Closing in on Costa Rica

Okay friends, approximately five weeks and counting! Costa Rica is coming into focus as we spend these last five weeks in preparation. Funny about putting together a retreat like this. It reminds me of baking which will make some of you that know me laugh out loud! First you have to decide what kind of cake you want to make. Then you have to go about the business of finding the ingredients for that particular cake because that is what makes it that cake! Next you have to be sure to measure out the right amount of those ingredients as you begin to mix it together and then you spend time stirring it so it can really blend well. Last comes pouring it into a prepared pan and putting it in the oven to cook. Then when it comes out, it looks WONDERFUL (that is a faith statement…ha!) and you put on the final touch of icing and it is ready to be served, savored and enjoyed!!

Having said all of that, I suspect as of today we are in the measuring out the ingredients part of the recipe for our Coast Rica Cake. We meet as a team at Eastside Baptist in Ft. Smith this coming Sunday afternoon to really begin mixing and stirring the ingredients so please be praying for us! Can you imagine 16 women working on one cake! That is a miracle before we ever leave the country!!! Ha…ha!

His,
vickie

P.S. We could have baked a just add egg and water cake but Nahhhhh! Our missionary women deserve better than that!!!

Hear a Team Members Heart

Hey Guys, I thought you would enjoy hearing about a ministry that Kathy Coleman, one of our Costa Rica team members is involved in. I asked her to give me some information on it...so here it is.

A Ladies' Retreat is what changed my life! In 1995, I began a walk with God that took me into uncharted territories. As I began to pray with 3 other women after this retreat for God's will in my life, God took me to an article about moms in Brazil who came together to pray for their children. I then felt that God was calling me to start a yearly day of prayer for moms in our city. The first Mom's Day of Prayer was held in Ft. Smith, Arkansas in January 1998. Then in 2004, I felt the call of God to take the MDOP outside of Ft. Smith so it has become a worldwide event. The Mom's Day of Prayer is held the 3rd Saturday of each January across the world. It is with great JOY that I will have the opportunity to share with the ladies in Costa Rica about this movement of God. If you would like further information please visit the MDOP website at www.momsdayofprayer.com.

If you have a chance check out her web site! Keep checking the blog we will have more news about the Costa Rica preparations soon.

His,
Vickie

Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!

Dear Ones,

As the hurry and scurry of Christmas is upon us I come along side many others that would simply remind you of the reason for the season. It is my prayer that as we remember the birth of Jesus Christ during this season that each one of us will take the time to reflect on the impact His birth has had on our lives personally.

I was 35 years old when the Holy Spirit of God drew me to the realization of Jesus Christ and His Saving Grace! To say my life has never been the same is an absolute understatement of His Power! It is with ‘great joy’ that I enter into this time of season knowing what His birth has brought to my life! My prayer for all of you is that you would take this time to ponder, just for a moment, the impact a child born in a manger has brought to your life. REALLY PONDER IT! Now, remember all of those in this world that have not experienced the impact of the Child born in the manger. Please lift them up in prayer this very moment and pray that this would be their Season and or Year to experience the joy of the LOVE OF CHRIST!

Also, the heart of this ministry goes out to all of you Missionaries near and far that have committed your lives to sharing the story of Jesus with a lost and dying world. Thank you for your commitment to the Hope of Christ!

Please remember this ministry as we springboard into a New Year! Thank you also, to those that have been a part of this ministry in 2007 by praying, giving, and going. We look forward to another year of serving our Lord together and making ‘new friends’ of Pure Joy International.

Blessings Over Each of Your Households,

Vickie

Costa Rica Team Coming Together

Here is another e-mail from one of the Costa Rica team members relating what God is doing in her life through the journey toward Costa Rica. The following is an excerpt from that e-mail.

Today, I was just overwhelmed with God's calling me to this mission trip. God has called me outside of my box since I gave my heart to him fully in 1995. This mission trip is very humbling to me. It amazes me that God really wants to use me - His call amazes me - EVERYTHING amazes me about God!!

Three weeks ago, a friend of mine asked me to join her on a mission trip to Africa - working with children. Then Mary calls after that about the mission trip to Costa Rica. I thought - "What's up, Lord - not me!" I knew in my heart that God would want me to go on a mission trip that reached out to women and if He affirmed it then I would be going to Costa Rica. It is so strange to me that God brought these two trips up at the same time. Going on a Mission trip outside of the U.S.A. was always for other women - was what I had thought. I was THRILLED with Julie and her trip - but it wasn't for me. I didn't think God would ever call me to do this. Again, God is always surprising me with new open doors that take me to unknown territory. This humbles me every time He does this. Today, as we prayed, I was brought to tears because of His power, His presence, His handywork, the prayers of the team, your vision, this ministry, the women's hearts......I feel so unworthy but like you said knowing at all times that HE is the one who gives us the POWER to do anything! I trust His calling though it is hard to me to walk in His open doors so many times.

Spiritual Warfare has already started with me....it started as soon as we started praying. I wanted to truly walk out the door and say to God, "I'm not your gal.....I don't want the warfare that I know will come from saying - "yes" - to this trip." Of course, He brought me to tears so I would give up my will and say - "Not my will but yours, Lord..."

