What do Ben and Jerry’s, Green Mountain Coffee and Fresh Grounded Faith (or otherwise known as FGF) have in common? Vermont! Oh my friends, I woke up this morning thanking God for our time in Vermont this past weekend. I find it hard to put into words just what God did there; what He did in my own heart, and how grateful I am.

Then, I got an email from our conference director Theresa Wiggins and she captured it all so perfectly that I asked her if I could just paste it here for you to read.

I’m so thankful for Theresa and our whole team who worked so hard for this FGF. And, the leaders there in Vermont like Leslie Wall, made such an impact on their state and on our hearts. Do you realize it was sold out? 1200 women! That’s because the local leadership was sold out to Christ.

I love Vermont. I pray God allows our team to come back and be blessed by those great people. (And, next time, I will eat a pint of Ben and Jerry’s while sipping their amazing Green Mountain Coffee!)  Here is Theresa’s recap…

I wanted to share with you all things about this weekend where ministry is done differently.

Imagine yourself walking into an old school gym with a musty smell of your grandmother’s bedroom in an over 100 year old house that has not been opened for 5 years. The walls are brick with no air conditioning, but you are so excited to find a great treasure your grandmother has hidden away for you for years. She has recently told you there is only one of them, and she saved it just for you. That is how these ladies came to Fresh Grounded Faith, with excitement and anticipation to find something or someone, they didn’t notice the smells or that there was no air-conditioning just looking for a spiritual blessing. Many had no idea of why they came, but all came expecting something.

They call themselves the “Frozen Chosen.”

They were not too interested in the details of decorating the stage like we might do in other places, they were just happy someone came to see them. As I shared with them in a playful way, they were like the Catholics waiting for the Pope to arrive, they felt loved and so blessed that Jennifer, Stormie Omartian and Meredith Andrews would come all the way up there to speak to them.

Since we were at the Barre Auditorium we used an outside production company and got to share Christ with one of the guys named William, at the end of the day I had another Christ-centered talk with him, please pray for William, while he did not receive Christ, I know through everything presented, he is thinking!

Okay, so now that I have shared with you the picture of the women and where we were, here is how God worked.
New life in Christ – 15
Fresh Starts – 51
Still have questions – 6
I want to connect – 29
Prayer requests -140

From the Bible Study Connection Center – there were 9 ladies who sign up to join a small group. While you all might think that is small, the team leader was thrilled! The team leaders said, this conference was the first time most churches even did a women’s Bible study. She was pleased she shared with about 10 ladies her name and phone number of how to get one started. She was thrilled with the number 9!

Compassion International – while this was the first time we have ever partnered with Compassion, Michael Collins was thrilled and blessed! He shared that was a great way to start out having 100 children sponsored.

Jennifer’s assistant, Valerie Lawrence, did a great job, too!

For most of us we take Bible studies, church, and other Christian things for granted, but let me share two things, Vermont is the least churched state in the United States. A little story, a lady shared with me that her son had to travel for some sporting event to another city, and she got to visit a Christian Book Store, and as she walked in and saw all these things she was so excited to see so many resources available, she said that was so awesome.

Ladies, it’s amazing how we take these things for granted, their excitement was contagious. Please continue to pray for Vermont and all the women who came from so many places that they will grow in Christ.

How have you delighted in the Lord? Leave a comment here.