In November of 2003 we were in need of computers. 

We had been very generously donated 5 used Pentium 2

computers for the youth centre which the youth used from

the time the youth centre opened until it closed each weekend. 

We had just been donated new software from Microsoft which

included Office 2003 and some other wonderful programs, valued

 at almost $4,000, and we were eager to get them onto the

computers for the youth to use; however, the computers needed

Windows XP and we weren’t able to use them.. 

 

After researching several different computer companies Patti decided

to fill out a grant application for Hewlitt Packard to see if they would

be willing to donate some newer computers.  The application was

completed and sent into their head office in November 2003.  Life at

the youth centre carried on and we did our best to use the computers

God had blessed us with.  The youth would ask from time to time if we

were going to be getting any new computers and we would do our best

to tell them that we were praying about it and if God wanted us to have

new ones He would take care of it.

 

7 months later in June of 2004, just before we were going to take possession of the new space for the expansion of the youth centre, Patti received a phone call from a gentleman from Hewlitt Packard.  He quickly informed her that the reason he was phoning was to discuss her grant application.  We had thought for sure that they had already reviewed it and for some reason had denied our request.  Not so!  The gentleman inquired more about who CrossTrainers was and asked about the programs we offered.  Patti was very open and honest with him that CrossTrainers was a group of 7 local churches working together to meet the needs of the youth in Bradford.  She shared how the Town was so supportive, of the numbers of youth that we had been introduced to at the centre, the needs we saw that they had, and of their love of computers.  At the end of their conversation he said that he would get back to her in the near future.  After Patti got off the phone she told me about their conversation and she said that she thought that the gentleman might be a Christian but she wasn’t sure.  She just got that feeling.

 

As the story goes, we received a few follow up calls in the weeks to follow and at the end of them we were informed that Hewlitt Packard was pleased to donate 8 brand new computers to the youth centre!  We could hardly believe it!  God’s timing was perfect, as always, because he knew that we were going to be expanding and would now have room for that many computers.  We stayed in touch with our new Hewlitt Packard friend because we still had to arrange for drop off and follow up to him as far as how they were being used.  It was during these conversations that he shared with us that he was a born again Christian and was so excited that a Christian organization had applied that met all of their donation requirements.  He shared with us that the key to our donation request being approved was not that he was a Christian, but because we were so diverse.  If it was simply one local church or denomination that was running the youth centre he could not possibly approve the application, but because we were 7 local churches from 6 different denominations and our mission was to love all youth without discrimination we met the qualification.  Our God knows what He’s talking about when He speaks in His Word of the importance of unity and working together.  Walls will fall down!

 

In March of 2003 God provided space for the youth centre to triple through the generosity of our mayor and a wonderful working of events.  As we began to pray and plan how to use this new space it was very clear to us that we needed to furnish one of the rooms to be a fitness room. 

 

The mission statement God had put on our hearts in 2000 for CrossTrainers was; ‘To provide direction in the physical, intellectual, social and spiritual aspects of life, based upon Biblical principles, to all youth without discrimination in an effort to encourage and support them as they develop and pursue their vision.’  In the first room that the town had provided us with we were able to work toward providing the youth with direction in the social, spiritual and intellectual aspects of life, but due to a lack of space we were not able to meet any of their physical needs. 

 

God had really been burdening us with the need to offer some type of fitness training for the youth and although we didn’t have space for any fitness equipment at the time we began to pray for a universal weight machine with the belief that if he provided us with this piece of equipment He would also provide us with the space to use it. 

 

2 days after we began praying for this specific piece of fitness equipment the head of the girl’s phys-ed department at the public high school (where we run the lunch drop-in program) approached me in the parking lot and shared with me that the school board had just approved them to get brand new fitness equipment and then she asked if we could use their old universal weight machine!  I wanted to laugh right out loud but thought that this might be taken as rude.  I did take the opportunity to share briefly with her that her offer was a total answer to prayer.  I also shared with her that, yes, we would love to have it; however, at the present time we didn’t have anywhere to store it.  God always takes care of details!  She said that that was good because they could not get rid of it until they received their new one and they had yet to order it.  As you can guess by the time they received their new equipment God had already provided us with the expansion space!

 

Knowing that we already had a main piece of fitness machinery we were confident that God would provide the other equipment we would need, however we had no clue how He would do it.  This is when He started showing off a bit!

 

Patti and I had been away in July ministering at a camp in California and when we returned home there was a message on our answering machine from a friend of mine named Jeff whom I hadn’t seen for 5 years.  Jeff and I had worked in the same fitness club in Newmarket for 1 month together.  He and his lovely wife Stacey had started a fitness consulting business and he was working for this particular club training the sales staff, of which I was one.  I was very impressed with their work ethic and the integrity with which they presented all of their training.  Because of this I had the opportunity to write a reference letter for them and we stayed in touch very sporadically throughout the next 5 years.  In the message he left on our machine it just said that he had been thinking about us and to give him a call.

 

Patti and I were so overwhelmed with all that God had been doing and it was spilling over into all of our conversations so when I phoned Jeff back the next day and he asked me what was going on the story of God’s blessings started to pour out.  I wasn’t sure what he must have been thinking because to the best of my knowledge Jeff and Stacey were not Christians.  After I shared the vision that God had put on our hearts for a youth centre and how God had opened up doors, Jeff’s response was, “It’s amazing who God brings across your path.”  With this I began to wonder what he meant, was he making just a general comment or was there more to it.  By the end of our conversation I was completely blown away by God again.  Jeff shared with me that over the past few years God had taken priority in his life, marriage, and business and it turned out that the he and Stacey were born again believers attending the same local church as my uncle.  He was genuinely excited about the ministry God had blessed us with and asked if there was anything they could do to help.  The first thing that came to my mind was to share our need of fitness equipment and that if he knew of anyone in the industry that had any new or used equipment that was interested in donating that this would be a huge blessing.  He than asked if it would be alright if he made the need known at their first ever fitness consulting conference in August.  I told him that that would be fine, but honestly didn’t know if anything would come of it.

 

After returning home from another camp in August I phoned Jeff to follow up and see how the conference went.  He was so excited to tell me that after he made an announcement at the beginning of the first session, a gentleman from Fitness Depot approached him and committed to helping us out.  I couldn’t believe it!  By then end of September Fitness Depot had donated $10,000 worth of weight machines for the fitness room.  The only thing we needed now was cardio equipment.

 

In Septmeber our Pastor gave us another opportunity to share with the church family how God had been blessing and of our need for volunteers to renovate the space.  We shared with them how God had blessed us with Fitness Depot coming on board to help and then shared that we knew God would provide everything else we needed.

Immediately after the service the Mayor, who had been attending the same local church with his family, approached us and asked what else we needed for the fitness room.  I shared with him that the only thing Fitness Depot could not supply us with was cardio equipment to which he said, “Go look for what you need and I will donate at least $5,000.”  He got the biggest bear hug I had ever given a Mayor!  I was able to contact the gentleman from Fitness Depot to see if he had any contacts as far as cardio equipment and with his help we were blessed with 2 treadmills, 2 stationary bikes and a stepper.  Our mayor donated $7,000 to cover the entire cost.  God is amazing!  “Jehovah Jireh.  My Provider.  His grace is sufficient for me.  My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory, He gives His angels charge over us.  Jehovah Jireh cares for me.”