Welcome ….

Today I just wanted to welcome all the new people who are connecting to this blog site because you have become aware of us through a team member from your church that is going to Italy to minister in April 2015. Some of you have come on board as prayer warriors and have taken the name and bio of a woman and are praying diligently for her these next 2 months. Some of you are working on favorite bags and praying for the details of what goes in that bag. Others of you are giving to help sponsor the women missionaries to be able to attend free of charge to them for 4 days and 3 night. Others of you are meeting the needs by providing some things we believe God has put on our heart to take. It is an awesome thing to watch how God works on behalf of the 50 missionary women coming and the 15 team members. In fact for the fun of it I decided to figure out how many people are involved in preparations for just one trip. Honestly, this is so awesome to even consider!!! Ready? Over 600 people and that is just what I can account for – there may be more with all the details that take place. It is incredible and sooooooooo God that so many would be involved in loving on and ministering to those 50 missionary women who God has called to this retreat at this time, this season in their lives, this location, this team. So, welcome new individuals on board and thank you to those of you who are on the boat with us 24 -7!! I love you guys!! And thank you for understanding the purpose of this ministry to help keep our missionaries/families on the field of service God has called them to!

For those of you tracking the progress on the Italy retreat, we had 2 more missionaries sponsored this past week. Actually, a little over so …22 and the arms of another are sponsored! Ha,a,ha,ha! 

Hope everyone was able to wade through the final week of the ‘filters’ blogs. To summarize it all…

We need to be God centered so our filters are clean. God centeredness means that when chaos in the form of guilt, shame, fear, anxiety, anger, emotional woundedness, secret sin, unforgiveness, etc., etc. comes into our life we immediately pass it through the colander of His Word and truths. This colander only allows what is true and pure to pass through so we can think more clearly and make godly decisions. One of the biggest culprits to clogging our filters is un-forgiveness of things past, present, and future. Jesus knew that when He demonstrated the importance of forgiveness from the cross. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” The word ‘forgive’ used here is what is called a continuous verb meaning the Father forgive them past, present, and future, all the time. Jesus extended a gift to them - and to you and me - that none deserved when He paid it all on the cross. Remember, forgiveness is always a gift. Forgiveness does not mean what happened to you is ok. It doesn’t mean you have to be reconciled to someone you have forgiven. It doesn’t mean there are no consequences for the action. It does, however, mean freedom for you from the offender and the ability to demonstrate grace through forgiveness as it was demonstrated to you and me from the cross. 

Love you all - have a God week!!

His,

Vickie