This month, we were blessed to have Lisa Forbes of Intervarsity at ETSU. This is a non-denominational Christian fellowship at ETSU which is also a part of  600 other college campuses. This organization encourages student leaders to be world changers through small group ministry. Their foundation verse is Ecclesiastes 4:9-10. This is such an important ministry because 8 out of 10 students who were in church prior to college will leave the church upon starting college . 

We also received a blessing from Pastor Amy. She shared with us about "woman power" using the story of Jacob. Being a professional story teller, she made this story come to life in a way we may not have ever thought about before.  Jacob wanted Rachel to be his wife and worked for her father for 7 years only to be tricked into marrying Leah. Leah had always been shaded or hidden in the background because of Rachel's beauty. Leah's womb is opened by God and she gives Jacob a son, Rueben, while Rachel's womb is shut. For once, Rachel wanted what Leah had. Jacob still didn't love her, even after she bore him 4 children who could carry on the family name. By the fourth child, Leah had a change of heart and said, "I will praise the Lord", still wishing that Jacob would love her. God intervened, Jacob noticed a change in Leah, and he wanted what she had . She was a spiritual mentor who helped him to become a better man. When Jacob was dying, and gives his final words, he chose to be buried with his wife, Leah! 

What a wonderful story! We never really truly know the impact we have on others. We must have faith and trust in God so that our testimony and walk with him can hopefully lead unbelievers to him.

    
​     If you missed our May meeting, you surely missed a blessing. Our very own Emilee Little was our speaker. She spoke to us on how she found peace in Psalms 23 and how there was so much to be taken from this scripture.
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     She began, however, by sharing the opportunities 4Gs has had so far this year to be a blessing to others in our community through our mission work.

     January: Local Food Bank
     February: Animal Shelter
     March: Niswonger Children's Hospital
     April: Local Nursing Homes
     May: Camp Bays Mountain
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     Phrases like "There's no place like home," is what immediately came to mind while Emilee was sharing with us the memories she had of her home growing up and the place that she continued to call home for the past 16 years. She and her husband Junior have been married 30 years and have been blessed to call only 4 houses, "home". On a side note, I have some school children who have been in more homes than that in just this school year alone. She raised her children in the same house that she called home growing up. This is truly a blessing.

     She shared many memories with us, but some of my favorites that she shared was how home was a place where wonderful memories are made and few baths are taken. She also advised us not to overcook the Ham for Easter dinner or it might be mistaken for roast beef or beef jerky, something of which we can all relate to in one way or another. Some other memories she shared was the smell of Lysol, coming home to a happy place, always having snack, and having a dad who always found time to do things with children, to name a few. Having recently moved, as I would imagine would be difficult after having such family history and memories in one home, Emilee emphasized a peace she had in moving from the place she had called "home" for many years.

     She referenced a song entitled, "The House That Built Me." She went on to say that this move and transition peaceful because she understood that the house didn't make memories, but it was the people in which she shared the home with was what made it so special, as she continues to make memories with her children and their families in their new "home."

     She finds this peace in Psalms 23 and in janitors like Richard who are blessings through their witness. Richard, a janitor at her school, took time to pray with Emilee at school recently, and he didn't mind who heard or who saw what they were doing.
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     In Psalms 23, you find out WHAT HE IS and WHERE HE IS. Her most favorite part of this scripture comes at the end and says, " I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." She also mentioned what we all wonder, "What will heaven be like," and "I wonder what it looks like?" However, just like the places we call our "earthly homes" is not what it looks like, but what is important is that HE will be there. What wonderful things we have in store if we only believe and put our trust in him.

     We are anxiously looking forward to our next meeting and hope to see you as it is always a blessing to fellowship with one another.

 

This month we were blessed by Ms. Gilda Burkett who brought us a somewhat troubling, but heartwarming message.  Gilda, thank you so much for sharing with us and being such a blessing.  We appreciate you sharing your ministry with us and we will be looking into ways to help support your work. 

Gilda is using her witness to transform lives behind bars and around the world through her prison ministry.  It is somewhat troubling to think that between 170-180 of the 700 in the jail are women.  There are 6 cell blocks set aside only for these women.  Gilda emphasized that her work wasn't great, but it was God's work.  God placed her there, just as he places us where we are for a reason, and we must persevere to do great things through him.  She went on to say that God has a purpose, but we sometimes mess it up through the choices we make.  God can take us and put us back on the potter's wheel and transform us into a new vessel where glorious and great things happen.  This is her hope for all women.  There are many ways we can support her, but the greatest of which is to pray for her and the inmates daily that a revival would take place in the jail.  Her message of "Service without end, love without judgment, and patience unlimited," is a great reminder to us all.

​Amber

Christmas morning started our night with many of our ladies decked out in their favorite and warmest pajamas and robes.  We had a variety of breakfast casseroles, biscuits, muffins, fruit, and on and on with more delicious food to choose from.  All the tables were full of ladies with smiles on their faces enjoying every minute of our last meeting for 2016.

Beth Hall gave us a list of our 2016 missions.  We should feel so blessed, ladies, with the missions we have served this year.  We donated over $2700.00 to help support these causes.  In July, many of us gave our time to hand out food boxes for Second Harvest.  In October, we filled our Gray UMC Love Pantry with cans and boxes of food that we donated.  So, our love doesn’t just show one night a month, it continues throughout the month until we meet again.  Gray Girls Grow Godly has shown our “Unconditional Love” throughout the years since our very first meeting.  Emilee Little was our speaker last night and she told us 3 stories about unconditional love and we are serving others each month with no thought of what we will receive in return.  4G’s always shows “Unconditional Love”.

Well, Sweet Ladies of 4G’s, I am signing off as the email communicator for 4G’s.  Our first meeting was January 11, 2012 and after 5 years, I think it is time for you to have some new thoughts, ideas and inspirations of someone else in your monthly emails.  I can’t tell you the blessing God has given me when I sit down each month to write about our meetings.  The words that flowed onto the page were from Him.  When I struggled with what to say He stepped in to direct me.  I want to thank you for all the sweet return emails and personal comments that you have supported me with during these months.
 
You are being given another blessing beginning in January 2017.  Amber Jeffers has graciously said she would like to send you the monthly emails and I know she is a wonderful lady for you to hear from.  

I hope you will be at our first meeting of our sixth year on January 10, 2017.  Amber will send you a reminder and all the details.

May God Bless You and Keep You and Your Families as You Have A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Love to all,
Linda

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”   

Matthew 1: 20-21

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