The two things you can do to help Cori and I right now...

Many of you have asked what you can do to help Cori and I during this trying time and we appreciate the love you have shown so much. Of course there are the simple things that we appreciate. When you provide a meal or show concern for our kids and things like that. I do want to thank all of you that have contacted Rhonda Ramos to express your love for us in this way.

However, the number one thing you can do for Cori and I right now is to surround us by taking some time to devote yourselves to a few simple prayer focal points that I have listed below. Can you do that? Write these three things down and then take 5-15 minutes as soon as you can to pray out loud concerning these three things...

The first is that we want the enemy to pay dearly for this attack. I have been asking God to give us relationship with 100 new families for every broken vertebrae Cori suffered. That's 300 total new families at our church as a result of this attack.

The second thing is that Cori would be able to heal supernaturally through this process so that God would get the glory even out of her pain.

The third thing is exactly like a prayer Jesus prayed for Peter (and the disciples) before he went to the cross. That is, that our faith would not fail us. We are entering into 2014 soon and Cori and I believe the Holy Spirit has led us to call this the year to be "All In" through every aspect of our lives. This is gonna require the highest level of faith, relationship, love and intestinal fortitude we could ever imagine because God has called our church and us, as individuals and families, to great things. Those great things require us to be all in when it comes to faith, sacrifice and trust in Him.

I have definitely felt my faith intensify through this experience as a result of those prayers and the discomfort Cori and I have endured so far has allowed us to feel a greater respect for those that give their lives away for Christ's sake. I have even said over the last 24 hours that "If Satan wants us to stop what we are doing, he is going to have to kill us." I will not be moved and I believe that God is our defense. Period.

Beyond that, if you attend the Intersection, I want to encourage you to show your love for us by jumping in with both feet to help Cori and I at the church. We will need to rely on our leaders and volunteers like never before, so I encourage you to sign up for something new or volunteer in an area that you have been wanting to help out in. Take that step and Cori and I will feel the support and God will get the glory!!

Much love to you all!

What's up with Cori?

Hello Everyone!

If you are reading this, it is probably because you care deeply for Cori and I....thank you for that :)

I want to say first that Cori is at home, resting in her bed with our kids at the moment I am writing this. Our spirits are good and our faith is strong after what I would consider to be my least favorite Christmas Day experience.

As we were preparing our own family Christmas meal yesterday, Cori slipped down some stairs carrying some ice and drinks, resulting in some pretty serious injury to her back. After spending the evening and most of the overnight hours in the Gettysburg ER, we were informed that Cori managed to break her back. I know that sounds bad, right?

The good news is that it is not the typical broken back most of us think of that requires surgery or therapy. Thank God, her spine is intact and unhurt. The break she sustained was in three of the small tabs that grow out of the (L2, 3 and 4) vertebrae called, "transverse processes". These boney tabs are the place where our back muscles attach to the vertebrae so it results in a lot of pain, but there is no spine injury.

Typical Lumbar Vertebrae

Having said all of that, Cori still has a long recovery process ahead of her as she deals with what amounts to a typical orthopedic break (like a broken rib, etc.). The doctor has put her on complete bed rest for a week and we need everyone to help her keep the doctors orders so if you have appointments with her, you will want to check with her before you head out to meet her. This is nothing more than an attack from our enemy. We also believe that God will send a swift and fearful retaliation from Heaven as His saints pray and stand firm. As for Cori and I, we will not be moved and the Kingdom of Heaven will be advanced as a result of this sucker punch. Amen!

We appreciate your prayer for complete and speedy recovery and I appreciate any and all help you would like to provide for us over the next few weeks as we take care of Cori. As you can imagine, there will be lots of people asking questions on how to best help and if you would like to help, we ask that you contact Rhonda Ramos who is spearheading the care for our family (Thanks, Rhonda and the whole care team!) Her email is rhondita1432

@yahoo.com and she can help you find out what we need moving forward.

We wanted you all to know where things stand at the moment and I will be updating this blog (www.jeremiahherbert.blogspot.com) as often as I can, so please keep checking here if you want the latest info on her recovery. Much love to you all and thank you for loving us! We value your prayers, thoughts, cards or whatever you can do to reach out to us!

Blessings!
jeremiah

Inital steps

 I was reading an old blog post of mine from this time in 2008 when I first told God that I would plant a church. It really helped me let go of some recent hurts and disappointments as I read over my thoughts from 5 years ago...God help me to stay humble and hidden in you as the tests grow larger.

 Here is the entry from 2008...

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Inital steps

I should be sleeping right now.

I have to get up in less than 4 hours to head in to church but I can't stop thinking about the future. I have begun the initial steps toward a new future as a church planter/site pastor at Freedom Valley. The concept is still very new to me, but I can feel God's joy over my willingness to sacrifice my own ambitions for His and that is what I want. His will be done...(Step one)

So, I am going to jump out in the middle of traffic and try my best to get my ducks in a row. I have changed my reading habits. Instead of manuals on melody, pitch and worship I have begun to read leadership books and, gulp...church planting for idiots manuals! Instead of worship preview cd's I have begun listening to podcasts from well known leadership gurus because I have a lot to learn...and fast.

Most of all, I am looking at the Gospels, because I want to learn to minister like Jesus did during His time in the ancient dust near and around the Galilee. I am reading Acts because I want to begin to think like God's favorite people did. (Step two.)

