Just Saying…..

Saturday morning my great nephew and I made a Walmart run while Nana kept an eye on little sister. On our way home I said, “Hey, how about if I pray for you since you fell asleep on the couch before our prayer time last night?” He said, “ok.” So, I proceeded to pray for him and his day. Toward the end of the prayer I said, “I love you God, I love you Jesus, I love you Holy Spirit.” (Which I have always done with him, wanting him to realize our God is a Triune God.) I finished the prayer with a good, In Jesus Name, conclusion. When we got home and out of the car walking through the garage, he stopped and looked at me. He said, “Vic, you do know that the Holy Spirit is really God?” “Really!” I said and chuckled to myself.

Well, we are 11 days out from stepping on the plane to leave the country to Alicante, Spain. I want to thank all of you that continue to give towards missionary sponsorship. We only have 22 more missionaries to sponsor. Keep praying for those sponsorships and share the opportunity with those you know that have a heart for our missionaries. Go to www.purejoyinternational.org and scroll down to “donate.” It will be exciting to see how God answers our prayers for those sponsorships!

I am hearing from some of the missionaries about our upcoming conference. They are so excited. Excited to be encouraged and refreshed. Encouraged that they are going to get some rest, yet focused time on the LORD. Encouraged that they will be able to meet other missionaries that are serving in their part of the world. Encouraged to be staying in a nice hotel and having meals prepared by someone besides themselves! Ha,ha,ha,ha

And may I also remind us that we all need encouragement? Please take time to reach out to someone today that you may not have spoken to in awhile. Make a visit or even just send a text. You never know the difference God makes through those little acts of thoughtfulness.

His,
Vickie

LORD, Pack My Lunch Today...

Recently, Jamie (one of my nieces), called me to share a funny story about her 6-year-old son. Seems he had been asking her to pack him a lunch for a few days in a row. Not because the school doesn’t serve good meals, but because it is the cool thing to do, carry your lunch. She obviously kept forgetting. Then one evening several days later she went to get something out of the refrigerator just before bed time to find two lunch boxes sitting in the refrigerator. She promptly asked her son what his two lunch boxes were doing in the refrigerator. His response, “I put them there to remind you, Mom, because I know you forget sometimes.” Ha,ha,ha 

This morning, as I was doing my quiet time, I was reminded again about that story as I was reading the line from the LORD’S prayer in Matthew 6:11 that says, “Give us today our daily bread.” I wonder how often we ask Him to “pack our lunch for the day,” to give us our daily bread. And better yet, do we really believe that what He packs for us is enough for the day?

This week I am praying for each of you that lay eyes on this blog, that you will intentionally ask God to pack your lunch daily. Ask Him to give you your daily bread….and believe it is enough no matter what it looks like in the physical. Get those lunch boxes on the prayer closet shelves! (smile)

We have had 3 more missionaries sponsored last week in response to our reminder that it is time to help towards sponsorships, if you are going to help. That leaves us with 28 more that still need to be sponsored. Keep those resources pouring in until that number comes to “0”. To give go to www.purejoyinternational.org scroll down and click on donations. It will give you ways to give and an address if you choose to give by mail.

Love you all and have a JESUS week!

His,
Vickie

It’s Time…

For those of you planning to give to the sponsorship of missionaries for Spain, it is time. We are 3 weeks out from the team leaving the country. We still have 31 missionary women left to sponsor. Any monies you are giving towards this trip need to come in soon. So, seek the LORD and see what He would place on your heart to give. Go to www.purejoyinternational.org. Scroll down to donate and it will give you instructions to give on line and or a mailing address to pay by mail.

Also, you can just click on donation button to the right of this page.

This past weekend I was honored to be a part of the home-going of Robin Bowman a friend and team member for our trip to Moscow this past April and Athens Greece in 2017. What a genuine celebration service it was for all! A true testimony of Jesus Christ and the difference He makes in our lives as believers, if we are willing to Trust and Obey.
   
It was said, that day that we all will leave a legacy. Whether we are intentional about leaving one or not. We will leave one. A legacy meaning what people have to say about you.
 
But, as a believer Robin Bowman left the fragrance of Christ. And that is something that comes only from abiding in Him. What will you leave when you leave this earth? A legacy, a testimony about you.  Or will you leave the fragrance of Christ? A testimony of Him.

Have a great Week!

