Our stores here in the States are already rolling out ALL the Christmas merchandise. Walking through the isles at Hobby Lobby, looking at all the stockings, tinsel and decorations caused me to think back on some very sweet memories of Christmas in August.
When I was a child, my siblings and I were the recipients of a Christmas in August giving by our home church in St. Louis just because we were furloughing MK’s. I will never forget receiving that sparkly gold Banana seat bike with high-rise-handlebars. It was a dream, and it truly was like Christmas!
So yesterday on a warm summer day, I decorated Christmas cookies for a group of ladies who were coming over to learn about the ministry of Pure Joy International Retreat Ministry, Inc.
God stirred my heart the very first time I heard Vickie speak about Pure Joy. It made me think of how my mom served our family, served in ministry, loved on the nationals and other missionaries. It made me think of how encouraging a Pure Joy Retreat would have been for mom as she served alongside my dad for 35 years in Colombia.
Pure Joy International has been called to minister to missionary women around the world, with the purpose of helping our missionary/mission families stay on the field of service God has called them to.
In other words, like that sparkly gold banana seat bike of a beautifully decorated Christmas cookie in August, Pure Joy Retreats refresh the heart and soul of missionary women across the globe.
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