Strange Fire…

About 5 years into my walk with the LORD, while serving on a church staff, the words “strange fire” came up in my spirit as I sought the LORD on an issue I was dealing with at our church. Immediately, I thought of the two sons of Aaron that God consumed with fire for their use of “strange fire.” If you don’t know the story, here is a little snippet from gotquestions.org….

In order to understand the phrase “strange fire,” we must review the story in Leviticus in which it appears. The first tabernacle had been erected, and Aaron was doing a lot of sacrificing per God’s instructions (Leviticus 8—9). One day, two of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, came along and offered incense with “strange fire.” The Hebrew word translated “strange” means “unauthorized, foreign, or profane.” God not only rejected their sacrifice; He found it so offensive that He consumed the two men with fire.

After Nadab and Abihu were killed, Moses explained to Aaron why God had done such a harsh thing: “This is what the LORD spoke of when he said: ‘Among those who approach me I will show myself holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored’” (Leviticus 10:3). The exact nature of the profane fire isn’t known, but, since it was the fire that was unauthorized, it could be that Nadab and Abihu were burning the incense with fire of their own making rather than taking fire from the altar, as specified in Leviticus 19:12. Or it could have been that the two men came into the tabernacle drunk and therefore could not remember what was a violation and what was not (Leviticus 10:8–9). Whatever it was the men did to render the offering profane, it was a sign of their disregard for the utter holiness of God and the need to honor and obey Him in solemn and holy fear. Their carelessness and irreverence were their downfall.

Did you catch that last verse?  Whatever it was the men did to render the offering profane, it was a sign of their disregard for the utter holiness of God and the need to honor and obey Him in solemn and holy fear. Their carelessness and irreverence were their downfall.

Are you approaching God with “strange fire?” Have you developed a disregard for His Holiness and lost sight of a need to honor and obey Him in solemn and holy fear?

Father, I pray for us as Your children, the church, and our nation. Break our hearts over our own disregard for the truth of Your Holiness and Awesome Power. Restore us to right regard for You, our God. Amen.

Keep praying for all things Quito, Ecuador. We still have 15 missionaries left to sponsor. The team is excited, and I can sense it rising in me the closer we get! I try to pace my excitement, since we are still a little over two months from leaving the country. Ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha I think of it as packing the fire-cracker. Pack it slowly and tight. When we get to Quito and it is set off… What Glory it will bring Him!

Love you all,

His,
Vickie

Praise……

I am so excited to share with you that we have 35 of our 50 missionary women that will be attending the Quito, Ecuador Retreat sponsored. Thank you so very much for getting on board with this early. We now only have 15 more to go. Please keep praying and seeking God for His leading to give.

So, I haven’t written a blog this past week because I have been so ticked off about the stupidity of American Politics and  I didn’t want to get on a soap box. That is all I’m going to say. Ok, maybe one more thing I will say. We, as a Nation, should be on our face before God as never before. Folks, the spiritual war is on!! God wins but the battles will still have to be fought!! There isn’t any area left un-attacked; individuals, marriages, families, children, human life, churches, ministries, businesses, schools, etc., the list is endless. It’s time to hit our knees before a Holy God!

Love you all,

His,
Vickie

Ecuador Retreat Update…

The Ecuador Retreat is full, and we have already gone to a waiting list. You still can get on the waiting list by going to purejoyinternational.org. Many times, we have missionary women that must drop out because of circumstances, illness, family things back home, etc. So, we have had ladies that get to move up the waiting list by the time we get to the actual retreat dates. If God is putting it on your heart to register, then be obedient and get your name on the list as soon as possible. You never know how God might move on your behalf.

To all our Pure Joy Supporters on all levels, please begin praying for this Retreat. It is so exciting to see the Retreat fill up in just one week’s time. We also have 25 of the missionary women sponsored with only 25 more to go. So fun to watch God move on their behalf! As always, please start seeking God now to see how He would have you be involved in this trip through prayer, gifting, and giving.  You can donate by clicking on the button at the right of this page, and/or send checks to Pure Joy International and write “missionary sponsorship” in bottom left corner of check.
 
Well, today I took the day off literally (for real!) and spent it with my great nephew and his cousin. Respectively ages 6 and 8. We went bowling. It was fun until 1 hour into it we figured out that everyone around us decided to take their kids bowling too, because of the holiday celebrating Martin Luther King. However, we ran into another family and ended up bowling together. I’m pretty sure my lower back is going to be screaming at me in the morning. I don’t think people with lower back issues are supposed to be bowling. I actually was tempted to use the boys’ 6lb bowling ball, but I couldn’t get my fingers in the 3 holes. Ha,ha,ha,ha,ha
     
What I really enjoyed most was that I intentionally took the day off and took the boys because I wanted to spend time with them… not because I needed to watch them for anyone. However, I suspect both moms appreciated our outing too. Ha,ha,ha,ha,ha

Wanted to share something before closing. If you didn’t catch this reading from Oswald on January 11th it was a very powerful one.

What My Obedience to God Costs Other People, by Oswald Chambers
https://utmost.org/what-my-obedience-to-god-costs-other-people/?share=email&nb=1

His,
Vickie

It’s A New Year and We Are Off to Quito, Ecuador.

I hope this blog finds each of you having begun a New Year with a renewed hope in your heart and a desire to know Him more.

We are so excited to be heading to Quito, Ecuador in April of this spring, 2019. Quito holds a very special place in my journey because it was there in 1999 that God placed the vision for ministering to missionary women in my heart. Here it is 20 years later, and the vision continues to accomplish His good and pleasing will.

The theme God has placed on my heart for this 20th Anniversary Retreat is, “He is Faithful.” Our verse is 1 Thessalonians 5:24, “He who calls you is faithful, He will surely do it.” Oh, how those that serve cross-culturally on foreign soils need to be encouraged to remember this truth. It is a truth for all of us!