Love you all,

His,
Vickie

Seriously, must laugh…

This past weekend the family got together and helped my cousin and his wife move. Their house sold quicker than their new home was ready. Thankfully, the inside of the new home was complete while the outside is being finished out. I think our families are just good at finding reasons to do things together. Ha,ha,ha

However, the point of this story is “moving”. Isn’t it amazing the things that we decide we can live without when we are in the process of moving, but we absolutely needed them before the move. Ha,ha,ha  

Watching it be weighed out is even more fun. It looks something like this: “Oh, no we don’t need that piece of junk.” (It wasn’t junk 4 weeks ago, ha,ha,ha.) “Oh, well I don’t know, maybe, I guess we could put it out in the garage, no, just get rid of it.” (Ouch, didn’t make the cut.) “Oh, I could never get rid of that, it will have to go somewhere” (Like the attic where you will forget you even have it, ha,ha,ha.) “Oh, we have to keep that and put it out, so and so gave it to us.” (They’re dead of course and will never know.) “Oh, those things belong to the kids, I am saving them for when they grow up and want them.” (Nope not going to happen, they will just wonder why you kept all their homework papers and picture they colored for 6 years, ha,ha,ha.) “Oh, look what I found. What is it? I don’t know but I found it.” (ha,ha,ha) And the list goes on.

So… just simplify and take the couch and enjoy the family. (smile)

Spain

We continue our preparations for our Spain Conference. All things looking good. Our focus now is sponsorship of the missionaries. We have 15 sponsored with 35 to go. Please pray and see if God would lead you to give. If so, please give. As always, we appreciate your prayers for Pure Joy International and support of the ministry.

Have a Jesus Week…

His,

Vickie

Alicante, Spain is Full…

Alicante, Spain is full, and we have gone to a waiting list as of Monday, August 20, 2018. Waiting list Registration can be found at www.purejoyinternational.org It is not uncommon for us to have a couple of people move up from the waiting list before we depart the country so I encourage you to register if you sense God’s leading. Waiting list registration will be closed September 14, 2018.

The team is in full swing regarding preparations and our countdown to leaving the country the first week in October. Please continue to pray for the team, the missionaries, the details… that we forget nothing of what HE would have us bring to them in hand and in our hearts. Pray that even now God is preparing the way for safe travel, luggage to all get to our destinations, flights, flight exchanges and good health for all. Also, continue to pray for missionary support. We have 15 sponsored with 35 to go.
 
For several weeks I have been sharing with you the importance of seeing our missionaries more realistically; understanding that they have everyday struggles just as we do in all areas: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. They are human just as you and I are. They are not perfect, and they truly need for us to let them off the pedestal we have made for them. (smile)
 
Having said all that, I want you to know I totally love our missionaries. I love them so much I don’t mind asking the hard questions when we are on the field doing a conference. Like, “Did God call you to pick up and come here?” You may say,” Well Vickie, what a stupid thing to ask a missionary on the field. Really?” I ask because I care about them and their families. Do you know that sometimes people who love the LORD and have a heart to serve, and are looking for a way to serve, can get caught up the moment in an environment where a missionary or missions conference is? They get swept away by all the excitement and emotions and make a commitment to serve overseas. Months later when the dust settles, they “feel” too far in to admit it was more “emotion” than God’s leading. And before you say, “I can’t believe she is saying this,” do you know how many people have walked the aisle because they didn’t want to disappoint family, friends, etc? They didn’t want to have to figure out how to give the gifts, money, etc. back?
 
I share this with you because I need you to know we have missionaries who have clearly been called to their field of service. They have been placed there by God. Just as Adam was placed in the Garden of Eden (that really turned out well) hahaha. The point is God placed him there knowing what his journey would be. God places us where we need to be for our journeys, too. I tell missionaries on the field, who love Jesus with all their heart, but missed God on the calling to serve overseas, “Go home. Stop worrying if your family will be disappointed, people will think you failed, people you serve with on the field think you are wrong for going home, are wrong for leaving them, etc., etc.”
 
Whether you serve across the waters, or you serve here at home, in prayer and time with the Father, make sure you know He has placed you where you are. He cares for you, and He desires His best for your journey and His Glory!

Psalm 32:8 (ESV)
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. 

Love you guys…

His,
Vickie

Support

Today I want to continue to talk with you about our missionary families/individuals on the field, and I want to talk about support. Not financial support, but emotional support. Over the years you would be shocked to know how many missionaries serving overseas feel as if their local body of believers has forgotten all about them. I have visited with missionaries whose church has changed pastors, and the new pastor never even knew they had a missionary, family, and/or couple on the field.

