Prague News and "Stopping the Chaos in the Family"...

As we get into our home stretch for the Prague trip, I wanted to change the order of sharing information. It has been so fun to watch God at work during these last couple of weeks and I just want us to see His Hand at work together!!!

First, let me start out by saying I would not like to see another chicken cheese enchilada for a while. Over the weekend several of the team members, some Sunday school class members, previous team members, and a couple of girls I have the privilege of discipling and their children worked from Friday afternoon until Saturday evening making enchiladas and baked goods such as coconut cream pies, no bake cookies, chocolate pies, etc. The end result was that enough donations were given to sponsor 6 more missionary women at $500 per missionary. That money pays for them to stay 4 days, 3 nights in a nice hotel, all meals paid for, all materials covered, and the opportunity to hear messages given specifically for them, plus worship, fellowship, free time, etc. As of this writing, we only lack 14 ½ missionary women to have all 50 missionary women sponsored! We are so praising God and excited to see how He goes about bringing in the provision for the last 14 ½ ladies! Stay tuned! Remember, if He moves on your heart to give, be obedient. Otherwise, pray, pray, pray!

A couple of weeks ago I asked the missionary women to send me things I could share with you. This week one of women named Becky has sent a few different blogs that will give you some insight into ministry for her.

http://www.ukraineupdate.blogspot.com/2009/03/week-of-celebration_13.html
http://www.ukraineupdate.blogspot.com/2009/02/serendipity.html
http://www.ukraineupdate.blogspot.com/2010/01/wait-minute-i-didnt-sign-up-for-this.html

Expect great things during the next couple of weeks as we watch God move on behalf of these missionary women!!

[Special Note:  While this blog was sitting in the hands of the editor I received a phone call letting me know that we received a check for $2000.00 to sponsor 4 more missionary women!  WooooooooWhoooooooooo!!! 

So, we only have 10 ½ missionary women left to sponsor!  God is so good!!!!

Stopping the Chaos in the Family . . .

Last week we established that the shedding of blood and death took place for the first time following Adam and Eve’s disobedience (sin) toward God. This death (sacrifice) of the animal and the shedding of its blood is a foreshadowing of Christ’s shedding of blood and His death on the cross for forgiveness of our sins.

I want to share a story with you about a young man who shared with me several years ago as we were doing some clean up at a youth camp following dinner. He told me that his pastor had shared this with the congregation weeks before. First, he asked me to look at

Isaiah 53:5 (NKJV):

But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.

Then he asked me these questions:

1. “What is a wound?” I responded that it is a cut, open sore, torn skin, etc.
2. “What are transgressions?” I responded that it is sin against God, and more specifically, to knowingly sin against him.
3. “What is a bruise?” My reply was that it is when there has been a blow to your body but it bleeds on the inside not the outside.
4. “What are iniquities?” My response was that I think of iniquities as more of internal sins: sins of the mind, heart, secret sin, strongholds, etc.

He then shared this with me: Vickie, Jesus was wounded (shed blood) for all your transgressions. All the times in your life past, present, and future that you will blatantly sin against Him when you know you shouldn’t do something. But, He was also bruised (shed blood internally) for those sins that are of the heart: bitterness, unforgiveness, anger, wrong thinking, etc. When Jesus shed His blood on the cross for our sins, it was shed from the outside in to the inside out. He has us covered with the blood through and through! So, don’t let the enemy ever convince you that you have ever committed a sin outwardly or inwardly that isn’t covered by Jesus’ redeeming work on the cross! He’s got us covered!!! He has clothed us in His righteousness!

  

Love you all so much . . . keep praying for those last 10½ missionary women!!!

His,

Vickie