Wednesday, June 19, 2013

North East Asia and The Empty Cup...

The time is here.  We are finishing up the logistics of our trip to North East Asia this week. Next week we will open up the registration process for the Retreat to missionary women in that area. Please contact vickie@purejoyinternational.org for details.

We also have several spots still open for team members. If you believe God is prompting your heart to join us on this trip please contact me at the email in the previous paragraph for details.

To remind you, our theme is "He Sees" and the verse is from Psalm 33:13 "The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man.” We are so excited about this opportunity and continue to ask each of you to be in much prayer over this trip. God has been very clear about this trip and I love watching Him put the team together knowing what the missionary women need and what the team members need to happen in their lives through this experience.

If you are interested in helping out with prayer, gifts, finances, and gifting but don't know how, please contact me at the email listed above.

There is a common story told in the area of martial arts that goes something like this....

A master was trying to explain something to a student. Now this student was not a brand new student, but a senior student who had learned many things. He had knowledge and experience to draw upon. But each time the master tried to explain something new to the student, the student kept trying to hold it up against his own notions of the way the world is and how it ought to be, and he was unable to see the lessons in what the master was trying to teach him.

Finally, the master poured a full serving of tea into his own cup, and into the cup of the student. Then he told the student he wanted to give to him some of the tea from his own cup. He began pouring tea from his cup into the student's cup, but the student's cup was already full, and all the tea from the master's cup spilled out over the cup onto the surface below.

The student said, "Master, you can't pour anything into my cup until I empty it to make room for what you are trying to give me.", and the master replied "Yes I know." "And I can't give you any new thoughts or ideas or perspectives on life's lessons until you clear out some thoughts that are already teeming in your mind to make room for what I have to teach you." Then the master paused for a brief moment, meeting the student's eyes with his own knowing look and calmly but sternly said: " If you truly seek understanding, then first, empty your cup!"

The student pondered for a moment with a look of absolute bewilderment. Then a look of enlightenment came over him, followed by a smile, and a look of receptiveness. The master started to explain again, and this time the student saw what the master was trying to say.

Is your cup full? Full of you, the World, Life, etc? Empty your cup before Him and let Him fill your cup! We too have a Master who is known as Jesus, Savior, Lamb of God, Bright and Morning Star, Rose of Sharon, The Gate, The Way, Our Hope, Our Refuge, King of Kings, LORD of LORDS, High Priest, etc. "If you truly seek understanding, counsel, knowledge, peace, etc. then first empty your cup and let Him fill it!!

Love you much !! Be praying for NE Asia !!

His, Vickie

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