Monday, February 22, 2010

Hey, what's that aroung your neck?

Don’t know if you have teenagers yet and or if you just love jewelry and new fads. I think that there is a secret competition going on in the world to see how many necklaces and arm bracelets one person can get on themselves at one time. Being the optimist I am, the good thing I can see coming out of this fad is that if you are on the 8th story of a burning building and there is a fire you could tie them end to end and escape out the window to ground level. Ha,ha,ha,

Seriously, we women love to adorn ourselves with lovely jewelry for a night out with our husbands or an outing with the girls.

You know God’s Word has instructed us as well regarding the wearing of a particular necklace. It is the necklace of love, kindness, compassion (mercy) and faithfulness (truth).

Proverbs 3:3-4 tells us (NIV)

Let love (mercy) and faithfulness (truth) never leave you;
Bind them around your neck.
Write them on the tablet of your heart
Then you will win favor and a good name
In the sight of God and man


He says bind them around your necks. In other words, don’t take them off! And know this, if mercy and truth are written on your hearts, those around you will see the necklace! Praise God that He graces us for all things! Our part is to YIELD!

Hope everyone is doing well and that you are faithfully sharing our website with others. We met some wonderful women and men this past week while attending an event for some of our missionaries. What a sweet time of meeting so many of you from across the seas and those so near. Can’t wait to see what God does with our contact.

Please remember to pray for one another daily and don’t forget our missionaries near and far as they are obedient to His call on their lives.

Get involved with Missions at your local church! And pray, pray, pray for Pure Joy regarding places of service, teams, giving, and going!

His,
vickie

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Give me some of that!

As a young believer, I can remember the privilege and opportunity I had to travel and speak with Great Hills Retreat ministry. One of the many memorable moments came at an encampment called “Falls Creek” in Oklahoma. Beth Moore was the platform speaker. I remember listening to her that day and thinking that I Wanted Some of What She HAD! Please hear my heart right now. I did not want to be like Beth Moore, God already made her for that. I wanted some of what I saw oozing out of her that day from the platform. I had seen this before oozing from my Spiritual Mom. Quite simply, I wanted Jesus to radiate from my life the way He poured forth from theirs. I wanted to experience that kind of intimacy.

John 15:5-8 (The Message Bible) says:

I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.

Are you maturing in your walk with the LORD? Are you abiding in such a way that He is oozing from you in all areas of your life? May the world be able to look at us as believers and say, “Give me some of that”!

Hope everyone is enjoying our new Web design. Thank you to those of you who we have heard from. Please let us hear from more of you and don’t forget to sign up on the blog site to have the blog delivered automatically to your email weekly.

As always, remember Pure Joy International in your prayers as we desire His will in all things.

His,
vickie

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Get your Peanuts and Popcorn Here!!

Ok, just kidding. But, we do have something for you! The NEW WEB SITE is up and running!!! There are a few more tweaks to be made but the new look is easier and much more fun to look at!! Many thanks to Rachael Abanathy, Web Designer, and Patty Shipp, our web guru, for getting things up and going for all of you! There are a few things Patty is still working on after our Ministry Staff meeting, but that won?t take long.

Please take this opportunity to sign up to receive the Blog in your email box automatically each time we put out any new information. Go to the Blog page and sign up!

Also, I want to take time to thank those of you who give small and large portions of your finances each month to the ministry. Your giving allows us to take care of keeping the web site and other ministry tools in place to get the word out about Pure Joy. This week I want to challenge you to forward this blog to at least three to five friends!

Many thanks,

His,
vickie

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Couldn't we have taken a shorter route!

Exodus 13:17

When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”


Whew! Have you ever just wanted to give up and go back to your Egypt? I praise God that He does not take us on the shortest route in our journey with Him so that we don’t mistakenly think we don’t need Him or that we did it on our own.

For sure in our walks with Him there have been times for all of us when we would have bailed out if there had been an opportunity. If that has never happened to you then you are either a Baby Christian or have a problem with story telling, (lying).

The next time you ‘feel’ like there is no way out of the battle or circumstance and you want to return to the world (Egypt) to help you, remember, God could have taken you on a shorter route but He loved you enough not to! Look up! And see His Glory as He works on your behalf! Amen!

Well, we are only a week away, at the most, from our new web look! The ministry staff has been looking over options for a month or more. Recently the ministry staff and Board of Directors/Advisors decided on the new style we prefer and have left it up to the Web Designer and Patty to tweak it into shape for next week! So, get excited and ready for the new look! Also, any comments you have about the web design, please share with us by directing those to Patty and she will share them with the staff and me.

Please remember to keep praying for Pure Joy International. Pray for God’s timing for all trips, contacts, supporters, givers, and goers. (hmmmm is that a word?) If it isn’t I have about three people that lovingly don’t have a problem letting me know! Ha,ha,ha

Love you all,

His,
vickie