Vickie, in the past 2 weeks God has worked in my heart to seek forgiveness from 6 people that I had bitterness in my heart against. Three weeks ago in the F.R.O.G.ette class, the lesson I was teaching on was on "Forgiveness and Contentment" and I knew that I had to get right with these people. My husband, Rod, researched the scriptures and led me in the way to do this. I did it because I knew God told me to do it and that I could not hold on to this any longer. As I shared with Jerre, who is on the team, I do not think God ever opened the door for a Mission Trip outside of this country because He was waiting on me to release this bitterness and seek forgiveness. HE CONVICTED ME and I followed and IT WAS ALL HIM! I could never have done this without His Power. Through this journey of seeking forgiveness, I have depended on 9 Accountability Partners in my life to pray and keep me focused to complete this journey. Vickie, it takes an army to keep me accountable! Ha!! These ladies and my husband prayed me through this journey and I have a peace like I have never had in my life. In my heart, I believe this Forgiveness in My Heart = Costa Rica. One led to the other - God is so awesome!


I share all of this with you because I truly believe this forgiveness in my life and this trip happening all at the same time are not coincidences......God's plans are not to harm us but to prosper us - to give us a hope and a future......Yeah God!!

It is such a joy to watch God move in the lives of those He calls to join each retreat team. You may have heard me say before that Pure Joy is an inside out ministry. Not only does it minister to the missionary women around the world, but it ministers to individual team member and causes spiritual growth in them during the preparation for each trip.

Keep watching as God builds the Costa Rica team.

His,
vickie

Costa Rica Journey Begins

I will be posting some of the Costa Rica Team's e-mails here over the next week or so. I enjoy sharing with all of you how team members hear from the Lord about being a part of one of our retreats. The following e-mail is from Jerre Moore

Vickie, just wanted to tell you how much I loved meeting you yesterday and the rest of the team. If I ever had any reservations, which I haven't, but yesterday would have put those to rest. I sensed a room full of hearts that beat the same for Christ, His Word and His mission. I love that!

Also, I appreciated a lot what you said up front that those of us that have "inclinations toward leadership" can just sit back and rest and enjoy the trip because there is one leader ultimately and that is Christ and you were listening to Him and would let us know.....and I liked that! I'll rest...(-:

As I said, I have always wanted to go, but it just wasn't the time, but I know this is. I've had nothing but big wide open doors, confirmations thru scripture, I had just finished listening to a series of cd's by Jim Cymbla on spiritual warfare when Mary called, (that's odd but I know it's just God), and most of all Doug, my husband, is so encouraging me to go, my kids are excited about me going and most of all it is what I love to do, minister to women thru His Word. It's just the right package and God wrapped it and gave it to me. I am so thankful!

I so appreciate you, your passion for Christ and the nations and women in particular, I am delighted and honored to be a little part of this bigger picture.
See you soon and I pray God's blessings, protection and constant care of you as you go and give in His Name, jerre moore

As you can see God is working to get our team ready to minister to the women in Costa Rica!

His,
vickie

Greetings Friends of Pure Joy International

There are no words to explain what God accomplished in our lives while visiting Quito, Ecuador this past week. I am quite sure that my life will never be the same! The movement of the Holy Spirit at work was more than I could even imagine. He showed up from the first day and never let up through the 3 day retreat. I have to believe that lives were touched in ways we will know nothing about this side of eternity! The missionary women that attended were absolutely precious beyond belief. Their desire to worship, learn, fellowship, share, and just be honest about their journey’s was spell bounding! I can honestly say that I have never experienced the hand of God in such a unique way as we did on this trip. I want to thank every person that was a part of this journey from every aspect, prayer, support, gifts, encouragement, or time! I want to especially commend those of you who prayed for this retreat. We as a team felt like we walked into this retreat on a paved highway because of your prayers. The women at the retreat with tears in their eyes would comment on how they just couldn’t believe that so many of you were specifically praying for them because of your access to their bio’s.

Linda, who was supposed to do our music, lost her voice on Wednesday but God had a plan. Wendy, Patty, Jessie, and Penny stepped to the plate and we spent 6-8 hours before the Lord putting the song sets together for the retreat. It was a wonderful thing to watch these four gifted singers be able to yield to one another, to be able to recognize what music fit their own gifting, to see God at work in all of them and to see no egos emerge! Praise God for a team that was truly sold out to God! Mena and all the team got the gifts distributed throughout the retreat. Again, the missionary women were in awe of your gifts towards them. Several of the ladies took on the activity of scrap booking with some hesitancy but in the end crossed over! Ha, ha, ha. We heard several testimonies of the blessings that activity brought into their lives. Barbara and Ruth challenged all of us with their messages. In fact I am sure that missionary women all around Ecuador and those of us from the team are all memorizing the book of Philippians even as I write this! We are all also mindful of the Names of God. Specifically, I AM.

Again, thank all of you that were a part of the journey to Quito, Ecuador! I pray blessings back to you a hundred fold. Now keep a watch on our next journey as we prepare for Costa Rica in Feb. We already have over 30 missionary women signed up and we are capping the number at 50. Please begin to pray about how you can be a part of this trip through prayer and support. We will let you know the cost of supporting a missionary to this retreat in the next week as we get all our details together. Looking forward to a new journey with Him!

Note: We have several retreat opportunities for next year already coming on the scene. If you believe your church would be interested in being a part of one of our trips please contact us.

His,
Vickie

The Beautiful Faces in Quito

 
I thought you would enjoy seeing the women that attended the retreat in Quito this week. There are a couple of faces missing but most were in this group photo. God was so good during this retreat and we heard many testimonies of great things that were accomplished in many lives. We expect to learn of more as the women begin to e-mail Vickie over the next few weeks to report what God did for them. Thank you for praying for this retreat. Please keep us in your prayers as we turn our full attention to the Costa Rica retreat and seek exactly what God would have for those women.