I am doing these things because I sense that the time is short. Jesus is coming back soon and I want to be found ready. So I have trimmed my lamp, filling it with the oil of intimacy and the result of this intimacy is a keen awareness of the work that must be done. (Step three)

Is it possible that God could raise up another group of disciples in this day that will turn the whole world on it's ear again? We won't know until we offer ourselves up to His crazy ambitions and die to our own.

"Dear God, I am way out of my element here, so it's gotta be you and not me! Help me throw my desires and ambitions on the altar of your passion daily. Make me a better evangelist than singer, a better pastor than musician and let my worship manifest as I open up my mouth to preach the good news! I am yours."

The Gospel according to Spurgeon

 

This.

From a sermon of Charles Spurgeon, 19th Century pastor and speaker. 

I have met with persons who said, “I believe I am saved, because I have dreamed about it.” Or, “Because I read a verse of Scripture that applied to my own case. Or, the pastor said something in his sermon that made me feel saved.” Or, “Because I began weeping and became excited, and felt like I never felt before.” Oh! But nothing will stand the trial but this, “Do you renounce all confidence in everything but the finished work of Jesus, and do you come to Christ to be reconciled in him to God?” If you do not, then your dreams, and visions, and thoughts, are nothing but dreams, and visions, and thoughts, and will not serve you when you most need them. Pray that the Lord will truly bless you, for there is a great lack of truth in your profession of faith.


The Gospel is still true. Jesus is the only answer that will be right on that day. Count on it.

Missions Opportunity "PLEASE READ"

 So here's the deal...God has provided an opportunity for me to share my gifts in worship and leadership with a group of people I never would have dreamed of. In October, my family is sending me on a missions trip to the Dominican Republic with a two-fold purpose. The first is to help dream up a strategy for the next festival that will see hundreds make a real connection to the living Christ, having their sins wiped away for ever. The second is to equip pastors in that country with the tools they need to stir God's presence among the people they serve week to week.

I am amazed by the Father's plans and I am humbled to present myself to Him for these purposes and I can't wait to make relational connections with nearly 100 pastors/ church planters in this island country. I am leaving my two small children and beautiful wife, Cori for that time because I believe that God can use me dynamically to change lives in the power of the Gospel alive in worship and teaching...

...Can you believe with me?

Maybe you are reading this because you have helped sponsor my mission exploits in the past. Maybe this would be your first time giving to this kind of trip. If you have been blessed by my ministry over the years or you have a connection to me personally, I am asking you to consider partnering with me in two ways.

First, I am asking all of you to pray for me as my team and I are gearing up for this intense time of ministry and especially from Oct. 6th-12th. Pray that many would have their lives transformed through God's grace at work in our team and that we would be safe, strengthened by the Holy Spirit to do every good thing we are called to accomplish.

Secondly, I believe that many of you would be willing to partner financially with me to reach my goal of $1200.00 to pay for my travel expenses. My family and I want to bear an additional portion of the cost for this trip, but I know that some of you understand that when you sow seed into another person's ministry, you receive a harvest from their work as well. That is why I am asking each of you reading to consider a gift of $10, $100 or $1,000 to invest in God's work for the people of the Dominican Republic.

If you feel led to give to my work in the DR, you can simply send a check (payable to Freedom Valley) to me and I will deposit them into an account for me at Freedom Valley. Be sure to write "Missions-DR Trip" in the memo, but do not write my name directly on the check if you want the gift to remain tax-deductible. Simply add a post-it with my name with the check to make sure it gets to me.

You can hand the check directly to me or mail it to the church (address below) with my name on the front of the envelope, but however you decide to give, please let me know by Facebook, email or text that you are contributing. It's that simple. Please consider giving any size donation to move me where I'm needed, sharing the love of Christ with these pastors, church planters and leaders!!

Blessings to all of You!!
jeremiah


Freedom Valley Worship Center
c/o Jeremiah Herbert
3185 York Road
Gettysburg PA, 17325

10 Traits of Creatives, Artists and Entrepreneurs

Here is a great post I read this week! Lot's of interesting stuff here.

What's your reaction when you read this article?

10 Paradoxical Traits of Creative People

Matthew 25 (How will you use your talents?)

1. Pray
2. Believe
3. Plan
4. Receive

Share your story from the Intersection's reverse offering? How has it impacted you? What do YOU plan to do with the gift you were given?

jeremiah

Green beer, leprechauns and shamrock shakes...

Green beer, leprechauns and shamrock shakes...is this all there is to the greenest day on our calendar? Dig deeper, beyond the modern conventions of the Holiday and you'll find a Holy day centered around the man who gave the day it's name.

This traditional prayer is said to have been prayed by St. Patrick before he radically changed the nation of Ireland during his life on earth. Let these words inspire you to follow St. Patrick's lead and effect your communities and nations with the grace of Christ. 

Pray these words aloud:

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In the predictions of prophets,
In the preaching of apostles,
In the faith of confessors,
In the innocence of holy virgins,
In the deeds of righteous men.

I arise today, through
The strength of heaven,
The light of the sun,
The radiance of the moon,
The splendor of fire,
The speed of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of the sea,
The stability of the earth,
The firmness of rock.

I arise today, through
God's strength to pilot me,
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptation of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
afar and near.

I summon today
All these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel and merciless power
that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul;
Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me an abundance of reward.

Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.

~Prayer Attributed To St. Patrick (AD 433)