News and Developments

A New Sandquist
Congratulations Jon-Mark and Tara! On May 28th at 1:15PM, after 12 hours of labor, they welcomed to this world Marshall Xavier Sandquist. He was 7lbs 10ozs and 18 inches long. Everyone is healthy and home and we thank the Lord for His wonderful grace and mercy during such a trying but miraculous time...

Friends Of GWI Take Initiative
Last summer, a long time friend and supporter of GWI, Gary Hamilton, went with Ted on the July Mission trip to Nicaragua. He made subsequent trips to Costa Rica and became aware of a great need in both places – computers. We told you about them in last month's newsletter, but we wanted to highlight the fact that Gary was on the mission trip, saw a need and sent money to GWI to do something about it. He took initiative and now the orphanage has laptops, printers, and a router. A school in Costa Rica not only has computers, printers and a router but Gary went down there in May to set it all up and teach them how to enter the 21st century in style! We bless Gary and all the people over the years who have traveled with us and seen needs and gave so that GWI could meet those needs. We hope more of that happens so that the Kingdom can spread throughout Central America and other countries as God opens doors to us.

Ted's June Travels
Please be in prayer for Ted as he travels to the Northeast at the end of June. He will be fund raising for the upcoming trip as well as speaking at our former church fellowship in Upstate NY, a sister church in Scranton, PA and attending a nephews wedding in Boston. It should be a full time so we ask for traveling mercies as well as great success! Great is the Lord who delights in the welfare of His servants! (see Psalm 35:27)

July's Annual Nicaragua Trip
Please don't forget about the Mission trip to Nicaragua, July 3rd through the 12th. We will be building another addition onto the school at the CICRIN orphanage. Pray for safety as well as efficiency. It's always a challenge –on a variety of levels. Anyone interested in going is still welcome to hop on board. Just contact us. There's always room!

Music News
We are still on track for a July 15th release date for our new album titled Far As The Curse Is Found. This album will include multiple versions of some of the songs (both full band and acoustic) in order to maximize the usability of the album for on-site intercession (prayer walking).

We also anticipate the re-release of The War and Almighty God And Sons -tentatively- by early August.

By the end of the year we plan on the re-release of Before His Majesty (formerly Let The Whole Earth), Daughter Of Zion (album by Dawn) and maybe two yet to be named new albums featuring new versions of some old songs along with some new ones.

Ted's New Book He Reigns Nearly Finished
Ted is in the middle of finishing his new book titled He Reigns. It is a shorter book written to introduce and strengthen a healthy view of the kingdom of God. It has already been translated into Spanish and will soon go to print in both the US and Costa Rica!

Fund Raising
We are now in the process of fund raising and recruiting for your help fund raising. Our gaol by the end of the year is to have 300 more $25 monthly pledges and to fill the rest of our budget needs through government/private grants and as needed/emergency fund raising drives.

We will soon have in hand new brochures and information as to the specifics of our future plans and activities. In the works as well are video brochures for people to share with their churches, local businesses and friends. If you would like to help us by pledging $25 a month and/or join our street team please reply to us with your name and address and any questions you may have. Thank you for your prayerful consideration and for growing with us as we follow the Lord "bringing worship to the nations... making worshippers of the people!"

June 2008 God Views

"The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him." (John 8:29)
What a statement! Every time I read that I would think 'Only Jesus could say that," but as I have grown in my understanding of Father and my relationship to Him, I see that my thought was incorrect. He is our Father and we are His sons and daughters. As His children we have both the ability as well as the duty to please Him, however most of the time we lack desire.

Father has done so much for us. He sent Jesus as our Savior, Mediator, Intercessor and He sent Him to do it in a most painful and despicable way through the cross. If nothing else, we owe it as sheer duty or as Paul says in Romans 12:1 as part of our "reasonable service" to please Him; servants to Master or like employee to employer for all the benefits, which are too numerous to elaborate upon.

However, the biggest reason Jesus came was not so we could do our duty and serve God but to restore us to a relationship with our Father. Father wants a relationship with us! Jesus was always talking about this which got Him in a lot of trouble with the religious leaders of the day. No one called God "Abba." But that was why He came. He pointed us to Father and showed us how we could please a Father who loves us so very much.

Many people are not used to pleasing their earthly fathers whom they see let alone a heavenly Father whom they don't see. They don't please for a variety of reasons. Some have painful memories and others never really knew a father's love. However, for most of us it's just pure selfishness. We don't actually want to please anyone other than ourselves. It's that simple. Some days we are inspired to please God but most of the time selfish ambition and personal happiness are more of a motive than Him. It takes a lot of dying to self and discipline to train our minds to think otherwise, let alone our actions.

Jesus laid down all His rights and put His Father before everything and He received in return – a deep abiding relationship, God's heart for people, God's power, God's pleasure in Him, God's rewards, God's wisdom, God's care during difficult times and God's exaltation for a life laid down. As sons and daughters we have been promised an inheritance that is similar – only our names won't be exalted high above all rule and authority like the name of Jesus Christ! He was definitely the pattern Son and showed us how children of God act in regards to their Father.

We must be retrained. God is worthy to be pleased for the mere fact that He is God but He isn't an autocrat. He doesn't demand service. He wants a relationship with us that will cause us to say, "Daddy, how can I please You today? What would please You?" Jesus not only shows us how, but the Holy Spirit gives us the ability to please Him, the power to do what we can't do on our own and to break us out of our self-absorbed worlds. It happens in the natural world – the more we get to know certain people and love them, the more me want to please them. Love causes that to happen and Jesus had a God View that was full of love from Father and then went back to Him. May we view Father through the eyes of Jesus!