Please help us get the word out to the missionary women serving in this part of the world. Whether you are serving as a single missionary or alongside your husband and family, please pray and see if God would have you attend. If your daughter, mother, sisters, friend, etc., is serving in this part of the world… get the word out to them! More information will be given when you go to Register at our web site. purejoyinternational.org

Registration opens January 7, 2019. Please know that we cap out at 50 missionary women, so first come, first served. Then we go to a waiting list. If you have questions you can contact me at vickie@purejoyinternational.org 

Pray that this retreat will be everything God wants it to be from this email going out till the time the team steps off the plane coming home. The key to that will be our preparation time and all that takes place here before we leave. So, join us as you always do in praying, giving, gifting and going.

Love you all and can’t wait to see what He does with all of us this year.

His,
Vickie

Same Kind of Different as Me….

One afternoon last week I came home to find my mom watching the movie Same Kind of Different as Me on Netflix. The movie is based on the book, which is based on a true story. I bought the book when it came out many years ago, but never read past the first couple of chapters. The movie was half over when I sat down to watch it. The story revolves around a struggling marriage, struggling father and adult child, and a kitchen for the homeless community… and a homeless man.

What part I saw of the movie was good. Slow moving but good. However, the ending of the moving was absolutely soooooooo powerful to me and such a reminder. A reminder that I think we could all benefit from as we head into the Christmas Season and the New Year. Before I comment on the reminder let me share with you the words at the end of the movie, spoken by Denver Moore, the homeless man, as he shared the eulogy at the funeral for Miss Debbie.

“I used to spend a lotta time worryin that I was different from other people, even from other homeless folks. Then, after I met Miss Debbie and Mr. Ron, I worried that I was so different from them that we wadn't ever gon' have no kind a' future. But I found out everybody's different - the same kind of different as me. We're all just regular folks walkin down the road God done set in front of us. The truth about it is, whether we is rich or poor or somethin in between, this earth ain't no final restin place. So, in a way, we is all homeless - just workin our way toward home.” Welcome home, Miss Debbie, welcome home.”

Did you catch the reminder? In a way we are all “homeless” as believers. Just working our way toward “Home.” So, as you celebrate or struggle and/or both through this Christmas and/or the New Year remember, Jesus came into this world to show us the way “Home.” Remember Denver Moore’s last statement about Miss Debbie? “Welcome home, Miss Debbie, welcome home.” Out of all the people in that church she was “home.” The rest of them were homeless. Dear ones, until we pass from this world into eternity may we begin to understand that we are living homeless… and being homeless is HARD!

1 Peter 2:11 (MSG)
Friends, this world is not your home, so don't make yourselves cozy in it. Don't indulge your ego at the expense of your soul.

Homeless but His,
Vickie

Merry Christmas from the Staff, Board, and Advisors of Pure Joy International to you and yours!!

GREETINGS….

We have received our first Christmas Story. Remember to share your short stories and humorous moments regarding Christmas. Just send to me at vickie@purejoyinternational.org We will make sure they get posted to the Facebook, purejoyinternational.org web site (click on blog), and email for those of you that have signed up to receive it that way.
 
Enjoy this story from a missionary family that was stationed in Czech Republic. For others of you that are overseas and/or back in the states or your country of origin get those to us in the next 10 days please.

His,
Vickie

Remember the Joy of why we celebrate Christmas to help you overcome the craziness of it all!!

First Christmas in the Czech Republic

We were all so excited - Christmas was only a short time away.
Once again, we would hang our stockings awaiting all those small, yet hand-picked trinkets, but wait! We decided not to bring our old stockings, but had decided we would buy new ones in this new county. We searched and we searched for stockings, not finding them brought discouragement and longing for home. What could we do? We could let this spoil Christmas considering the true meaning had nothing to do with hanging stockings, but giving to others – 

Jesus being the greatest gift ever given to mankind.
So, we all agreed to find a container that would say the most about us. This would make Christmas even more personal than before. Since then, we have gone back to our traditional stockings, and now those stockings hang in the home of each of our adult children. 

As for Jeff and I, only two stockings will hang this Christmas.

Please consider …

As the end of the year rolls around many will be looking at ways to donate to 501 (c)3 ministry organizations. I would like to ask each of you that know someone that is interested in donating to tell them about Pure Joy International and its ministry to our missionary women and families on the field. Money donated at the end of the year contributes to our general budget that keeps the ministry in working order to provide for office/office supplies, traveling to network churches that partner with us, travel to meet with team members for conferences, counseling services free of charge to missionaries overseas and at home for themselves or their family. It also provides for resources needed for overseas conference, along with so much more. So, share with others that may be prayerfully seeking God about a ministry to give to this end of the year. Through His resources we can make a difference. Click here to access our support page. (Scroll to center of page to find various ways to give,)

Recently, I had the great opportunity to be the speaker for the Women’s Christmas Celebration at West Chicago Bible Church. Such a sweet time with the ladies there. The hospitality was wonderful, the men served the meal (that was great), the local High School Acapella group sang, and God’s word challenged, affirmed, and convicted us. Thank you to all the men and women of West Chicago Bible Church for coming together to celebrate the Savior of the World.

Last Christmas Season, I asked you to share pictures of your Christmas trees to share with others on the blog. This year I thought it would be fun to share some Holiday stories. They may be laugh out loud funny or serious or anywhere in between. Can’t wait to share them with the readers. Let me hear from you. I’m confident our missionaries can share some interesting ones with us. Send them to me at vickie@purejoyinternational.org

Praying for all during this Christmas Season.

His,
Vickie
P.S.  We are headed to Quito, Ecuador in April of 2019.   More details to come.