Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Stay Connected .....

This morning as I was getting my little great nephew ready for daycare I got tickled at his frustration over a nightlight in my mom's bedroom. He wanted to hold it but he also wanted it to light up. At 22 months he gets light and dark but he doesn't get the energy source that provides the light -  electricity.   I can also say with confidence that I don't get electricity either! ha,ha,ha  But I do know I need it to get the light to work. As he held it in his little hand saying, light, light, I tried to explain to him that we had to plug it back in to the wall socket (source) if he wanted it to light up. However, he couldn't hold it if it was plugged in to the wall so it was all very frustrating to him. 

As I think about him standing there this morning in his dilemma, I realize that we get that way in our relationship with God sometimes. We want His presence in our life, His blessing, His provision, His strength, His wisdom, His guidance, etc., etc. But we have a tendency to want to hold on to the things that keep us in the darkness. Next time you are feeling really frustrated and can't seem to walk away from it, be sure to check and see if you are plugged in to the source of power that will give you light in the situation.

John 8:12 (ESV)
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Please continue to pray and lift up the Burkina Faso Retreat in September and the Tanzania Retreat in November. The team members for the Burkina Faso Retreat are starting to come forward. It is always exciting to me to see how God works in putting a team together for a particular group of missionary women. He is Amazing!

Please remember all the individuals and families in prayer this week and the weeks to come that have lost loved ones, their homes and everything else to the tornados that have made a wicked path through the southern part of the U.S.   

Stay Connected….

His,
Vickie

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Austinites....

I'm sitting at the airport as I write this blog.  I have spent the last two days in Austin, Texas.  My proof is the back porch of the Hilderbrand family where I stayed one of my nights.

 If this isn't a Texas back porch I don't know what is!  I had some sweet time with the LORD there. I also had a sweet time with the ladies I met last night to share about PureJoy. They represented 5 different churches here in the Austin area. Please pray for God to speak to their hearts regarding their involvement in Pure Joy.















I smile as I recall some of our discussion last night.  It seems that each of us in our personal lives had the theme of 'wait'.   As frustrated as we get waiting in lines at the bank, school pick up, restaurants, on the phone, on someone else, etc., etc., there is something exciting about 'waiting' on God when you put it in perspective!  He always has our best interest at heart, the timing is always going to be perfect, it is always going to be more than we would have ever thought up or imagined and it is always accomplishing His perfect plan for His Glory even when we don't understand the waiting.  But what is most awesome is when the waiting ends and we 'see'!  It is like waiting on a good July 4th fireworks show.  When it finally happens we look up and state...ewww, ahhhh, wow, cool, awesome, beautiful, etc., etc. I love it when God does that to us in our hearts!!  So if you are 'waiting' on God be encouraged!!! It will be quite the show!

I began talking with a contact person from Burkina Faso this past week.  Pray as we look for the location God wants us to provide for the missionary women.  Also pray for the missionary women that will attend and for the team God wants to put together.  If you are interested in the Burkina trip as a team member, contact me at vickie@purejoyinternational.org

Have a great week and weekend!

Love u

His,
Vickie

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

On the Road again....

Just got back from Brunswick, GA. Spoke at Blythe Island Church there on the island. Sweet group of ladies. Each group of ladies decorated a table according to their choice. One of the groups even made decorative hats to go along with their table. Pretty fun! I've included a picture or two. It was fun to get to share with the ladies the word God placed on my heart and to share with them Pure Joy International in relationship to the Word. Thank you, Blythe Island Church, for a sweet time! Next week I head to Austin to visit with some ladies from that area. Can't wait to see what God is up to there.
























