First Time Going POTTY

Did I happen to mention that Jaelle went pee pee on the potty October 11th?  Yep, so I figure I better document this momentous occassion!

She grabbed at her bottom and then Abby said "Jaelle you have to go potty?!"  So she grabbed her hand and ran her to the bathroom.  Got her clothes off and as I walked into the bathroom I picked up my naked little girl and put her on the potty.  And sure enough...."Pssst!"  Pee went into the potty. :)  Pretty cool for a 16 month old. 

Don't know if she's quite ready for potty training but just going to be relaxed and let it happen.....totally different attitude from the last time I potty trained with Abby and Becca. :)

Life is good in the Bornman Household. :)

Letter of Recommendation

LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION FROM GRACE ADVENTURES

October 12, 2012

To Whom It May Concern,

It is with great pleasure that I recommend Cherri Bornman as a worship leader. I am the Program

Manager at Grace Adventures, a Christian camp and training center in Silver Lake, Michigan. Cherri has

lead worship for 3 years in our Women’s Retreat program.

Over the 3 years that Cherri has participated, our program has grown from 100 women to over 250 and

she continues to receive rave reviews from attendees. In fact, she has never received a negative review.

Cherri’s worship style is simple but authentic and powerful. She easily relates to the attendees using

humor, personal stories and testimonies and is then able to smoothly transition into a worship

experience. She is extremely talented vocally and on the piano and has a great balance between types of

songs she chooses from traditional to contemporary, upbeat and slow.

Cherri is very easy and fun to work with. She is flexible and really desires to meet the needs of the

program. Cherri is also organized and always gives us the information we need well in advance.

Although she has only lead worship for us in Women’s Retreats, I have no doubt that she would be

excellent with any adult or family group.

In addition to her musical skill and talent, Cherri is a huge benefit to our program in that she is not just

there to play music but to minister. On many occasions she has gone out of her way to form

relationships with guests, to listen and talk and pray with them. She is a woman of strong faith and her

passion for God’s love is evident in her actions and speech.

If you are looking for a worship leader who will authentically and sincerely draw people into the

presence of God, I highly recommend Cherri. She has a true heart for worship and we have been blessed

to have her as a part of our program and I believe you will be as well. I would be happy to provide any

other helpful information.

Sincerely,

Abby Banfield

Program Manager

(231) 873-3662

abby@graceadventures.org


FEEDBACK ON THE WORSHIP BAND:

Answers to the question, "What has your experience at the Women’s Retreat meant to you?"

• It was a wonderful experience with my sister, church and other ladies, listening to God’s Word through Jennifer, worshipping, fellowshipping, and learning.
• It was relaxing and allowed me personal time to spend with God and friends in worship.
• A fun time of relaxing and growing with new great worship.

 

Answers to the question, "Please share which sessions or workshops impacted you, and what you’ve learned from them."

 

• I also really enjoyed the worship before each session. 
• Worship.
• Worship was the best I’ve participated in in a long time.
• I really enjoyed the sessions to worship.  Deep, deep love of Christ came out of this.
• Jennifer Shaw’s sessions, the worship music, session on change, Eva’s open house – great ideas.
• Also, Cherry and the worship team are great.
• Worship and speaker.

Random comments:

• I loved Jen and the worship team
• Loved Cherri and the girls doing worship – great blessing!  Would enjoy even longer worship times!
• Loved the speaker and the worship singers.  I would be very happy to see the speaker and singers again next year.

Answers to the question, "How did God speak to you or work in your life this weekend?"

• Worship, in His Word, in His music.
• God really spoke to me through the Shepherd’s Walk and through the worship times. 
• He gently reminded me that I am special, unique, and important.  Stress, worry, and self esteem issues have plagued me for years.  He also showed Himself while we worshipped and sang.

Abby Banfield

Program Manager

Grace Adventures

(231) 873-3662

www.graceadventures.org

Jaelle Veronica Bornman September 2012, 15 months old

I couldn't let these pictures go without sharing them.  This little girl has so much personality and ENERGY.  It's not that she is bad, but she surely keeps us on our toes.  I don't remember Abby and Becca being so strong willed and determined.  Jaelle is a go getter and loves playing and interacting with people of all ages.  Bedtime is normally 7:30 or 8pm and she gets up between 6:30-7am every day.  Naps have been either once a day for 2-3 hours or two 1 hour naps.  I've noticed that she likes to "pick" at Becca. I think because Becca reacts and Jaelle knows she's going to get some kind of response whether good or bad.  Abby is Jaelle's little mommy and I love how Abby helps Jaelle and nurtures her.  I'm not surprised that Abby is such a responsible big sister. 

Jaelle is so beautiful and I just had to share these precious pictures from earlier in the month of September 2012 

These pictures show all her different faces in a half hour span.

Aren't I cute mommy?

Very much a thumbsucker.  But I'm going to just let her grow out of it and not worry about it.

I try to play piano with Jaelle but she usually boots me off the piano because she wants to perform, or sing or do her own thing. :) 

Spacing out face.

Goofy girl- she is very silly and loves to laugh and joke.  Jaelle has an usually keen sense of humor for being so little.