I don’t share any of that as a guilt trip. I don’t even remember birthdays of my friends that I’m around every week. But, because there are so many family and friends I am confident that my friends do ok, even if I forget… which reminds me I need to send a belated card to a family member. Yikes! Anyway, in a foreign country there aren’t usually a bunch of people to pick up the slack when we forget about our missionaries on the field.

So, I suppose today I just want to ask you a question. Does your church, your family, your work environment, have or know of some missionaries on the field of service overseas? Maybe, it is a friend’s child, an older couple’s kids and grandkids, etc. Would you intentionally take time to lift them up in prayer? Maybe find a way to send a note/email of encouragement. Facetime them or Skype with them. Somehow offer them a little emotional support that says, we know you are there, doing life and serving the LORD.

Speaking of offering support and encouragement, we are only 6 weeks out from leaving the country to head to Spain to do our conference for the missionary women in that part of the world. We are so excited we have missionaries coming to the conference from all parts of Europe to all the way from Tanzania, Africa. Wow! We still have 2 slots open as of today. Remember first come, first served then we go to a waiting list.

Also, keep those sponsorships coming in. We have 15 sponsored as of the blog writing today. We still lack $24,500 having them all sponsored. Donation button/information can be found directly to the right of this page. Give as He leads.

And most of all PRAY for all things Pure Joy International.

• The hotel, flights, luggage, passports
• The team, The missionaries
• The messages
• The Worship
• The fellowship
• The partnering churches that make gifts and pray and give.
• That those that recognize the importance of this ministry would tell others about it.
• Husbands and children of team members while gone, and husbands and children of missionary women while gone.
• Health: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual for all involved.
• Pray for those with the spiritual gift of giving to become aware of our needs for sponsorships.
• Pray for the fellowship that will take place among the missionary women that connections will be made that are encouraging to them.

Praying for you that God is doing things in your life the day you read this to remind you that He is God, He is Good and His Love Never Fails!

Love You!

His,
Vickie

Glory!

What a wonderful weekend as I traveled this past weekend to Elko, Nevada, to share about Pure Joy International with Shiloh Church, and minister to them through a marital and parenting conference. God is up to some things in that congregation, and I would ask you to join me in praying for His Best for them. Such an incredible group of people out in the western part of our nation.

They also added to our sponsorships for the missionary women coming to the conference in Spain. We now have 10 missionary women sponsored with only 40 to go. Yea, God! Remember, if you believe God is putting it on your heart to give toward the sponsorship of the missionaries for this trip, please go to www.purejoyinternational.org and click the donate button. Also, the donate button should be in the top right-hand corner of this page.

The past couple of weeks I have been sharing with you some struggles our missionaries can have on their field of service. We talked the first week about not putting them on a pedestal and the challenges of going on the field, being on the field, and returning to the field after a stateside time. The second week we talked about their struggles as human beings (like you and me) with their quiet times, marriages, kids, parenting, etc.

Today, I want to talk to you about the struggles they have with peer relationships. I can see some of you now putting your hands over your mouths, breathing in as if you can’t believe it! But, it is true. Sometimes our missionaries cannot get along with each other. Many would tell you that is the number one reason so many come off the field these days. I used to agree with that, but I don’t know if I believe it is the #1 reason or the #2 reason. The point is, it is at the top of the reasons list. Before we all get self-righteous about this, may I ask you something? How many of us have left a job, an organization, a church, a ministry, here in the U.S. because we didn’t agree with the leadership direction, couldn’t get along with the leadership, and/or just flat didn’t care to work with some people? I rest my case. Remember, they are human beings just like you and me, and can deal with many of the same life issues we all do… but in a foreign country. Frankly, it can be good for some to regroup and find a different company or organization to serve the LORD. Just like it can be time for us to leave a job, church or ministry to better serve God. The key for all of us, however, comes down to this… Did God call you to another venue or are you running? If He leads you in, He will lead you out. I can honestly say as a believer I have never joined or left a ministry, church staff, church, etc., that I didn’t believe God called me to. I also can honestly say, I have wanted to leave before He called me out of places, but didn’t.

I guess I’m saying (in summary), let’s be a little bit more full of grace and mercy to those who are struggling, as well as to those that may be coming off the field and you don’t understand why. Things aren’t always as simple as they seem, and while there are always two sides to every situation… there is only one that matters: God’s side. Walk according to His counsel and direction.

Love you all, Keep praying for our Spain trip. We have 3 spots open and then we go to our waiting list! 

His,

Vickie