power of prayer. THAT is the power of Christ. THAT is the power of a God who loves us so much that He carries our burdens for us!!

By: Kara Trombetta

“Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.” 2 Cor. 4:1

One lesson I learned this year is three-fold; that God’s people are God’s people; intern, staff or volunteer-the only thing that makes us different are our earthly titles.

 
It’s been incredible to be part of the intern program this year, and I was also blessed with the opportunity to see 10 new interns walk through the doors of McLean with their energy, insight and vulnerability to God’s Word. If I could stress one thing, it is that they yearn for God’s truth, which in turn, encourages others to do so. I think the bittersweet aspect of graduating from the FLP is that I am going to miss sitting in a room and sharing God-stories, hashing out biblical principles, and seeing my brothers and sisters make a concerted effort to view every blessing they receive and every trial they are facing through the eyes of Christ.

 
I do know though, that moving out to the Loudoun Community Campus, I have been blessed to join a team that mirrors those same attributes-in a different way and on a different level, but a striking parallel all the same. Working for a “church” can sometimes look different than working for the Lord; so it’s great to see people making that choice, even if it has to be reiterated every single day, to make sure their heart and mind are focused on serving the Lord and not just people.

 
And lastly, but most certainly not least, is my newfound appreciation for volunteers (aka: unpaid staff) in the church. This is not simply because we would get nothing accomplished without them (although true), but because I have been so humbled by their words of encouragement, so astounded by their stamina and so inspired by their sold out spirits. Volunteers are the rock stars of the church, and when you are volunteering, you rarely realize this. However, as a staff representative, I now understand the other side of the coin. Volunteers are the men and women who work on the hill during the day, fight hours of traffic and make it to church to serve in the evening; the teenagers and parents that give up their Sunday mornings and show up at the doors of the church with willing hands; the college students that are studying until midnight and making follow-up phone calls to new believers during the day; people that may not have a seminary degree but profoundly minister to myself and staff members alike, completely unaware that they are the Pauls, John the Baptists and Timothy’s of the world. This has been my experience, both at the Tyson’s Campus and Loudoun alike, and it has immensely impacted the way I view the Church today.

 
I would go as far as saying that nothing really matters except praising our Lord and worshiping Him in everything we do and say. All of the above examples illustrate this manner of living, and I am honored to serve alongside such incredible people and cannot wait to see how God continues to pour out his spirit on Washington DC through His body.

By: Katy Kirk

I have had the blessing of getting to work in Access Ministry with the Friendship Club off and on these past six months. This is a ministry specifically for adults and teens with cognitive and physical disabilities. I am consistently amazed at what God has done in this ministry. The Friendship Club provides a way for this population to fellowship with one another to learn about God each week just like everyone else. They gather each Sunday to read God’s word, worship, and pray. Along with this, there are endless social opportunities for them to be involved in. They get the chance to develop real relationships founded in Christ. There are programs in place designed to teach these teens and adults appropriate social skills and healthy boundaries.

Several months ago, in August, I had the opportunity to go with the Friendship Club to the beach for a week. Every other community in the church takes a retreat each year or goes to camp, so why can’t these guys? It was a life-changing experience for me. It became so evident that the special needs population desires and yearns for this community and experience just like we do. Throughout the week, we encouraged them to be independent with their daily tasks, make decisions, and live with one another in the same household. We had a full curriculum each night teaching them about the Lord and what it means to follow Him.

 
Obviously, with all of this, there comes great challenge. I have been stretched and forced to grow in ways I never would have imagined. I praise our God for how He has orchestrated this ministry into what it has become. These lives are being changed each day by what is happening here. I love to see how the whole person is cared for, not just the physical needs. When I look into these lives and faces, I truly see such purity and Christ-likeness. My prayer is that God will use this ministry to not only bring others to Him, but that other churches will be impacted to start their own.

By: Carl SpiessOne of the things that the Lord has shown me thus far is just how incredibly important it is to stay focused while not forgetting the “big picture”. In ministry operations, things are constantly changing, and new issues that need to be addressed arise on a daily basis. These issues are always important and need to be dealt with, and as such, it can be challenging to take a step back daily and remember just how incredibly crucial it is to put the needs of others first.

A few weeks ago, I got a reality check. As I was preparing to do my devotions at MBC on a Saturday, a stranger walked up to me. The man was in need of food and didn’t have a place to live. I spent the better part of an hour doing my best to meet his needs, and after he left, I remember thinking to myself “this is what its all about.” To reach DC and the rest of the world, we have to think big and never forget why were are here, even on the most mundane of days.

By: Abigail Gustine

KidsQuest offered a training for all our volunteers a couple weeks ago. The theme this year is Elevating Community. Taken from Acts 2:42 where the early church devoted themselves to the Word of God, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer, our desire is to incorporate these four areas into the KQ small groups and the volunteer staff. After the training, I was discouraged because I didn’t feel like it went well. However in only a week, I have seen people catch the vision of Elevate! Leaders are investing more into preparing to teach, volunteers are coming early to pray and have begun brainstorming ways to fellowship outside of church together, celebrating what God is doing through them and in the lives of the kids. This past Sunday everyone seemed happy to be there, excited about the future and igniting this world for Christ. God is truly elevating this community. I’m excited to see where He takes us as we continue to devote ourselves to His purpose for our lives and our ministry in KidsQuest.