And I just LOVE this picture!  Yep, Jaelle is trying to go potty.  Abby thought that Jaelle was telling her that she had to go potty because she was grabbing at her diaper.  So Abby took her and then was yelling from the bathroom for me to help.  I come and of course, nothing happens.  So I set Jaelle in front of me and tell her to watch mommy.  I sit on the potty and then tell her to "listen" and then proceed to pee.  Before I could respond/react, Jaelle sits down on the floor in front of me, looks between her legs, and then PEES!!  I start to yell but notice that Jaelle is proudly clapping because she peed.  So I quickly change from yelling/scolding to "yeah, good job Jaelle!"    So this is Jaelle's first pee pee picture and I'm sure we'll have more fun stories to share.  But how cool that we caught her first potty picture and story together. :)

Grace Adventures Women's Retreat September 28-30th,2012

This is my 3rd year attending this Women's Retreat at Grace Adventures in Mears, Michigan as the guest worship leader for the weekend.  And how it all came about was from a referral.  I spoke for 3 years at a Women's Retreat for New Haven Brethren church and also lead the women in worship at a Bed and Breakfast in Saugatuck MI.  It was such a wonderful thing for me in that it was my first time speaking for a whole weekend and because the women who go to this retreat are just so loving and made me feel part of their church family.  I met Noelle Gable, an amazing woman ministering to young girls in the Grand Rapids area.  I had an opening Ice Breaker question asking who in the audience had the most children and everyone yelled "NOELLE!"  And I asked "How many children do you have?"  And she replies "I think 16" and then someone in the audience says "And she's not married!!"  And I said "Ok, well I just opened a can of worms!"  And we all laughed....but later I was able to sit and talk with her to hear her ministry to young troubled girls in Grand Rapids, how she lives with them in a home and basically becomes a mother to them.  Anyway, Noelle was the one who mentioned me to Grace Adventures when they were looking for a woman worship leader for their upcoming women's retreat.  And that is how I ended up with the opportunity to minister in music and continue to return.  I just finished my 3rd year this year and they asked me to come back again for 2013!  I couldn't be more excited about it.  Grace Adventures truly has a unique and most amazing campus.  They have such a GIFT of hospitality.  You instantly feel loved, accepted, and pampered while you are there.  The campus is beautiful and the activities range from Zumba, zip line, horse back riding, massages, shooting, paintball, or SLEEPING or no sleeping.  One of my favorite things to do at Grace Adventures is to go to Eva's house.  Eva is the wife of the maintenance director at Grace.  She opens her home anyone to visit.  She oozes God's love and her home is so cute.  Every crick and cranny is filled with little things she's created. She has wonderful ideas on food, hosting, and especially giving little gifts that cost pennies to make to give to someone  to make them feel loved or special.  I just love Eva and I think its because she's such a perfect example of what it looks like to use your gift to the fullest to bless others.  Her gift of hospitality and service and "works of her hands" are so evident in her home and life that Christ is honored and all people are blessed who come encounter her.

Here are a few pictures from the weekend.

Jennifer Shaw- Songwriter, Vocal Performer and Speaker.  Tremendous woman of God- because she was REAL and her message was straight from God's word and not of her.  It was amazing ministering with her in music this weekend and being apart of her vision for the weekend.  She came with laryngitis and wasn't able to sing until Sunday morning.  But she did speak every session and God used her mightily!

My favorite picture from the weekend- my sister and me

On top of Little Sable Lighthouse with Elissa Green, Gina and Kendra Battig

Here is the gang who came with us to Grace Adventures.  We loved bunking together and spent a few hours Saturday at Little Sable lighthouse and lake Michigan enjoying the sun and view.  Gina and me even ran up one of the sand dunes. :)

Gina and me had to take a foot picture

Very happy me

I am actually terrified of heights but the view was breathtaking and I was glad that I overame my fear and went up on the balcony at the top of Little Sable Lighthouse.

And the older I get, the more I like my stubby little nose that God gave me. :) Thanks God!!

BELOW IS AN EMAIL I SENT TO FRIENDS REGARDING THE WEEKEND:

We're back from an awesome weekend at Grace Adventures! The speaker and song writer/vocal artist was Jennifer Shaw. Wonderful woman and we totally enjoyed ministering with her in music this weekend. We left feeling more encouraged in our gifts and the call on our lives to use music to touch women and bring them closer to God. I’m excited to see where God will take us this coming year with our music.  And they booked us for next year again and both Grace Adventures and the Musical artist are writing a letter of recommendation on our behalf!

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT!!  They mean so much.  Keep praying for Gina.  It’s a long road and I still see her wanting go back to Freddy-Only God knows what the outcome of their seperation will bring. She so badly wants to honor God with her marriage and love Freddy.  But the emotional/mental abuse was strong and so evident in her behavior, patterns and actions. I hope she remains steadfast with her decision but time will tell. I keep remembering that verse that says “He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.” 

Anyways, I am learning every day what it is to trust God with family and to see God work in a tangible way in Gina’s life as she works through and deals with her trials.  She continues to amaze me with her simple “child like” heart and faith.  Gina is such a loving/merciful person and I want that quality too.

Cherri  

P.S.  HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEKEND-We met a girl who survived abuse (the last day of the retreat at breakfast)  All I asked her was “Do you mind me asking how you became a single parent?” And she started in with her story. By the end, Gina and I were both a mess.  Anyway, I call it one of those “divine appointments” and Gina feels that her meeting this girl was totally why she was supposed to go this weekend. Gina got her phone number and info and she recommended some programs for Gina. It was good for Gina to see and meet with another girl who has survived, thrived and overcame.