Tuesday, May 25, 2010

May Love Abound...

Just got back from speaking to a group of women from Believers Fellowship in Spring, TX. Great time!!! They had their retreat just outside of Houston, TX at a place called Round Top Retreat Center. It was so awesome there! God revealed Himself to us in a mighty way! I appreciated the honesty of the ladies and their love for God and one another!

Recently, in our home group at the church I attend, we were given an assignment to pray the following prayer that Paul prayed regarding the saints at Colossae for each of our group members. We were asked to pray it daily for a week.

Colossians 1:9-14: "And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

A couple of months ago, we had a missionary from overseas in our class and he told us, “When you don’t know what to pray for us please pray this prayer”. It too, was Colossians 1:9-14.

Today, I want to pray that prayer over all missionary women near and far. As you and others who follow the blog read these verses, may you receive the truth of this scripture in your heart as well. May the Holy Spirit speak.

"We at Pure Joy International ask God that you be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding (not the wisdom of man and or understanding of man but the spirit), so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord (walking with His Word as your plumb line), fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work (experiencing the overflow of abiding in Him) and increasing in the knowledge of God (knowing Him through His Word on-going)."

"May you be strengthened with all power (through the Holy Spirit), according to His Glorious might (His strength not your own), for all endurance and patience (stick to it and wait on His strength don’t run behind or ahead) do this with joy, giving thanks to the Father, (the one who KNOWS), who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light (the One who has equipped you for your journey). He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, (Praise God He has moved us!), in whom we have redemption, (and paid for the whole thing!), the forgiveness of sins. (forever) Amen!"

His,
vickie

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Life and Life ...

Life and Life.....

This past Sunday a precious missionary family and friend to many of us at Pure Joy lost their son Zac to cancer. Zac was an incredible young man, husband, and father. Zac had a view on life that I believe God would have all of His children to have in their hearts. If you do not know Zac's story, please go to "youtube" and type in Zac Smith. Watch "letter to Zac" and "Cancer is the best thing that happened..."

The world says, life happens and then you die. But, Zac KNEW something that all true followers of Christ KNOW. Life happens and then you LIVE!! Amen!!

The following are the words of Zac's wife

My Love.

This is Mandy, Zachary James Smith, went to be with Jesus at 3:05 p.m. on Sunday May 16th. He is no longer in pain. The cancer has lost and Jesus has the victory in all of this. The battle has been won. I know you all loved Zac, and his presence is missed in our home. Please pray for peace and comfort for my family, as we now figure out how to continue his story to the best of our ability. Watch out because those kids of ours, well let’s just say they have a lot of wisdom from Zac in those little heads. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for them.

Death cannot take away what is already His. To God be the glory. Always.

-Mandy

Please remember Zac's family, his wife and children, his mom, dad and sister Stacey in your prayers! May we all learn from his "Faith Walk".

His,
vickie

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Home again...

Wendy, Jessie, Patty and I just arrived back yesterday afternoon from our journey to Nicaragua. What an awesome trip it was indeed! We stayed with a precious family who we have all adopted for our own. We finally got to meet our contact person and her family and adopted them too! We were excited to be able to minister to women from the following ministries:

Caribbean Ministries Association
Missionary Ventures
ABWE
Christian Reformed - CRWM
Food for the Hungry
Netherlands Embassy
Manna Project International
Christ for the City
Young Life
Assemblies of God
Evangelical Fellowship International
Nicaragua Christian Academy
Nehemiah Center - Nicaragua
Three Fold Ministries
Mustard Seed Missions
Evangel Fellowship International
American Nicaraguan School and Various other aid and development organizations in Nicaragua

Something that was a real “Joy” for us was to be able to actually go out and visit some of the missionary women and observe them in their areas of ministry. God is using so many people in so many different ways to accomplish His plan and purposes.

Also, for those of you who Pray, Go and Give to Pure Joy International I want to give you a testimony of how God uses your praying, going, and giving. One of the missionary women themselves gave us a card with a precious note in it and a check that will sponsor a missionary woman to attend our next Pure Joy trip overseas. That act of kindness is so precious to me. One of the desires we have as we travel is that through the ministry of Pure Joy the women will realize the need to minister to one another as well as their people groups.

We love you and I praise God for your faithfulness to Him, His servants and ministries all over the world that spread the Good News of the Gospel and live it out!!

His,
vickie

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Better is One Day...

Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. Psalm 84:10

Last night we arrived in Nicaragua. Kathy and Carl met us at the airport to take us to the family, Terri and Steve, that we would be staying with for the next two nights. If these two families are an example of the other missionary women we will be surrounded by for the next many days, then we are truly blessed!

This morning we will be leaving to go into an area where a young mom’s group will be having a study together. Please pray for these moms and the missionary women that work with them. Also, pray for the Retreat for the missionary women. So far we have 81 in attendance from many different missions’ organizations.

This week pray, pray, pray! I am praying that each time you come to a “Red Light or Stop Sign“ this next seven days, God will bring us to your mind and you will lift a prayer for us to Him who is able to do more than we can think or even imagine!

Hmmmmm I’m confident that I smell coffee brewing. Have a great week!

His,
vickie