Monday, January 21, 2008

Room For Three!

Good afternoon bloggers! We are hitting our deadline this Wednesday for any missionary women in the Costa Rica or surrounding area that would like to sign up for Pure Joy’s Costa Rica Retreat for Women Missionaries. Don’t missing this opportunity if you have not signed up yet. We will receive no more registrations after 5:00 on Wednesday afternoon. To register please go to www.purejoyinternational.org and click on registration.

The Costa Rica Retreat team is absolutely getting more and more excited about what God is up to for this retreat! It is going to be such a sweet time in the LORD, full of encouragement, worship, fellowship, and fun!!

This past weekend I had the opportunity to do a lock-in with our 3rd through 6th graders at my home church. The previous weekend I had the opportunity to minister to a group of women from Paragould, AR. at a ladies retreat on the lake in a wonderful lake house. Funny thing, the women stayed up most of the night just like those kids. So what is it with staying up all night when we get to go to these things? My body is confused about it all!! Ha,ha,ha,ha,ha

Both of those events were of great joy to me personally. In fact that group of women in Paragould took up an offering to sponsor one of our missionary women in Costa Rica and then some. At our kids lock-in I had the opportunity to lead a young 11 year old to the LORD! Sweetest thing in the world to watch JESUS capture the heart of a child!!!! While I’m on this subject…when is the last time you shared your testimony with someone? Believe it or not there are people that live and work around us every day that do not know how to enter into that eternal relationship! A testimony is just the thing to spring open the door of conversation. Overcome your own fears and step out in bold faith trusting the Spirit of God to give you the right words at the right time! Remember, God’s timing is perfect and He is the Savior not you and I! We are however responsible to share the Good News!

Just a quick note to finish…I just visited with a 10 year-old that attended the lock-in Friday as well. He informed me that he was saved on Christmas Eve! I wish you could have heard this young mans testimony. Wow! Out of the mouth of babes! Anyway, we talked about baptism today and this Sunday he will follow the LORD in this act of obedience! I share the two stories with you today to remind you, God is at working drawing men, women, and children to Him near and far! We are all missionaries for the kingdom!!!!

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Closing in on Costa Rica

Okay friends, approximately five weeks and counting! Costa Rica is coming into focus as we spend these last five weeks in preparation. Funny about putting together a retreat like this. It reminds me of baking which will make some of you that know me laugh out loud! First you have to decide what kind of cake you want to make. Then you have to go about the business of finding the ingredients for that particular cake because that is what makes it that cake! Next you have to be sure to measure out the right amount of those ingredients as you begin to mix it together and then you spend time stirring it so it can really blend well. Last comes pouring it into a prepared pan and putting it in the oven to cook. Then when it comes out, it looks WONDERFUL (that is a faith statement…ha!) and you put on the final touch of icing and it is ready to be served, savored and enjoyed!!

Having said all of that, I suspect as of today we are in the measuring out the ingredients part of the recipe for our Coast Rica Cake. We meet as a team at Eastside Baptist in Ft. Smith this coming Sunday afternoon to really begin mixing and stirring the ingredients so please be praying for us! Can you imagine 16 women working on one cake! That is a miracle before we ever leave the country!!! Ha…ha!

His,
vickie

P.S. We could have baked a just add egg and water cake but Nahhhhh! Our missionary women deserve better than that!!!

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Hear a Team Members Heart

Hey Guys, I thought you would enjoy hearing about a ministry that Kathy Coleman, one of our Costa Rica team members is involved in. I asked her to give me some information on it...so here it is.

A Ladies' Retreat is what changed my life! In 1995, I began a walk with God that took me into uncharted territories. As I began to pray with 3 other women after this retreat for God's will in my life, God took me to an article about moms in Brazil who came together to pray for their children. I then felt that God was calling me to start a yearly day of prayer for moms in our city. The first Mom's Day of Prayer was held in Ft. Smith, Arkansas in January 1998. Then in 2004, I felt the call of God to take the MDOP outside of Ft. Smith so it has become a worldwide event. The Mom's Day of Prayer is held the 3rd Saturday of each January across the world. It is with great JOY that I will have the opportunity to share with the ladies in Costa Rica about this movement of God. If you would like further information please visit the MDOP website at www.momsdayofprayer.com.

If you have a chance check out her web site! Keep checking the blog we will have more news about the Costa Rica preparations soon.

His,
Vickie