This past week as I flew to Jacksonville, FL to be picked up by Julie, the pastor’s wife and my friend, I could not help but think of the individuals and families of the people on the Malaysian plane that has been missing for so many weeks now. I thought of the passengers on that plane as I looked at all the individuals on my flight. I wondered about their thoughts and fears and suffering. I thought about all the family members that need and want closure even though they know the inevitable - kids that lost parents, parents that lost kids, etc. Then my mind shifted to the youth that were stabbed by the young male student that went on a rage with a knife in the hallways of the Pennsylvania high school just the day before I flew out. This is not to mention the many other senseless crimes that continue to grip our nation and world. I want to call it what it is..."evil". God's Word is clear to us that we do not war against flesh and blood! Paul says it the very best…

Ephesians 6:10-20 (ESV)
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.  In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

You can truly become overwhelmed by all that we 'see and hear' that goes on around us. It can seem too difficult for you to make a difference.  The evil one wants you to think that in your marriages, families, churches, ministries, jobs and community. DON'T LOOK OUT across the horizon! LOOK UP to the ONE AND ONLY Who makes the difference! Many years ago a song came out by Chris Rice titled "Go Light Your World". The key word here is "Your". No one person is going to "Light" the whole world!! Even Jesus, while He is the Light of the World, didn't do it alone. He had 12 disciples and now every believer since then. He is using us to 'light' the world around us that we influence. Have you considered your realm of influence for the things of God? How would those closest to you say the lighting is?

I'm suspecting that some of us in the body of Christ could use a bulb check! Some of us are shorting out between the bulb and the source (Jesus)! Just saying. Also, if you haven't really taken to heart the words of Paul from Ephesians 6:10-20 lately, please do. Meditate on it!

Love you all ...

His,
Vickie







Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Life is just crazy sometimes...

To prove my point let's begin with the fact I feel the need to explain what a 'Walkman' is before I share the following story.  Walkman: a small portable cassette player used with headphones.   What?   Oh, yes of course.  Cassette: a sealed plastic unit containing a length of audiotape wound on a pair of spools, for insertion into 'walkman player'. Hopefully, those definitions have built a road backwards for those of you that are iPod, iPad, iPhone, and Droid persons.  Ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha

A blonde goes into the beauty and hair parlor with her Walkman on her head.  "I need to take that Walkman off your head," says the beauty specialist as she notices the blonde.  "You can't! I'll die!" retorts the blonde.  "I can't cut your hair with the Walkman on your ears!"  says the beauty specialist getting annoyed.  "I said you can't take it off, or I'll die!"  The beauty specialist, outraged and flustered, grabs the Walkman and throws it off the head of the blonde.  Within seconds, the blonde dies.  When the specialist picks up the Walkman to listen, she hears it repeating "breath in, breath out, breath in".

We laugh over that story but for sure I believe that some of us need to be told to "breath in, breath out"! I'm confident I have had to tell myself that a few times this past couple of weeks! 

As I listen to many of our missionary families share their hearts I am amazed at how I see God working.  And sometimes what we see as 'crazy' is simply our Father positioning us for His Glory and our refinement.    I encourage you if you are going through some life changes in your marriage, family, ministry, job, etc., remember His promise from .....

Romans 8:28 (ESV)
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

If you love God, His promise is that all things work together for your good!!!  Believe it!  Don't rely on your emotions, they will lie to you!  Keep walking until the emotions catch up with the truth!

I just got back from making a trip to Nashua Baptist Church in Kansas City, Missouri.  Seriously, it was such a wonderful group of ladies.  Several of them are already on board for helping us with some things for our Tanzania trip!  God is sooooo Good!    The precious woman I stayed with is the mom of one of our missionary women from China who attended our North East Asia conference last fall.  It was wonderful to see how this missionary woman paid it forward by helping a church to get involved in helping other missionary women in the future.  Kathy, the mom I stayed with, had already made preparations for 3 special treats for the women in Tanzania.

I leave this Thursday for Brunswick, GA to share with the women from Blythe Island Church.  Please pray for safe travel and God’s Best for Pure Joy International as I go to share about how the women there on the east coast can get involved.   Love you all, have a good week, and BREATHE!

His,

Vickie